Australian Health Protection Principal Committee

Australian Health Protection Principal Committee

Committee overview
Formed	2 July 2009
Preceding Committee	National Public Health Partnership
Committee executive	Professor Tony Lawler, Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer (chair)
Parent department	Governance: National Cabinet Secretariat: Department of Health and Aged Care
Website	www.health.gov.au/committees-and-groups/australian-health-protection-principal-committee-ahppc

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) is the peak decision-making committee for public health emergency management and disease control in the Commonwealth of Australia.[1][2] It is chaired by the Chief Medical Officer of the Australian Government and comprises the chief health officers of the states and territories.[3]

The AHPPC's stated function (according to website as of November 2020^[update]) is to provide advice to the Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council (AHMAC) "on health protection matters and national priorities",[3] and AHMAC formerly supported the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Health Council.[4] However, since the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, the AHPPC has provided advice directly to the National Cabinet.[5][6][7]

History and role

The AHPPC was established by the Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council (AHMAC) on 2 July 2009 to provide expert advice on high-level and intergovernmental coordination of public health emergency management.[8] The AHPPC is tasked with providing advice on health protection in the context of emerging health threats, infectious disease, environmental health, and natural disasters. The AHPPC also collaborates with state and territory governments to develop consistency and standards for national health protection.[8]

The AHPPC is also responsible for authorising the deployment of the Australian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT).[9]

COVID-19 pandemic

In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the AHPPC has provided expert advice to the National Security Committee, the Cabinet of Australia, and the National Cabinet of Australia.[10][5][6] The National COVID-19 Health and Research Advisory Committee was established in April 2020 to provide advice on Australia’s health response to the COVID-19 pandemic to the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer and the AHPPC.[11]

Membership

The AHPPC is chaired by the Chief Medical Officer of the Australian Government and as of November 2020^[update] comprises the Chief Health Officers of the State and Territory Governments.[3] It previously included (as of at least 2017) nominated health disaster officials, the chairs of the AHPPC standing committees, a representative from Emergency Management Australia of the Department of Home Affairs, the Surgeon-General of the Australian Defence Force, a representative from the New Zealand Ministry of Health, and other public health and clinical experts.[12][13]

Jurisdiction	Position	Office holder
Commonwealth	Chief Medical Officer and Director of Human Biosecurity (Chair)	Professor Tony Lawler
New South Wales	Chief Health Officer and Deputy Secretary Population and Public Health	Kerry Chant[14]
Victoria	Chief Health Officer	Clare Looker [14]
Queensland	Chief Health Officer	John Gerrard[15]
Western Australia	Chief Health Officer	Andrew Robertson[14]
South Australia	Chief Public Health Officer	Nicola Spurrier[16]
Tasmania	Director of Public Health	Mark Veitch[17]
Australian Capital Territory	Chief Health Officer	Kerryn Coleman[18][19]
Northern Territory	Chief Health Officer	Hugh Heggie[20][21]

As of 2017 it also included:

Jurisdiction	Position	Office holder
Australian Defence Force	Surgeon-General and Commander Joint Health	Rear Admiral Sarah Sharkey
Commonwealth	Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer	Alison McMillan
Commonwealth	Deputy Chief Medical Officer	Jenny Firman
Commonwealth	Deputy Chief Medical Officer	Michael Kidd

Standing committee oversight

The AHPPC also provides strategic direction and support to five standing committees:[3][8]

• Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA)
• National Health Emergency Management Standing Committee (NHEMS)
• Public Health Laboratory Network (PHLN)
• Environmental Health Standing Committee (enHealth)
• Blood Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmitted Infections Standing Committee (BBVSS)

As of November 2020^[update] it also oversees one time-limited advisory group, the Aged Care Advisory Group.[3]

Secretariat

The Office of Health Protection of the Department of Health and Aged Care provides secretariat support functions for the AHPPC and its standing committees.[8]

See also

• National COVID-19 Coordination Commission
• National Cabinet of Australia
• Council of Australian Governments
• National Security Committee
• War Cabinet of Australia

References

1. Australian Health Protection Principal Committee Department of Health
2. From plague to MERS: coordinating Australia’s response to emerging infectious diseases Firman J, Williams SA, Baggoley C. 2016 Public Health Research and Practice 26(5)
3. "Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC)". Australian Government. Dept of Health.
4. AHMAC Principal Committees Council of Australian Governments Health Council
5. "Terms of Reference [National COVID-19 Coordination Commission (NCCC)]". Australian Government. Retrieved 23 November 2020. The CMO and the medical expert panel he leads – the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) - will continue their role of advising the National Cabinet on Australia's health management and response to the virus.
6. "National Cabinet: Media Statement". Prime Minister of Australia. 26 June 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
7. "National Cabinet: Media Statement". Prime Minister of Australia. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
8. "Australian Health Protection Principal Committee". Directory. Australian Government. 4 November 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.} Text may have been copied from this source, which is available under a Attribution 3.0 Australia (CC BY 3.0 AU) licence.
9. Australian Government Response Plan for Overseas Mass Casualty Incidents Department of Home Affairs 2017
10. Advice on coronavirus Archived 8 April 2020 at the Wayback Machine Prime Minister's Office Media Release 13 March 2020
11. "National COVID-19 Health and Research Advisory Committee". NHMRC. 2021. Archived from the original on 2 July 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
12. Department of Health’s Coordination of Communicable Disease Emergencies Performance Audit Report Australian National Audit Office Auditor-General Report No. 57 22 June 2017
13. Emergency Response Plan for Communicable Disease Incidents of National Significance: National Arrangements (National CD Plan) Department of Health
14. Farhart, Claudia (19 April 2020). "Who are the experts behind Australia's coronavirus response?". SBS News. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
15. "Queensland Health". Chief Health Officer. 24 September 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
16. "Chief Public Health Officer". SA Health. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
17. "Who advises the man who advises the nation on COVID-19?". Crikey. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
18. Kanapathippillai, Julia; Jervis-Bardy, Dan (3 August 2020). "Canberra coronavirus preparation: chief health officer says to be prepared, but don't stockpile". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
19. Hunt, Toby (5 July 2020). "ACT Chief Health Officer Kerryn Coleman". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
20. "Updates". Coronavirus (COVID-19). Retrieved 23 November 2020.
21. "Members of the NHMRC Council, 2015-2018 triennium". NHMRC. Retrieved 23 November 2020.