DOCSLIB.ORG

Gillard Gave More on Health Deal: Baillieu Page 1 Of3 ~

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Gillard Gave More on Health Deal: Baillieu Page 1 Of3 ~ .L.._~ Gillard gave more on health deal: Baillieu Page 1 of3 ~ Gillard gave more on health deal: Baillieu PUBLISHED 02 .. c: .." c:::20c 1: 1: . DAVID CROWE, Mathew Dunckley, Fiona Buffini and AAP Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu has rubbished Prime Minister Julia Gillard's claim that the commonwealth did not grant concessions to win over the states to a proposed overhaul of the health system. s Gillard announced on Tuesday morning that a new model fOD funding hospitals would be established that would lift the federal funding contribution to 50 per cent of the growth in expenses in c]r urn for the states agreeing to introducing, among other things, 'activity-based" funding and local hospital boards. Ms Gillard told reporters that any claim that there had been concessions by the federal government between the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting in February where a heads of agreement was signed and Tuesday's agreement was "simply wrong". Ted Baillieu: "It is clear that we have got significant improvement to the prior Mr Baillieu responded to that assertion by listing the wins he said funding arrangement". Photo: Angela Victoria had secured since that meeting. Wylie They included: • An exemption for Victoria's home and community care (HACC) from a commonwealth takeover • The retention of funding under state legislative and financial control in the state-federal pool that will remit cash to hospitals • $30 million in reward funding. "It is clear that we have got significant improvement to the prior funding arrangement," he said Ms Gillard announced an agreement with most states in February ~ 2011 but West Australian Premier Colin Barnett did not sign up to ~ the plan until this week, after details were negotiated. Julia Gillard has denied the states won any concessions between February and .-1 The Prime Minister on Tuesday rejected suggestions that she had Tuesday's announcement. Photo: Alex t1 been forced to give ground to the states to make progress on one of Ellinghausen her government's big ambitions. "This agreement today delivers on the heads of agreement I entered into in February. It delivers on it in full, so any suggestion that there's been concessions made between February and now is simply not right," she told the press conference. Earlier on Tuesday, WA Health Minister Kim Hames said Canberra's compromises were significant. "While we send the money across, it goes into a state-controlled account, so we will have state legislation controlling our account, their money goes into that and is regarded as ours when it gets there, and really that was the deal doer, I guess, we're not going to let them control the flow of our money." Sources in Canberra countered that statement by saying that it was always intended that states would have the ultimate say over their funding. Ms Gillard lauded the agreement as a breakthrough that would improve health services, as she acknowledged that an earlier reform blueprint issued by her predecessor, Kevin Rudd, was never going to succeed. "What this new deal means, put simply, is more money, more beds, more services, more local control, greater accountability, less waste and less waiting times around the nation," Ms Gillard said. "There will be clear transparency and accountability about where that money goes to and how it is spent." The Gillard government has cited the health deal as evidence it was getting on with what Ms Gillard called her year of "decision and delivery" on reform, claiming that the agreement would give patients faster treatment at emergency departments and earlier action on elective surgery waiting lists. Mr Rudd announced a health reform agreement in early 2010 but this never gained the full support of the http://afLcom/p/national/gillard_gave_more_on_health_deal_V7GKEMTaHvDybb02... 11/10/2011 Gillard gave more on health deal: Baillieu Page 2 of3 states. Under the deal, the federal government will pay 50 per cent of rising health care costs from 2014-15. The deal is worth an extra $16.4 billion to the states in the first six years. Overall it will deliver $175 billion over two decades to 2030. Also under the agreement: • 90 per cent of all patients presenting to a hospital emergency department must be seen within four hours. This is a change from an earlier target of 95 per cent that applied to only a selective group of patients, but Ms Gillard defended the change by saying it was done on the advice of an expert panel. • There will be a new target for elective surgery waiting lists with 100 per cent of patients' treatment delivered on time. Under the original deal it had been 95 per cent with the remaining 5 per cent to be referred to private hospitals. Ms Gillard said the change had been advised by experts. •A MyHospital website will enable the public to see where the money is being spent and how services are delivered