Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the senators who contributed to the debate. Chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes account for about 20 per cent of total healthcare expenditure. We know that risk factors contribute to over 30 per cent of Australia’s total burden of death, disease and disability. The Gillard government recognises the importance of taking decisive action to address these issues for our community now and into the future. The bill establishes national infrastructure to help drive major change in the way we behave and how we look after our own health. The agency will be providing evidence based policy advice on preventative health matters.

As the minister stated in the second reading speech, governments can play a leadership role by gathering, analysing and disseminating the best available evidence and implementing programs and policies based on that evidence. In March 2010 the minister, with the agreement of the Australian Greens and Senator Xenophon, decided that $50 million from the national binge-drinking strategy will be rolled out through the agency rather than through the Department of Health and Ageing. As the agency was not established at that time, the government has allowed the Department of Health and Ageing to start work and ensure that delivery of the initiatives is timely and not held up.

Recently, a consultation paper was released for feedback on the $25 million Community Sponsorship Fund, which aims to provide an alternative to alcohol industry sponsorship for local community sporting and cultural organisations. Feedback on the consultation paper closes on 19 November. It is envisaged that grants will be provided next year. These programs will be transferred to the agency once it is established, in accordance with our agreement with Senators Xenophon and Siewert.

This agency is important because it will permanently embed preventative health thinking and action into the future, as an enduring institution. Australia’s efforts in health prevention have been among the best in the world, but, given the challenges that we face, we must harness and focus all of our resources to become better at preventing disease. The agency will play an instrumental role in meeting this challenge and will actively engage and collaborate with partners, both government and non-government, to influence change leading to preventative health gains. It is important that the bill is passed in this sitting to allow the agency to commence operation as soon as possible. The time to act is now. We must delay no longer. I commend the bill to the chamber.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.