enHealth Council

Session Reports

Report of 14th Session of the enHealth Council
11-12 May 2004, Melbourne

Opening of Fourteenth Session of enHealth Council

Administration Matters

Air Issues

Indigenous Issues

Toxicology and Contaminated sites

Health Impact Assessment

Radiation Safety

Mosquito Borne Disease Management

Work Program

Next Meeting

Opening of Fourteenth Session of enHealth Council

The fourteenth session of the enHealth Council was held in Hobart on 11-12 May 2004. The following Members were in attendance:

Mr Michael Jackson	Chair
Mr Jack Dempsey	Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (for Dr Helen Cameron)
Ms Melissa Langorne	ACT Department of Health
Dr Michael Staff	NSW Health Department
Ms Sophie Dwyer	Queensland Health
Dr Kevin Buckett	Department of Human Services SA
Dr Martin Bicevskis	Department of Health and Human Services Tas (for Dr Roscoe Taylor)
Dr Roscoe Taylor	Department of Health and Human Services Tas
Mr Xavier Schobben	Territory Health Services
Ms Jan Bowman	Department of Human Services Vic
Mr Jim Dodds	Department of Health WA
Mr Peter Burnett	Australian Government Department of Environment and Heritage
Mr Owen Ashby	Australian Institute of Environmental Health
Dr Anne Neller	Public Health Association of Australia
Ms Merle O’Donnell	National Indigenous Environmental Health Forum
Professor Ian Lowe	Australian Consumers’ Association
Mr Chris Russell	Australian Local Government Association
Mr Shane Nichols	Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
Ms Karen Roger	National Public Health Partnership
Dr Andrew Langley	National Health and Medical Research Council
Secretariat:
Ms Shannon Clarkson	Department of Health WA
Ms Nicole Parkes	Department of Health WA
Invited guests:
Dr Anne Cawsey	Australian Government Department of Environment and Heritage
Professor Michael Moore	Mooreconnections (Day one)
Dr Stephen Mugford	Qualitative and Quantitative Social Research (Day one)
Dr Bruce Kennedy	National Environment Protection Council Service Corporation (Day two)
Dr Paul Vogel	Environment Protection and Heritage Standing Committee (Day two)
Professor Brian Priestley	Australian Centre for Human Health Risk Assessment (Day two)
Dr John Loy	Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency
Mr Alan Melbourne	Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency
Apologies:
Mr Paul Prendergast	Ministry of Health, New Zealand
Mr Peter Taylor	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services
Dr Helen Cameron	Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing

Administration Matters

The Chair welcomed Mr Jim Dodds and Mr Michael Staff as new members of Council and noted the expiration of Ms O’Donnell’s term as Chair of the National Indigenous Environmental Health Forum (NIEHF) and enHealth member. Members thanked Ms O’Donnell for her valuable contribution and advocacy in the area of Indigenous environmental health.

Members noted the final report of the enHealth Council teleconference held on 23 April 2004.

Members noted the status of action arising from the thirteenth session of Council and the April teleconference.

National Public Health Partnership (NPHP) and Operational Issues

Members were advised that future proposals to NPHP need to address one of the following cross-cutting themes: Indigenous health, health inequalities and/or capacity building.

Ms Roger advised that NPHP sub-committee involvement in national consultation processes requires the prior consideration and agreement of the NPHP Chair.

Members noted that the NPHP has begun a rolling review of its sub-committees.

Draft enHealth Council Draft Publications Policy

Members discussed the need for more detailed information on consultation to be included in the policy and suggested seeking advice from the NHMRC. Members endorsed the draft policy subject to the inclusion of this additional information.

Air Issues

Air Working Group Report

Members noted that the Air Working Group has met three times via teleconference and the increasing demand for enHealth representation on national air quality working groups.

Unflued Gas Appliances

Members noted the recent findings of an Adelaide randomised control trial, which demonstrate significantly reduced rates of respiratory symptoms in school children where classroom unflued gas heaters were replaced with flued or electric heaters. Both the NSW and Victorian health departments have developed information for consumers on actions that can be taken to reduce any risks to health.

Members agreed on the need to take a short, medium and long-term approach to the resolution of this issue.

Review of Ozone and Sulfur Dioxide NEPM

Members noted the progress of the review and enHealth’s engagement through its representative on the Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) working group.

Indigenous Issues

National Indigenous Environmental Health Forum (NIEHF)

Members noted the NIEHF’s intention to elect a new Chair, review its terms of reference, clarify roles and responsibilities and map a work plan for 2004/2005 at its meeting on 13 May 2004. Members requested that the Forum also consider ways to broaden the skill-base of its membership.

Members agreed that the development of an Indigenous environmental health strategy should be considered as a future enHealth Council priority. Members also agreed that the NIEHF should consider and make recommendations to Council about a cultural protocol.

National Indigenous Environmental Health Conference

The NIEHF Chair informed members of the progress towards the 5 th NIEH Conference to be held in Terrigal, NSW in November 2004.

FaCS Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children

Members agreed to contact FaCS to request that environmental health issues be factored into its longitudinal study of Indigenous children.

Toxicology and Contaminated Sites Issues

Toxicology and Site Contamination Working Group (TSCWG)

Members were advised that the Toxicology and Contaminated Sites working group is scheduled to hold its first meeting in May 2004. Members noted that the group intends to focus on the following key areas of action:

Development of health based investigation levels (HBILs), particularly for volatiles
Assessment and management of off-site migration of site contaminants
Site Contamination NEPM review
(Chemical) disaster management frameworks.

Members asked the working group to consider work that is already being done at a national level, identify any gaps in standards and establish a draft workplan for enHealth consideration.

Publications under Development

Members noted progress with the development of the following publications:

“Hazardous Material in the Environment; Guidelines for Responding to Community Concern and Recovery”
“Publication – Guidelines for the Management of Asbestos in the Non-Occupational Environment”
“Australian Exposure Assessment Handbook”

Toxicological Appraisal of Insect Repellents

Members agreed to write to the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority CEO in support of its toxicological appraisal of insect repellents

Australian Centre for Human Health Risk Assessment (ACHHRA)

Members welcomed the Director of ACHHRA, Dr Brian Priestly, to the meeting and noted his presentation about the functions of the centre. Council members indicated that they would strongly support an ACHHRA initiative to establish a college that would provide accreditation for toxicologists.

Health Impact Assessment

Health Impact Assessment Workshop

Members noted progress with the planning of the Council’s HIA workshop and discussed possible workshop participants. Members nominated Queensland Health to manage the organisation of the workshop on behalf of the enHealth Council.

Publication – HIA of the Intensive Livestock Industry and Companion Document

Members noted progress with the production of these documents, including the comments made by the agriculture sector in the first round of consultation. It was agreed that the second stage consultation should be managed by individual jurisdictions.

Radiation Safety

National Directory for Radiation Protection

Members welcomed Dr John Loy and Dr Alan Melbourne to the meeting and noted the presentation on the National Directory.

Mosquito Borne Disease Management

National Arbovirus and Malaria Advisory Committee Report

Members considered and discussed NAMAC’s draft Agreement between the Commonwealth and the States and Territories for exotic vector surveillance and control. Members agreed to provide NAMAC with feedback on the draft.

Work Program

Members noted enHealth’s financial position and agreed that projects with a focus on improving Indigenous environmental health outcomes should be prioritised for funding in 2004/2005.

Next Meeting

Members agreed that a strategic planning meeting should be convened in 2004 and that the next regular session of Council would be held back to back with the 5 th NIEH conference in November 2004.