at their local hospital. •A new authority is to decide on the "efficient price" for each medical service, forcing the states to become more efficient in order to get work done at or below that price. • New local hospital networks will be formed to manage health services in each region and will be ultimately responsible to state governments. The number of health networks is to be lower than originally planned under Mr Rudd's reforms. While Ms Gillard acknowledged that her plan dropped key elements of Mr Rudd's blueprint - including a bigger federal funding takeover that involved taking GST revenue off the states - she insisted that the original deal was never going to be agreed on. Ms Gillard disputed assumptions that Canberra would have to control the local health networks in order to get a better outcome, saying that transparency would generate results in health just as it was in education. "We don't run schools. We introduced better funding, better quality standards, better transparency and it has catalysed change," Ms Gillard said. "There's no reason to be sceptical about that - you've actually seen that happen before your very eyes with Australian schooling. Transparency made a difference." Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon earlier said the deal took account of legitimate state concerns but maintained key reforms vital to ensure extra money went into the health system. "I think health reform is always complex, I think you can take two steps forward and one back ... but ultimately through this process we have ended up hundreds of steps ahead," Ms Roxon said. Health policy experts said while the reforms should reduce waiting times for surgeries and improve emergency room care, the package was more about reform to health funding than health systems. Emeritus professor at the University of NSW John Dwyer said: "It remains largely a program for changing the way we finance our hospital system, the really good things in this package are the increased responsibility of the Commonwealth to fund growth for hospital services, so that they'll be more money for into the future for the states can rely on for their hospital services." "Certainly, there is an emphasis on improving efficiencies in hospitals that might see us able to reduce waiting times for elective surgery, and there is more money in the system. I'm just a bit concerned that there is not enough money to really make the different that we would all like to see," Professor Dwyer told the ABC on Monday. "It's a reform package in a financing, accounting sense rather than a system sense and that's its biggest weakness. "There's a huge number of issues to tackle to give Australia a modern health system that is fair and that is cost effective and sustainable; we still have no oral health program ... and we have yet to see how widely we can spend the mental health money to improve mental health so there's still many questions to be raised." Professor Stephen Leeder, director of the Menzies Centre for Health Policy, said the package should make it easier to get "care in emergency departments and should reduce waiting times for surgeries ... and generally make the system more stable". "The things that people wanted from health reform were a guarantee that there would be service there if they need them in an emergency, and that's perfectly reasonable ... and also to ensure there's enough hospital beds for the care of people who require them, so those two things make good sense. http://afLcom/p/national/gillard_gave_ffiore_on_health_deal_V7GKEMTaHvDybb02... l1/10/2011 Gillard gave more on health deal: Baillieu Page 3 of3 "This is a 10 to 15 year project but it's a very good beginning." The Australian Financial Review See also Related News • Softer surgery target replaces 'guarantee' Pe?ple Nicola Roxon, Julia Gillard, Ted Baillieu • PM gave states blank cheque BisilOP Topics Health & Wellbeing, Politics/Federal Politics • PM gets states to agree on health reform •I . • Health deal fact sheet • National Health and Hospitals Network Agreement http://afr.com/p/national/gillard_gave_more_on_health_deal_V7GKEMTaHvDybb02... 11/1 0/2011.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Budget Estimates 2011-12
    Senate Standing Committee on Economics ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ON NOTICE Innovation, Industry, Science and Research Portfolio Budget Estimates Hearing 2011-12 30 May 2011 AGENCY/DEPARTMENT: INNOVATION, INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND RESEARCH TOPIC: PMSEIC REFERENCE: Written Question – Senator Colbeck QUESTION No.: BI-132 Senator COLBECK: Is a list of attendees documented for each of the PMSEIC meetings? If so, could these lists be provided for each of the meetings of 23 April 2008, 9 October 2008, 5 June 2009, 18 March 2010 and 4 February 2011? Alternatively, could you please provide a full breakdown of which Departmental secretaries have attended each of these meetings respectively? ANSWER Yes, full lists of attendees are documented for each of the PMSEIC meetings.
