AHMAC - Media Releases

22 July 2008 AHMC Joint Communique
Australian Health Ministers met in Canberra today, with elective surgery, patient rights and the new Australian Health Care Agreements some of the main areas of discussion.

18 April 2008 AHMC Delivering Results Communique
Today’s Australian Health Ministers’ Conference was an extremely productive meeting, delivering results across several key areas, including mental health, obesity, national security, tobacco, solariums, and open disclosure.

29 February 2008 AHMC Joint Communique
Today’s breakthrough meeting of Australian Health Ministers agreed on the need for reciprocal public performance reporting, as well as priorities for immediate reform. For the first time, this will mean the Commonwealth and State and Territory governments have agreed on building and reporting a comprehensive set of performance measures across the entire health system.

31 January 2008 AHMC Privacy and Joint Communique
Reform of the national health system and developing a new Australian Health Care Agreement were at the top of the agenda when Australian Health Ministers met in Melbourne today. All Ministers agreed that the forthcoming Australian Health Care Agreement (AHCA) was a major vehicle for reform. A framework for the next AHCA was discussed and support was given for broadening the current agreement to focus on other aspects of the health system, not just public hospital funding.

7 December 2007 AHMC Joint Communique
Australian Health Ministers met for the first time since the Federal Election today at the Australian Health Ministers’ Conference (AHMC) in Hobart. Describing it as an historic meeting, Council Chair Queensland Minister, Stephen Robertson MP welcomed new Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon MP to her first meeting and congratulated her for prioritising a meeting with State and Territory Health Ministers so soon after the federal election.

24 July 2007 - AHMC Organ and Tissue Donation Communique
All Australian Health Ministers, meeting in Sydney today, have agreed to progress the National Reform Agenda on Organ and Tissue Donation to improve donation rates to help meet the ever increasing demand for organs and tissues.

24 July 2007 AHMC Plasma Fractionation Communique
Health Ministers have agreed on a strategic workplan to implement recommendations of the Review of Australia’s Plasma Fractionation Arrangements.

24 July 2007 AHMC Joint Communique
Health Ministers met in Sydney today. Issues discussed included overseas trained doctors, the Australian Health Care Agreements, a national approach to the management of HIV infected individuals and food and drink advertising and marketing practices.

30 March 2007 AHMC Joint Communique on Blood Safety
All Australian Health Ministers, meeting in Melbourne today, have agreed to improvements to ensure the continued quality and safety of Australia’s blood supply.

17 November 2006 AHMC General Communique
Health Ministers met in Sydney today to discuss a range of priority health issues and to endorse the continuation of work in a number of key areas of reform. The Chair of the Conference, The Hon John Hatzistergos outlined the substance of Ministers discussions on issues including workforce reforms, health call centres, private health insurance reforms and childhood obesity.

17 November 2006 AHMC Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework Communique
The first report against Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework (HPF) was endorsed for publication by Australian Health Ministers, meeting in Sydney today.

27 July 2006 General Communique
Health Ministers met in Brisbane today to discuss a range of priority health issues including Remote Area Renal Services, National Health Call Centres, Pandemic Influenza, Childhood Obesity, Quality and Safety, and a range of Health Workforce issues.

7 April 2006 General Communique
Australian and New Zealand Health Ministers met in Wellington, New Zealand today to discuss a range of key health issues and a number of these are receiving attention in both Australia and New Zealand. Amongst the issues discussed were the important long term health issues of obesity and dementia

7 April 2006 Obesity Action Plan Media Release
Australian Health Ministers, meeting in Wellington, New Zealand today, announced a national action agenda to address overweight and obesity in Australian adults.

18 November 2005 Hospital to Home Communique
Australian Health Ministers noted the benefits of a national approach for improving care for older people as evidenced in the Annual Report 2004-05 “From hospital to home: Improving care outcomes for older people” under the National Action Plan.

18 November 2005 National Chronic Disease Strategy Communique
Australian Health Ministers, meeting in Adelaide today, have agreed to endorse a national strategic policy approach to improve chronic disease prevention and care in the Australian population.

18 November 2005 National Obesity Taskforce Communique
Health Ministers have asked the National Obesity Taskforce to come back to the next AHMC with a progress report on its implementation of its Report, approved by Ministers in early 2005.

18 November 2005 New Commission on Safety and Quality Communique
At a meeting in Adelaide today all Australian Health Ministers agreed for the new Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care to commence operation from 1 January 2006. The Commission will succeed the Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care, which was established in January 2000 for a five-year term, ceasing operation on 31 December 2005.

18 November 2005 Pandemic Influenza Communique
Australian Health Ministers provided updates on jurisdictional preparations for responding to an influenza pandemic should it occur. The Australian Government, all Australian jurisdictions and New Zealand outlined their plans which included keeping pandemic influenza out, containing and controlling it in a small area should it occur in Australia, and extensive arrangements for testing and treatment should it become widespread.

18 November 2005 - AHIC Communique
Australian Health Ministers agreed to revised operating arrangements for the Australian Health Information Council (AHIC). The revised operating arrangements for AHIC are based on an independent review of the Council commissioned by the Australian Government. These arrangements will enable AHIC to focus on providing strategic advice to Health Ministers about the more effective and efficient use of information management and information communications technology (IM&ICT) in the health sector.

18 November 2005 Eye Health Communique
Australian Government, State and Territory Health Ministers today released Australia’s first National Framework for Action to Promote Eye Health and Reduce Avoidable Blindness and Vision Loss.

28 January 2005 Improving Indigenous Health Remote Area Renal Services Project Communique

28 January 2005 National Entity to Drive EHealth Communique

28 January 2005 Transplant Donor Communique

28 January 2005 Child Health and Wellbeing Reform Project Communique

28 January 2005 National Framework for Action on Dementia Communique

28 January 2005 Physical Activity Levels in Australia's Children and Youth Communique

29 July 2004 General Communique

28 November 2003 Radiation Communique

28 November 2003 General Communique

28 November 2003 AHIC Communique

28 November 2003 Nurse Education Communique

28 November 2003 Obesity Communique