Andrew Southcott (Boothby, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Primary Healthcare) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move opposition amendment (1):

(1)    Part 1, page 2 (after line 12), after clause 2, insert:

        2A Objects and functions

        (1)    The object of this Act is to establish an Agency to advise on and manage national preventive health programs.

        (2)    The function of the Agency and its CEO are to be interpreted in accordance with the following objects:

             (a)    to effectively monitor, evaluate and build evidence in relation to preventive health strategies;

             (b)    to facilitate a national health prevention research infrastructure;

             (c)    to generate new partnerships for workplace, community and school interventions;

             (d)    to assist in the development of the health prevention workforce; and

             (e)    to coordinate and implement a national approach to social marketing for preventive health programs.

This is a very straightforward amendment. It deals with the objects and functions of the agency. The Preventative Health Taskforce recommended the establishment of a National Preventive Health Agency. It also recommended an independent statutory body to give high-level advice to the government, but the government decided not to go down that path and have instead proposed that the agency be a part of government. That is why the coalition are seeking to introduce these amendments that address the objects and functions of the agency where currently there are none as defined in the legislation.

Very briefly, we say the function of the agency and its CEO are to be interpreted in accordance with five objects in relation to: preventative health strategies; prevention research infrastructure; new partnerships for workplace, community and school interventions; assisting in the development of the health prevention workforce; and coordinating and implementing a national approach to social marketing for preventative health programs. It is a very straightforward amendment and I encourage members to support it.

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