Current Consultations
Research Australia regularly contributes to the policy discussions on issues pertinent to Health and Medical Research. This can be through submissions or participating in consultations.
The following lists both consultations and invitations to make submissions which are relevant to health and medical research and/or health and innovation policy in Australia. Research Australia updates this regularly but we may not participate in every one listed.
If you would like more information or you are aware of other consultations that should be included, please contact Greg Mullins, Head of Policy, Research Australia via email greg.mullins@researchaustralia.org.
Please click the heading in the left hand column to access consultation information from the relevant website.
Consultation |
Details |
Privacy Act Review
Due 10 January 2022 |
The Attorney General has issued a Discussion paper to guide the Review of the Privacy Act 1988.
Several recommendations in the Discussion paper have potential implications for researchers using personal data including: Changes to the definition of ‘personal information’, ‘sensitive information’ and ‘deidentified data’, and the introduction of the concept of ‘anonymisation’. There is a proposal to make it an offence to reidentify data that has been deidentified and released by public sector organisations. This is revisiting an amendment to the Privacy Act that was first proposed in 2016 but did not proceed, because of concerns it could target researchers who inadvertently reidentified data or did so to raise concerns about the security of the data. There is also a proposal to commence a process to harmonise some Commonwealth, State and Territory privacy provisions, including in relation to health information, which could be beneficial to researchers. Submissions are invited in response to the Discussion paper. Research Australia’s submission is available here. |
Inquiry into childhood rheumatic diseases
Due 4 February 2022 |
The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport will inquire into, and report on, childhood rheumatic diseases and juvenile arthritis. The terms of reference includes research into the causes of childhood rheumatic diseases, and prevalence levels of childhood rheumatic diseases in Australia. |
WA Health Promotion
Due 4 February 2022 |
The Draft WA Health Promotion Strategic Framework 2022–2026 (HPSF) sets out a plan for reducing the prevalence of chronic disease and injury over the next five years.
It focuses on the main lifestyle risk factors which contribute most to the burden of chronic disease – smoking, overweight and obesity (including poor nutrition and insufficient physical activity), and harmful levels of alcohol use. It also includes a section on preventing injury and promoting safer communities. It outlines priorities and a framework for action to improve the health of Western Australians. Research and Evaluation is one of the Framework’s nine domains. Responses are sought via an online survey. |
Australian Cancer Plan 2023–2033
Due 18 February 2022 |
The Australian Cancer Plan will be a 10-year plan for national action, with 2-, 5- and 10-year priorities and goals.
The Australian Cancer Plan will be designed for use by governments, policy makers, service planners, cancer organisations and research funders. It will work alongside existing state / territory cancer plans and other health and social care strategies, plans and frameworks. Its implementation will require collaborative effort across all stakeholders. Cancer Australia invites you to share your ideas for the next Australian Cancer Plan by responding to questions in a survey or uploading a submission. The draft Plan will be made available for comment at a later date and there will also be targeted consultation on specific aspects of the plan throughout 2022 which will be promoted on the Australian Cancer Plan website. |
General practice data and electronic clinical decision supportDue 18 February 2022 |
The Department of Health is undertaking a two-stage consultation process to inform thinking around primary health care data and the use of electronic clinical decision support systems in primary health care. The two topics have been combined into a single Issues Paper given the overlap in stakeholders and links between primary health care data and eCDS in the broader health care ecosystem. The combined process will enable stakeholders to consider and share their views regarding one or both policy areas.
This initial consultation will provide information and insights that can then feed into the second stage of consultation, a formal Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement, which will lay out potential regulatory options and seek stakeholder views as to whether there should be formal advice to Government that a regulatory option is justified.
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‘National One-Stop-Shop’ consultations for health and medical research platform |
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare is conducting consultations on a national online portal for all health and medical research which will make it easier for researchers, industry representatives and sponsors to find, conduct, participate and invest in research in Australia.
The concept for the National One-Stop-Shop seeks to achieve a national, interconnected, rapid and streamlined approvals platform that will:
You can contribute to online surveys on the National One Stop Shop and the Consumer Survey. Alternatively you can make a written submission to to HMR@safetyandquality.gov.au. |
Select Committee on COVID-19
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On 8 April 2020, the Senate resolved to establish a Select Committee on COVID-19 to inquire into the Australian Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The terms of reference are very broad:
Research Australia has made a submission to the Inquiry, which is available here. The Committee is to present its final report on or before 30 June 2022. |