    [Show full text]
  • THE HON NICOLA ROXON MP Attorney-General Minister for Emergency Management
    UNCLASSIFIED THE HON NICOLA ROXON MP Attorney-General Minister for Emergency Management SPEECH TO THE SECUIRTY IN GOVERNMENT CONFERENCE: PROTECTIVE SECURITY – POLICY IN ACTION ***CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY*** TUESDAY 4 SEPTEMBER Acknowledgements Thank you Mike (Mike Rothery, First Assistant Secretary, National Security Resilience Policy Division, Attorney-General’s Department) · Roger Wilkins AO, Secretary, Attorney-General’s Department · Security industry leaders and suppliers · Ladies and gentlemen. Introduction It’s great to join you for this year’s Security in Government Conference, my first as Attorney-General. SIG is considered to be Australia’s premier event on protective security, becoming very well established since its first gathering in 1987. That was certainly a different era. I was studying law at the University of Melbourne. And one of the most popular TV shows at the time was LA Law. While it wasn’t necessarily an accurate portrayal of the law or of legal proceedings, it was entertaining. I remember in one episode a teenage computer hacker was hired to fix the law firm’s phones. I thought the story line was intriguing. Could he really be trusted? I must admit, I don’t recall how the story played out. But I did do a bit of research and was amused to find the episode was written by Anonymous. And I think that’s enough said about that… I’ve also been informed that ’87 was the year the first mobile phone call was made in Australia. Today there are more than 29 million mobile phone and internet services in operation in Australia. Times have certainly changed.
    [Show full text]
  • Queensland Parliamentary Library Publication
    Using e-Research Briefs e-Research Briefs are Queensland Parliamentary Establishing a National Library publications which concisely summarise issues of importance to Registration and Members of Parliament and their constituency. e-Research Briefs are Accreditation Scheme for published in an electronic format and contain links to relevant information, such Health Practitioners: as legislation, news clippings, articles, discussion papers, policy Health Practitioner papers or other relevant information. Links are current at date of publication. Regulation National Law e-Research Briefs are distributed to all Members’ Bill 2009 (Qld) electorate offices via email. They can also be accessed via the Library’s Research Databases (Concord) available on the Queensland Parliament’s website at: www.parliament.qld.gov.au Hard copies of these publications can be obtained from the Library. Ph: 3406 7219 Bill: Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Bill 2009 (Qld) Date of 6 October 2009 For further inquiries or introduction: comments contact: Portfolio: Health library.inquiries@ parliament.qld.gov.au or phone (07) 340 67219. Hansard Reference Queensland Parliamentary Debates, 6 October 2009, Second Reading pp 2512-2513 Speech: Mary Westcott* e-Research Brief 2009/27 October 2009 Research Publications are compiled for Members of the Queensland Parliament, for use in parliamentary debates and for related parliamentary purposes. Information in publications is current to the date of publication. Information on legislation, case law or legal policy issues does not constitute legal advice. Research Publications on Bills reflect the legislation as introduced and should not be considered complete guides to the legislation. To determine whether a Bill has been enacted, or whether amendments have been made to a Bill during consideration in detail, the Queensland Legislation Annotations, prepared by the Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel, or the Bills Update, produced by the Table Office of the Queensland Parliament, should be consulted.
    [Show full text]
  • The Australian Women's Health Movement and Public Policy
    Reaching for Health The Australian women’s health movement and public policy Reaching for Health The Australian women’s health movement and public policy Gwendolyn Gray Jamieson Published by ANU E Press The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200, Australia Email: [email protected] This title is also available online at http://epress.anu.edu.au National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Author: Gray Jamieson, Gwendolyn. Title: Reaching for health [electronic resource] : the Australian women’s health movement and public policy / Gwendolyn Gray Jamieson. ISBN: 9781921862687 (ebook) 9781921862670 (pbk.) Notes: Includes bibliographical references. Subjects: Birth control--Australia--History. Contraception--Australia--History. Sex discrimination against women--Australia--History. Women’s health services--Australia--History. Women--Health and hygiene--Australia--History. Women--Social conditions--History. Dewey Number: 362.1982 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Cover design and layout by ANU E Press Printed by Griffin Press This edition © 2012 ANU E Press Contents Preface . .vii Acknowledgments . ix Abbreviations . xi Introduction . 1 1 . Concepts, Concerns, Critiques . 23 2 . With Only Their Bare Hands . 57 3 . Infrastructure Expansion: 1980s onwards . 89 4 . Group Proliferation and Formal Networks . 127 5 . Working Together for Health . 155 6 . Women’s Reproductive Rights: Confronting power . 179 7 . Policy Responses: States and Territories . 215 8 . Commonwealth Policy Responses . 245 9 . Explaining Australia’s Policy Responses . 279 10 . A Glass Half Full… . 305 Appendix 1: Time line of key events, 1960–2011 .
