enHealth Council

Session Reports

Report of 3^rd Session of the enHealth Council
6 April 2000, Canberra

Opening of Third Session of enHealth Council

Administrative Matters

Policy Issues

Guidelines and publications development

Environmental health issues

Other Business

Next meeting

Opening of Third Session of enHealth Council

The third session of the enHealth Council was held in Canberra on 6 April 2000. The following Members were in attendance:

Professor C. Ewan Chair
Mr O. Ashby National President, Australian Institute of Environmental Health
Ms J. Bowman Department of Human Services, Victoria
Dr K. Buckett Commonwealth Department of Health & Aged Care
Dr S. Corbett NSW Health Department
Mr J. Dodds Queensland Health
Ms P. Harris Environment Australia (for Mr M. Hyman)
Mr M. Jackson Health Department of WA
Dr M. Jacobs Department of Health & Human Services, Tasmania (9 February)
Dr A. Langley Department of Human Services, South Australia
Professor I. Lowe Australian Consumers’ Association
Mr C. McCarthy Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Commission
Dr A. Neller Public Health Association of Australia
Mr X. Schobben Territory Health Services, Northern Territory
Ms S. Tuffin Secretary to Council (Commonwealth Department of Health & Aged Care)

Apologies

Mr M. Hyman Environment Australia
Mr J. Woollard Department of Health and Community Care, ACT
Mr P. Prendergast Public Health Policy & Regulatory, Ministry of Health, NZ

Observers

Environmental Health Section (Commonwealth Department of Health & Aged Care)

Administrative Matters

Action arising from second session, February 2000

Members noted the status of action arising items from the February session of Council.

Council reaffirmed the importance of links with the National Health and Medical Research Council. It was reported that the NHMRC was not appointed and therefore a response to the enHealth Council invitation had not been received.

Continued involvement in the Public Health Law and Indigenous Health Project, an initiative of the National Public Health Partnership, was supported. Council reaffirmed the importance of equitable application of public health legislation in Indigenous communities and would write to the Reference Group to identify issues from an environmental health perspective to assist the Group in refining its project brief.

Minutes of first Executive Committee meeting, March 2000

The Minutes of the first Executive Committee meeting were noted including: the endorsement of the session report form the Second Session of enHealth Council; the release of the draft Environmental Health Risk Assessment for public consultation; the sponsorship of representation at the "Environmental Threats to the Health of Children" conference in Manilla as a key strategic issue in the region; and, the concept of developing a monograph on healthy homes.

Out of session items and decisions (February-March 2000)

Council noted the process for managing out of session items and recording decisions on a register.

Policy Issues

National Environmental health Strategy Implementation Plan

Implementation plan

The Executive Committee approval of the Implementation Plan was acknowledged. The Plan, to be available on the website, will be published and circulated widely.

Research

Terms of Reference for the Research Task Group were supported. The Task Group will consider a discussion paper that analyses a range of priority setting frameworks. The Terms of Reference and composition of all enHealth Council Task Groups will be available on the website.

Jurisdictional activities

Given that the majority of environmental health management occurs at the State/Territory and Local government level, Council agreed that the enHealth Implementation Plan should be supported with information on activities, projects and programs underway in jurisdictions. The information will be linked to the Implementation Plan on the website and will give a more accurate picture of environmental health management nationally.

Information
Council noted work underway to incorporate environmental health as part of environment reporting. Public health indicator development is also underway in the NPHP and was of interest to the Members.

Lead in children’s blood

A proposal to re-examine childhood lead poisoning in Australia, put forward by an external body, was considered in detail. Council agreed that the issue of lead in Australia is primarily one of point source exposure and thus application of a US Centre of Disease Control style universal screening methodology was not appropriate. In addition, jurisdictions reported consistent work in addressing point source exposure and the recently finalised National Environment Protection Measure on assessment of contaminated sites that will assist manage risk.

Council agreed, after a triage process, to decline the proposed project given the wealth of information on lead and the level of attention given to reducing risk in all jurisdictions. The letter declining to undertake the project will, however, recommend the possibility of conducting a national survey now or after the phase out of leaded petrol and noting the existence of an Education Committee dealing with General Practitioners and Pathologists that may be a useful avenue for educational aspects of the project.

Guidelines and publications development

Draft Guidelines on Health Impact Assessment Implementation

The status of the editing of the draft Guidelines was noted. The use of an external editor was proposed to ensure the timely release of the draft Guidelines for public consultation.

