The Australian Centre for Disease Control Act 2025 establishes the Australian Centre for Disease Control, the office of its Director-General and the Advisory Council of the Australian Centre for Disease Control. The Centre’s role is to assist the Director-General and the Advisory Council, while the Director-General is assigned functions concerning public health matters, including advice to Ministers and government bodies, consultation with international organisations, gathering and analysing public health information, issuing standards and guidelines, publishing public communications and reports, supporting community awareness initiatives, promoting research and strengthening public health workforce expertise. The Act sets out governance arrangements for the Centre, including its status as a listed entity, staffing under the Public Service Act 1999, consultant engagement and the appointment, remuneration, resignation and termination of the Director-General. It also establishes the Advisory Council to advise the Director-General on public health matters, strategic direction and priorities, and matters connected with functions under this Act and related legislation, including the Biosecurity Act 2015, the National Health Security Act 2007 and the National Occupational Respiratory Disease Registry Act 2023. The Advisory Council includes the Director-General as Chair, the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer and appointed members with relevant expertise, including required representation relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health needs and disability health needs. The Act regulates protected information through offences for unauthorised use or disclosure, provides for civil penalties, protects lawful information handling from certain liabilities, requires publication of public health advice subject to exemptions, and mandates annual reporting on pandemic preparedness and the impacts of climate change on health for Australians.
Australia · 2025-11-10