    [Show full text]
  • Celebrating 35 YEARS
    2019/20 ANNUAL REVIEW Celebrating 35 YEARS THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS PLATINUM SPONSOR CONTENTS King & Wood Mallesons GOLD SPONSORS ANZ BHP National Australia Bank KPMG Australia QBE Insurance Telstra SILVER SPONSORS Allens 4 – PRESIDENT’S REPORT We acknowledge the AMP Limited Traditional Custodians of Ashurst Boston Consulting Group 5 – BOARD MEMBERS the lands on which CEW BroadSpectrum Commonwealth Bank works and pay our respect Dan Murphy’s 6 – CEO’S REPORT to the Elders past, present Deloitte. Egon Zehnder 8 – STRATEGY UPDATE and emerging. CEW EY Gilbert + Tobin recognises their continuing The GPT Group 10 – THOUGHT LEADERSHIP AND connection to land, water Harvey Norman Heidrick + Struggles ADVOCACY FOR CHANGE and community and IAG J.P. Morgan 11 – PUBLICATIONS acknowledges the strength Lendlease of Indigenous women Macquarie Group Microsoft 12 – CELEBRATING 35 YEARS leading their communities. Mirvac We extend that respect Russell Reynolds Associates Spencer Stuart 14 / 19 – LEADERSHIP AND COVID-19 to Aboriginal and Torres Suncorp Sydney Airport Strait Islander people Wesfarmers 18 – HIGHLIGHTS who are part of the Westpac 26 – SCHOLARSHIPS CEW community. PRINCIPAL BUSINESS PARTNER ANZ RESEARCH PARTNER 30 – LEADERS PROGRAM Bain & Company PREMISES PARTNER 32 – FINANCIALS CBRE CEW CONNECT PARTNER 34 – PEOPLE Goldman Sachs CEW PARTNERS Allens 36 – MEMBERS Australian Government Deloitte. 38 – SPONSORS AND PARTNERS EY King & Wood Mallesons KPMG Australia PwC Spencer Stuart CEW ANNUAL REVIEW 2019/20 3 CONTENTS PRESIDENT’S REPORT BOARD MEMBERS A review of FY20 cannot overstate the impact of CEW is governed by a representative board the pandemic on all our lives: in the workplace, comprising President, Treasurer and Chairs of the financially and societally.
    [Show full text]
  • The Hon Nicola Roxon Mp ' Minister for Health and Agein
    THE HON NICOLA ROXON MP PETITIONS COMMITTE'E Received in Secretariat^/^/// MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND AGEIN j Petition No: The Hon John Murphy MP Number of Signatures: Chair Standing Committee on Petitions Parliament House CANBERRA ACT 2600 Dear Mr Murphy Thank you for your letter of 22 November 2010 regarding the petition of residents of Goodooga and surrounds about downgrades and reductions to health and emergency services to the area provided by the New South Wales Greater Western Area Health Service (GWAHS) and Ambulance Service of New South Wales. As per Standing Order 209(b), I am providing a written response to you on the matters raised in the petition. I note that the petition calls on the House to pressure the New South Wales Minister for Health, the Hon Carmel Tebbutt MP, and managerial staff of the GWAHS to secure the funding of its 24-hour emergency service and reinstate its ambulance service. The Australian Government is investing a record amount of up to $7.4 billion to implement the most significant reforms to health and hospitals since the introduction of Medicare. Under these reforms, the National Health and Hospitals Network will create a single national unified health system which is nationally funded and locally run to ensure all Australians have access to affordable and high quality health care. In September 2010, the Prime Minister, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, announced further investment through a new regional priority funding round of the Health and Hospitals Fund to improve health services to regional Australia. While the Commonwealth provides support and funding to the states and territories, the current management and delivery of health and hospital services rests with each state and territory government.