Council discussed in detail the requirements for completing Regulatory Impact Statements (RIS) on "quasi-legislation" or advice it develops. The consideration of financial and other impacts on business, industry and other sectors, of implementing advice and guidelines prepared by Council was acknowledged. Council agreed that the need for an RIS would be considered each time that guidelines or other advice are developed. Official advice will be requested from the Office of Regulation Review, in the Productivity Commission, in the early stages of advice development.

Review of National standard for licensing pest management technicians

The intention to regularly review the National Standard, published by the National Environmental Health Forum (NEHF) in 1999, was noted. A minor review is underway by the Pest Industry and Government Seminar to incorporate issues not able to be resolved prior to publication in 1999. A Preliminary Impact Assessment completed on the 1999 document may be enhanced by the completion of an RIS on new sections. A formal RIS process will be considered when the document undergoes a major revision.

Sustainable Development

The publication "An agenda for Action: integrating sustainable development principles and environmental health practice" is nearing completion and will be published and widely disseminated.

Environmental health issues

National Environment Protection Council program development

Members confirmed the importance of working with the National Environment Protection Council (NEPC) and requested that the draft Letter of Agreement between the enHealth Council and the NEPC be finalised. A joint committee meeting with the NEPC will be an important first step in establishing communication and partnership, to address matters of national significance. Council confirmed that health input to the environment agenda should come both from the NHMRC and the enHealth Council.

Asbestos in soil

The proposal to develop human health-based policy guidance on the assessment of low-level asbestos fibre contaminated soil was discussed. Council agreed that underlying research was needed to develop appropriate methods to assess soil. Jurisdictions agreed to share information on work already underway and on existing regulations and codes.

The issue was considered to be closely linked to the Council Terms of Reference and the National Environmental Health Strategy and agreed that the concept be further developed. A small Task Group will be convened to identify the issues, collate existing information and develop options for Council consideration. Project specifications will then be developed for possible commissioning of the project. Interagency involvement in a project such as this is crucial.

Salinity and human health

The health effects of dry land salinity was considered an important issue to be addressed by the enHealth Council. A paper on the health aspects of salinisation, as a case study illustrating the importance of incorporating principles of sustainable development in planning, was proposed.

Council agreed that the mapping and project work underway in NSW would provide an excellent basis and would consider next steps on receipt of the NSW report.

Health effects of intensive agriculture

The proposal to develop a monograph on the health effects of intensive agriculture facilities was discussed. Members agreed that advice on this issue would be an excellent follow-up document to the Health Impact Assessment Implementation Guidelines, when finalised.

Council further suggested a series of documents on a range of issues under the Health Impact Assessment framework would be an excellent way to illustrate how planning and development can impact on health. Issues such as intensive animal husbandry, noise, refuse disposal sites, reuse of wastewater, mining development and major road development were flagged as possible topics. The Research Task Group, of the enHealth Council, was asked to suggest monograph topics for consideration.

Standing items – Reports

Report from Chair - The meeting of the AusAid Advisory Group on International Health, attended by the enHealth Council Chair, was reported as providing useful links on regional and international issues. A project to locate environmental health expertise for the reconstruction of East Timor was one of the issues raised where the enHealth Council can play a useful role.

Report from NPHP Group – A report on the February NPHP Priority Setting Forum, provided to the Executive Committee, was noted.

Reports from enHealth Council representatives – reports from representatives were noted.

Reporting of hazardous incidents – hazardous incidents in a number of jurisdictions reported on the common problem of appropriate and available testing to inform decision making. Timely decision making can be affected where testing, from a centre of excellence, is located in another State.

Reports from associated organisations – A report from the Therapeutic Goods Administration was noted

Other business

UNEP register of national POPs experts and institutions

The development of a regional list of national Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) experts and institutions was acknowledged. Council agreed to provide information on experts and institutions in each State and Territory to contribute to the register.

Perception survey

The recently completed perception survey, commissioned by the Commonwealth, was highlighted. Council confirmed the importance of the survey results in understanding the views and concerns held by the community on environmental health issues and would utilise this information in targeting its message.

Potting soil and Legionella Longbeachae

The development of a frame, using easily understood symbols, for potting mix warning labels was supported. Council confirmed that the text of the warning labels should remain the responsibility of individual jurisdictions. However the frame could be utilised as a national standard to attract public attention to the warning label. Focus group testing or small trial would provide useful feedback on the frame prior to implementation.

Human quarantine review

A review of the human quarantine provisions of the Quarantine Act 1908 was reported for information. Copies of the public consultation discussion paper are available for individual jurisdictions and sectors to submit a response.

Next meeting

The next meeting of the Council will be held in Darwin on 25-26 July. Local environmental health management issues will be incorporated in to the agenda.