Lifeline Australia CEO Peter Shmigel

I want to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to Pete Shmigel for his work, dedication and stewardship of Lifeline Australia for the last two years. For more than 50 years Lifeline has helped many thousands of Australians struggling with life’s challenges through its counselling services over the telephone, web and face to face counselling…

Retirement of Mr Martin Bowles PSM from public service

I would like to join the Prime Minister in thanking Mr Martin Bowles PSM for his distinguished career of public service which has spanned almost forty years. Mr Bowles will retire as Secretary of the Department of Health, effective 1 September 2017. Before being appointed as Secretary of the Department of Health in October 2014,…

Record number of Australians receiving Medicare benefits

More Australian patients are seeing their doctor without having to reach for their wallet with GP bulk billing rates for the 2016-17 financial year increasing to 85.7% compared to 85.1% in 2015-16. This is the highest bulk billing rate for any financial year since the inception of Medicare. It is also significantly higher than Labor’s…

Appointment of new ASADA CEO

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Mr David Sharpe as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA). Prior to accepting this position Mr Sharpe’s career background includes 10 years with the Australian Federal Police leading its National Protection Operations; Serious and Organised Crime Group; Counter Terrorism Unit; and…

Transcript – 3AW Sunday Morning

E&OE… Topics: Turnbull Government’s new $5.5 million immunisation awareness campaign, same sex marriage PRESENTER: Greg Hunt, the Federal Health Minister, has launched a new campaign this morning encouraging Australians to get their kids immunised. It's called ‘Get the Facts about Immunisation’, and the Minister joins us now. Minister, we don't need a campaign. The facts…

New campaign to encourage parents to ‘Get the facts about Immunisation’

The Turnbull Government is today launching the new ‘Get the Facts about Immunisation’ campaign to encourage Australian parents and carers to get their kids vaccinated. We know parents want evidence based information to support decision making about childhood vaccinations, so we’re making it easier to ‘get the facts’. Immunisation rates in Australia are already high,…

Transcript – Seven Sunrise

E&OE… Topics: Neil Prakash, Turnbull Government’s new $5.5 million immunisation awareness campaign SALLY BOWREY: Devastating stories of losing a baby to whooping cough will play a part in a $5.5 million push to raise immunisation rates in Australia. For more this morning, I’m joined by Health Minister Greg Hunt. Good morning to you, Minister. GREG…

Transcript – Press Conference Melbourne

E&OE… Topics: Turnbull Government’s new $5.5 million immunisation awareness campaign, same sex marriage, politician’s pay GREG HUNT: Well I’m really delighted to be here today at the extraordinary Royal Children’s Hospital here in Melbourne with the CEO, John Stanway, with the Head of Immunisation, Dr Nigel Crawford, and with the Chief Medical Officer of Australia,…

Historic medical breakthrough by Australian researchers

Today’s ground-breaking announcement of a simple cure that will save the lives of many infants confirms the well-deserved reputation of Australia’s health and medical researchers as among the very best in the world. After more than 12 years of study, researchers at the Victor Chang Research Institute have today announced the dietary supplement vitamin B3,…

Review into integrity of Australian sport

As part of the development of Government’s National Sport Plan I have asked the Honourable James Wood AO QC to lead a specific review into the integrity of Australian sport. Mr Wood is a former Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales and former Chairperson of the Law Reform Commission of New South…