    [Show full text]
  • April 2010 Newsletter
    MAY 2010 AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S HEALTH NETWORK Online Women’s Health News Bulletin May 2010 (www.awhn.org.au) Dear Members The AWHN Network News will be sent to all members three times a year (February, May and December). The AWHN Committee values your input and invites submissions for consideration. Contact details for submissions are provided at the conclusion of this newsletter. INSIDE THIS ISSUE Convenor’s Report Taking Action to Progress the New Agenda Aboriginal Women’s Talking Circle Report th 6 Australian Women’s Health Conference Progress Report State Round Up Articles of Interest State Reports Coming events Membership Form AWHN CONVENOR'S REPORT, December, 2009. PO Box 1160, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001 AWHN CONVENOR'S REPORT, April 2010. This is a quick update on our activities in the final weeks of Conference preparation. The same three projects continue to occupy most of our time: the Conference, lobbying around the new National Women's Health Policy (NWHP) and managing the AWHN Aboriginal Women's Talking Circle Project. The New National Women's Health Policy The consultation and submission processes for the NWHP were completed in 2009. Our understanding is that the policy is being written in the first half of 2010. We have not been able to find out anything about when the policy will be launched. At the beginning of the consultation process, we were told that it would be released in the middle of 2010. Later, we were told we could expect it earlier than that. The Committee thought it would be a great idea if the new policy could be launched at the Conference by the Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon.
    [Show full text]
  • THE HON NICOLA ROXON MP Minister for Health and Ageing
    THE HON NICOLA ROXON MP Minister for Health and Ageing MEDIA RELEASE 20 December 2010 $22m Boost to Australians fighting cancer Cancer treatment and prevention continues to get top priority from the Gillard Government, following two announcements today totalling $22.6 million for high- priority cancer research projects and to extend clinical trials. The Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon, explained the Government will invest $7.8 million, with funding partners contributing more than $3 million, to fund 27 new cancer research projects. In addition, the Government will also provide $11.3 for 13 National Cancer Trials Groups and to expand the Regional Trials Networks across 10 regional hospitals. “We have some of the world’s best cancer researchers and research institutes, and have made big inroads into treating the disease,” Ms Roxon said. “This funding will support important research to improve the effectiveness of cancer treatment and prevention for the benefit of all Australians.” The 27 new cancer research projects, underway through Cancer Australia’s Priority- driven Collaborative Cancer Research Scheme, include innovative joint ventures with organisations such as beyondblue, the Prostate Council of Australia, National Breast Cancer Foundation, Leukaemia Foundation, CanTeen and more. Ms Roxon also explained that the Government’s investment in the ten regional cancer centres will make it easier for people who live in regional centres to take part in and benefit from these cancer trials groups––without having to travel to metropolitan
    [Show full text]
  • The Rudd Government Australian Commonwealth Administration 2007–2010
    The Rudd Government Australian Commonwealth Administration 2007–2010 The Rudd Government Australian Commonwealth Administration 2007–2010 Edited by Chris Aulich and Mark Evans Published by ANU E Press The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200, Australia Email: [email protected] This title is also available online at: http://epress.anu.edu.au/rudd_citation.html National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Title: The Rudd government : Australian Commonwealth administration 2007 - 2010 / edited by Chris Aulich and Mark Evans. ISBN: 9781921862069 (pbk.) 9781921862076 (eBook) Notes: Includes bibliographical references. Subjects: Rudd, Kevin, 1957---Political and social views. Australian Labor Party. Public administration--Australia. Australia--Politics and government--2001- Other Authors/Contributors: Aulich, Chris, 1947- Evans, Mark Dr. Dewey Number: 324.29407 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Cover design by ANU E Press Illustrations by David Pope, The Canberra Times Printed by Griffin Press Funding for this monograph series has been provided by the Australia and New Zealand School of Government Research Program. This edition © 2010 ANU E Press Contents Acknowledgments . vii Contributors . ix Part I. Introduction 1 . It was the best of times; it was the worst of times . 3 Chris Aulich 2 . Issues and agendas for the term . 17 John Wanna Part II. The Institutions of Government 3 . The Australian Public Service: new agendas and reform . 35 John Halligan 4 . Continuity and change in the outer public sector .
