Report
of the 11th Session of the enHealth Council
5 November 2002, Adelaide
Opening of Eleventh Session of enHealth Council
Opening of Eleventh Session of enHealth Council
The eleventh
session of the enHealth Council was held in Adelaide on 5 November 2002.
The following Members were in attendance:
| Mr Michael Jackson | Chair |
| Mr Owen Ashby | Australian Institute of Environmental Health |
| Ms Jan Bowman | Department of Human Services, Victoria |
| Dr Kevin Buckett | Department of Human Services, South Australia |
| Ms Anne Cawsey | Environment Australia (for Mr Peter Burnett) |
| Dr Helen Cameron | Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing |
| Mr Brian Devine | Health Department of Western Australia |
| Ms Sophie Dwyer | Queensland Health |
| Mr Dieter Jurgeneit | Department of Health and Community Care, ACT |
| Dr Anne Neller | Public Health Association of Australia |
| Ms Merle O'Donnell | National Indigenous Environmental Health Forum |
| Mr Paul Prendergast | Ministry of Health, New Zealand |
| Mr Xavier Schobben | Territory Health Services, Northern Territory |
| Ms Vicky Sheppeard | NSW Health Department |
| Ms Linda Parmenter | (for Ms Alison Smith) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission |
| Dr Roscoe Taylor | Department of Health and Human Services, Tasmania |
| Ms Claire Brady | Secretary, Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing |
| Others participants | |
| Ms Alison Maggs | Health Department of Western Australia |
| Ms Marion Dunlop | Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing |
| Apologies | |
| Professor Ian Lowe | Australian Consumer's Association |
| Dr Cathy Mead | Executive Officer, National Public Health Partnership |
Administration Matters
Minutes of
the tenth session 11 June 2002
Members noted and endorsed the minutes of the tenth session of Council.
Minutes and
action arising from the Teleconference
Members noted and endorsed the minutes of the teleconference held on 31
October 2002.
Members supported the following amendments to its terms of reference as follows:
Term of reference
3.
Provide guidance on national environmental health issues to Commonwealth,
State and Territory, and Local Governments, and other stakeholders.
Term of reference
4.
Undertake the development of environmental health action plans at the
national level and facilitate their development at a local and state level.
Members agreed that efforts to facilitate local government representation
on the Council should continue.
enHealth Council directions
Members discussed the future directions for enHealth Council. It was agreed that a business plan be developed for Council stemming from the points raised in this discussion.
Policy Issues
Public Health Performance Project
Members considered the need for a strong performance indicator that is reflective of the environmental health sector. It was agreed that a preferred performance indicator should be decided upon out of session.
Australian Institute of Environmental Health (AIEH) Workforce Report
Members considered and supported the report from the AIEH and agreed to develop a proposal outlining the idea of enHealth Council to proactively address workforce issues.
Air Quality Health Warnings
Members noted the work being undertaken by NSW Health and the NSW Environment Protection Authority to develop a formalised system of air quality health warnings in air pollution episodes. Jurisdictional representatives to consider the feasibility of adopting this system nationally.
Unflued Gas Appliances
Members considered health concerns related to the use of unflued gas heaters in homes and the lack of regulation for nitrogen dioxide in indoor air. The Indoor Air Working Group to prepare a full report with recommendations for Council consideration.
Emerging Issues
CCA Treated timber
Members noted correspondence providing information on a voluntary industry ban of CCA in the USA and of the potential toxicity of treated timbers. Members agreed that the ban in the USA warrants a watching brief on the science and to seek advice from the National Registration Authority as to whether they will be readdressing this issue given the USA industry phase-out.
Community and Industry Interface
Members discussed the value of developing a collection of scenarios for use as informal guidelines on how to manage environmental health issues that involve the community and industry. It was agreed that Directors of environmental health should revisit this issue out of session.
Chemical Incident Management
The Chair noted a request from the NPHP for Council to define their role in relation to chemical incident and emergency management. To progress this issue, the Commonwealth will prepare a scoping paper on the potential role of environmental health in disaster management.
Strategy Implementation - Project Updates
Information
Members considered the current and future role of the Information Task Group (ITG) as a sub-committee of the enHealth Council. The ITG is to remain in abeyance until mid-2003.
NHMRC Working Group on Toxicity and Risk Assessment
Members noted the scope and breadth of the revised Terms of Reference for this group. Council Secretariat to discuss these amendments with the NHMRC Working Group Secretariat.
Ross River Virus Economic Evaluation
Members noted and supported the project scope and methodology.
Update and Review of Rain Water Tanks Publication
Members noted that in updating the current Rain Water Tanks Monograph, that the process will involve reviewing regulations on the use of rain water tanks in each State and Territory. Members agreed that the updated Monograph should address sustainability issues.
Rural and remote potable water project
Members noted preliminary findings and agreed that there is a need for implementation of water management plans across Australia.
Completed projects for endorsement
Asbestos in the Non-Occupational Health Setting
Members supported the release of the draft document for targeted consultation.
Healthy Homes
Members endorsed the document for public release.
Non-Auditory Effects of Noise
Members considered the draft document and agreed that the Commonwealth would edit the document prior to its release.
Indigenous Environmental Health
Members were informed of the outcomes from the last meeting of the Indigenous Environmental Health Forum held on 4-5 September 2002, Adelaide and noted that the 4th conference would be held on 6-7 November 2002. enHealth agreed to write to Directors seeking nominations for the National Indigenous Environmental Health Forum.
The next meeting of the enHealth Council is proposed for early March 2003
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Contact: Darryl Kosch, nphp@dhs.vic.gov.au
Page last modified: 6 May 2004