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Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

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"Department of Health and Aged Care" redirects here. For the Department of Health and Aged Care that existed between 1998 and 2001, see Department of Health and Aged Care (1998–2001).

Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

The department head office in Woden, ACT.
Department overview
Formed13 May 2025 (2025-05-13) (under new name)
Preceding agencies
JurisdictionAustralian Government
HeadquartersCanberra
EmployeesIncrease 7,135 (2024)[1]
Annual budgetIncrease A$127 billion (2025–26)[2]
Ministers responsible
Department executives
Websitehealth.gov.au Edit this at Wikidata

The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, previously the Department of Health and Aged Care, is the Australian Government department responsible for funding and regulation of health care, aged care and some disability programs. It also is involved in preventative health promotion programs. The department manages schemes such as Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and agencies such as the Therapeutic Goods Administration and National Blood Authority.

The department is responsible to parliament through the Minister for Health and Ageing, a cabinet minister, and is supported by two other ministers and two assistant ministers.[4] The department secretary, Blair Comley, is responsible for the day-to-day accountability of the organisation. The Chief Medical Officer is Professor Tony Lawler and the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer is Allison McMillan, who both oversee clinical operations.[5]

History

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The first Department of Health was established in 1921 and was the precursor to today's Department of Health.[6] It was dissolved in 1987, when it was merged with the Department of Community Services to form the Department of Community Services and Health.[7][8]

In June 1991, the Department of Health, Housing and Community Services was formed when housing industry programs were transferred from the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce.[9] In March 1993 the Department of Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs joined with the Department of Health, Housing and Community Services to form the Department of Health, Housing, Local Government and Community Services.[10] Subsequently, in December 1993, the department was abolished and replaced with the Department of Human Services and Health.[7][11] Also in 1994, the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health was established.[7]

After a new government was elected in March 1996, the Department of Health and Family Services was formed.[7][12] The department also had responsibility for the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program from the former Department of Housing and Regional Development. Later, the department assumed responsibility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health matters from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.[7]

After the October 1998 election, the department was abolished and replaced by the Australian Federal Department of Health and Aged Care, named to reflect new responsibilities and functions.[13] Responsibility for Family and Children's Services, Disability Programs and the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service were transferred to the Department of Family and Community Services on 22 October 1998.[7]

Following the November 2001 election, the Australian Federal Department of Health and Aged Care was abolished and replaced with the Australian Federal Department of Health and Ageing.[14] The Australian Federal Department of Health and Ageing was abolished in 2013 and replaced by the Australian Federal Department of Health on 18 September 2013 by way of an Administrative Arrangements Order issued by the governor-general on the recommendation of the Abbott government.[15]

On 1 July 2022, the Department of Health became the Department of Health and Aged Care following an Administrative Arrangements Order made by the governor-general. The departmental news release explained this as reflecting the "importance of aged care to the community, and the department’s focus on aged care reform" following the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.[16]

On 13 May 2025, the department was renamed Department of Health, Disability and Ageing following another Administrative Arrangements Order. The National Disability Insurance Scheme and Foundational Supports were also transferred from the Department of Social Services to the newly renamed department.[17][18] Sport and recreation policy and functions were transferred to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts.

Overview

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Leadership

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Senior leadership of the department[19]
Role Person Date appointed
Secretary Blair Comley 17 July 2023
Deputy Secretary, Health Products Regulation Tony Lawler July 2023
Deputy Secretary, Health Strategy, First Nations and Sport Celia Street
Deputy Secretary, Health Resourcing Penny Shakespear
Deputy Secretary, Ageing and Aged Care Sonja Stewart December 2024
Deputy Secretary, Primary and Community Care Liz Develin January 2024
Deputy Secretary, Australian Centre for Disease Control Mary Wood
Chief Operating Officer Charles Wann February 2020
Chief Health Economist Emily Lancsar April 2024
Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd
Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer Alison McMillan

Scope

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According to the Administrative Arrangements Order issued 13 May 2025, matters dealt with by the department include:[18]

  • Public health, including health promotion, health protection, and disease prevention
  • Health and medical research
  • Primary health care and mental health care systems
  • Hospital funding and policy, including oversight of the National Health Reform Agreement and the National Health and Hospitals Network framework
  • Private health insurance
  • Pharmaceutical and Medicare benefit schemes
  • Hearing services funding and policy, and the Australian Hearing Services program
  • Specific health services and human health biosecurity, such as human quarantine
  • Alcohol and other drug strategy
  • The National Disability Insurance Scheme and Foundational Supports
  • Services for older adults and their carers
  • Therapeutic goods and industrial chemicals regulation
  • Gene technology
  • Health provider compliance
  • Blood and organ donation policy and funding
  • Health workforce capacity, regulation and insurance indemnification
  • Blood, organ policy and funding
  • Active and healthy ageing policy and research, other than employment policies

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Comley, Blair (16 October 2024). "Annual Report 2023-24" (PDF). Department of Health and Aged Care. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  2. ^ Butler, Mark (2025). "Health and Aged Care Portfolio - Budget Statements 2025-26 - Budget Related Paper No. 1.9" (PDF). Department of Health and Aged Care. Retrieved 15 May 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ Albanese, Anthony (12 May 2025). "Ministerial arrangements". Prime Minister of Australia. Retrieved 15 May 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ "Ministry list as at 13 May 2025". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 13 May 2025. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  5. ^ "Leadership". Department of Health and Aged Care. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  6. ^ CA 17: Department of Health, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, archived from the original on 12 March 2020, retrieved 15 December 2013
  7. ^ a b c d e f Department of Health, History of the Department, Department of Health, archived from the original on 9 November 2013
  8. ^ CA 5985: Department of Community Services and Health, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, archived from the original on 15 December 2013, retrieved 15 December 2013
  9. ^ CA 7297: Department of Health, Housing and Community Services, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, archived from the original on 15 December 2013, retrieved 15 December 2013
  10. ^ CA 7660: Department of Health, Housing, Local Government and Community Services, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, archived from the original on 18 September 2013, retrieved 15 December 2013
  11. ^ CA 7853: Department of Human Services and Health, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, archived from the original on 2 December 2013, retrieved 15 December 2013
  12. ^ CA 8246: Department of Health and Family Services, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, archived from the original on 2 December 2013, retrieved 15 December 2013
  13. ^ CA 8616: Department of Health and Aged Care, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, archived from the original on 3 December 2013, retrieved 15 December 2013
  14. ^ CA 8867: Department of Health and Ageing, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 15 December 2013[permanent dead link]
  15. ^ "Administrative Arrangements Order of 18 September 2013" (PDF). Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 18 September 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2013.
  16. ^ "New name for Department". Department of Health and Aged Care. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  17. ^ "Administrative Arrangements Order - 13 May 2025". Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  18. ^ a b "Administrative Arrangements Order" (PDF). Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Commonwealth of Australia. 13 May 2025. Retrieved 14 May 2025. This article incorporates text from this source, which is available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
  19. ^ "Leadership". Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. 2 June 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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