    [Show full text]
  • Newsletter SUMMER 2012 Issue
    Newsletter SUMMER 2012 issue Letter from Sophie Could I be a leader? I have spent the last month running a series of leadership seminars for women around Australia. It has been a wonderfully optimistic exercise. As so often happens when groups of women come together, despite them being complete strangers they are chatting within minutes, laughing and then the conversation quickly morphs into serious discussion of global issues. They were an eclectic group of women from the Pilbara, Cairns, Broken Hill and down town Melbourne managing government departments that deliver health, education and police services. Others worked in banks, construction, oil and biotech companies. Not for profits were also well represented. Marita Cheng Engineering Visionary I told stories about my female heroines such as Prof Fiona Stanley, Sheryl 2012 Young Australian of the Year, Sandberg, Marita Cheng and Christine Nixon to illustrate how women manage Marita is currently studying their careers, find mentors, manage difficult workplace situations, and find engineering and computer science their voices. at University of Melbourne. In 2008 Marita founded Robogals Global My strongest impressions were that you can achieve a lot in a day when you to change the way that girls view their capacity to contribute to engineering are focused and give people the chance to reflect on their values, priorities, and technology. Already Robogals style and achievements. The isolation of workplaces is highlighted as people has run robotics workshops for 3,000 are relieved that others experience the same frustrations and anxieties. girls across 80 schools in Australia. Marita is the recipient of a number of Women want to contribute, enjoy their work and make their mark but don’t Fellowship and Awards and was a always covet the top job.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report 2008
    TEN YEARS of ACHIEVEMENT Breast Cancer Network Australia Annual Review 2008 Contents Refl ecting on ten years 1 Organisational structure 2 Board 2 Vision & Mission 3 Meeting our mission In this report we will explore how we have achieved our mission over the last ten years, highlighting ten achievements under each mission statement. To inform 4 To empower 8 To represent 12 To link together 16 Key partners & sponsors 20 Executive team 22 Fundraising 2008 22 Financial summary 23 Mini-Field locations 2008 24 Field of Women locations since 1999 24 Resources 25 Endorsements 25 2008 BCNA Advocate appointments 26 1 Reflecting on ten years ▲ BCNA Chair Patricia Edgar and CEO Lyn Swinburne. It seems somehow surreal for me to take a step back Throughout these past ten years, many women and and see Breast Cancer Network Australia as the thriving, men have helped form our work and can take credit for infl uential organisation it is today, working for the benefi t of maintaining the passion and the focus. At the forefront of thousands of women and families affected by breast cancer. these is Patricia Edgar, our Chair from the very beginning, when we were a fl edgling organisation full of determination My thoughts return to that fi rst Field of Women and our and promise but facing major challenges. Patricia retires launch in Canberra ten years ago. We had great hopes of in mid-2009, and her thorough leadership, wisdom and positively infl uencing the way breast cancer was considered contribution as my personal mentor has been considerable.
    [Show full text]
  • Interview with the Hon. Nicola Roxon: Getting Evidence Into Health Policy
    February 2017; Vol. 27(1):e2711701 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.17061/phrp2711701 www.phrp.com.au Perspective – Interview Interview with the Hon. Nicola Roxon: getting evidence into health policy Nicola Roxona,b a Minister for Health and Ageing (2007–2011), Australian Government, Canberra, ACT b Sir Zelman Cowen Centre, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia Article history Introduction Publication date: February 2017 Public health researchers and practitioners want to see their research Roxon N. Interview with the Hon. inform government decision making. It is not always clear to researchers Nicola Roxon: getting evidence into how evidence is used in policy decisions in a highly politicised environment health policy. Public Health Res Pract. with many competing demands. We spoke to the Honourable Nicola Roxon, 2017;27(1):e2711701. doi: http://dx.doi. former Australian Minister for Health and Ageing (2007–2011), to gain some org/10.17061/phrp2711701 insight into the process, and advice on how to engage most productively with government. Q: Often ministers and policy makers must try to make good policy decisions Key points in areas where evidence is incomplete or contested. What strategies or • Working with decision makers to processes did you employ when trying to make good public health decisions implement new health policy often at a federal level when the evidence was insufficient? What were the main involves finding a political ‘sweet spot’ challenges involved and how did you overcome them? where a good policy decision is also A: I think it is very rare for ministers or governments to want to make decisions good politics where evidence is incomplete or contested (provided the contest is real, • When communicating a new idea to not fabricated by vested interests).
    [Show full text]