enHealth Council

Session Reports

Report of 12th Session of the enHealth Council
8th May 2003, Sydney

Opening of Twelfth Session of enHealth Council

Administration Matters

Completed projects for endrosement

Work Program

Next Meeting

Opening of Twelfth Session of enHealth Council

The twelfth session of the enHealth Council was held in Sydney on 8th May 2003. The following Members were in attendance:

Mr Michael Jackson	Chair
Mr Nigel Cleaves	Department of Human Services, Victoria (for Ms Jan Bowman)
Mr Owen Ashby	Australian Institute of Environmental Health
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	Department of Health, Western Australia
Ms Sophie Dwyer	Queensland Health
Mr Barry Lynch	Department of Health and Community Care, ACT (for Mr John Woollward)
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
Ms Tracey Ward	Territory Health Services, Northern Territory (for Mr Xavier Schobben)
Dr Stephen Corbett	NSW Health Department
Ms Linda Parmenter	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (for Ms Alison Smith)
Dr Roscoe Taylor	Department of Health and Human Services, Tasmania
Mr Chris Russel	Australian Local Government Association

Others in attendance:
Ms Alison Maggs	Department of Health, Western Australia
Ms Sarah Major	Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing
Dr Andrew Langley	Sunshine Coast Region Public Health Unit

Secretary:
Ms Shannon Clarkson	Department of Health, Western Australia
Dr John Walker	Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing

Apologies
Dr Cathy Mead	Executive Officer, National Public Health Partnership
Ms Alison Smith	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
Ms Jan Bowman	Department of Human Services, Victoria
Mr John Woollard	Department of Health and Community Care, ACT

Administration Matters

Secretariat

The Council noted the transfer of the Secretariat from the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing to the Department of Health WA.

Local Government representation

Council welcomed Mr Russell as the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) representative.

Minutes from the teleconference – 29 April 2003

The draft minutes of the teleconference on 29 April 2003 were provided to members at the meeting.

Policy Issues

National Uniform Mosquito Legislation

Council noted a paper recommending support for establishment of a working group to investigate methods of improving the ability of jurisdictions to prevent and respond exotic mosquito incursions. Members supported the establishment of the group in – principle and requested WA to investigate its creation.

Publication of notifications of lead poisoning – Lead Group request

Council noted correspondence recommending that lead poisoning should be recorded in the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS). They also noted recent research published in the New England Journal of Medicine regarding the potential health impacts of lead.

Members recommended that the 1993 Australian guidelines for lead in blood and lead in ambient air not be rescinded as part of the NHMRC’s review of publications five years and older, and that a literature review of recent research into the health effects of blood lead levels below 10 micrograms per decilitre be prepared.

Environmental Health Community Response Project

Council endorsed the proposal to establish a Steering Group to oversee the development of a national document to guide effective health risk assessment and communication with communities.

Water Issues

Water Working Group

Council stated its commitment to addressing recreational and drinking water safety issues in Australia and endorsed a proposal to establish a Water Working Group, to produce a ‘road-map’ of Australian recreational and drinking water quality arrangements.

Review of Water Re-Use in Australia

Council recommended that the Water Working Group liaise with the Australian Academy of Technological sciences and Engineering to assist with their review of Water Re-Use in Australia.

National Waterborne Disease Surveillance Database

Council supported the establishment of a National Waterborne Disease Surveillance Database by Monash University.

Air Issues

Indoor Air

Council considered a recommendation to develop a national strategy for indoor air. Council agreed that indoor air should be addressed in the review of the National Environmental Health Strategy.

Council also noted progress of the working group in relation to unflued gas appliances and agreed to advise the NPHP of the pending report.

Indigenous Issues

Recommendations from the Indigenous Conference

Council noted the success and recommendations of the fourth National Indigenous Environmental Health Conference and agreed to host a workshop to prioritise all remaining conference recommendations.

Engaging Local Government

Council noted a paper by ALGA summarising strategies on how to engage local government in relation to environmental health issues.

Council noted its support for the representation of local government on the NPHP.

Strategy Implementation – Project updates

Review of Environmental Toxicology Expertise in Public Health

Council noted the draft report prepared by Dr Andrew Langley. Key recommendations are to be developed for presentation to the NPHP.

Exposure Assessment Handbook

Council noted the progress of the draft document on Australian Exposure Assessment and endorsed its release as an enHealth draft document following final editing.

Sustainable Development Introduction document – Thinking Sustainable Development, Acting for Health

Council noted that the above document will be posted on the enHealth website once finalised.

HIA Intensive Livestock Industry Report (Qld)

Council noted the preparation of draft Application of Health Impact Assessment to the Intensive Livestock Industry and Application of Health Impact Assessment to the Intensive Livestock Industry – Poultry documents.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the enHealth Council is proposed for late September 2003.

Authorised by: Executive Officer, NPHP
Contact: Darryl Kosch, nphp@dhs.vic.gov.au
Page last modified: 6 May 2004