Progress on statutory Australian Centre for Disease Control

The interim Australian Centre for Disease Control (Aus CDC) is one step closer to becoming permanent after legislation was tabled in parliament this week. Subject to the passage of the Australian Centre for Disease Control Bill 2025 through the Parliament, the new standalone agency will open its doors on 1 January 2026. 

Currently part of the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, the interim CDC commenced on 1 January 2024 and has taken over the responsibilities of the department’s Chief Medical Officer Group. These include: 

• Health alerts 

• Emergency health management, including management of the National Medical Stockpile 

• Communicable diseases 

• National and international disease surveillance 

• Environmental health 

According to Adj Prof Terry Slevin, CEO of the Public Health Association of Australia, the agency has a full agenda and ambitious goals. “With Australia facing challenges like the threat of bird flu, and public health misinformation and falling immunisation rates, the Australian CDC will provide a central, credible source of information. We hope it will grow and evolve to a key leadership role in public health in Australia, and be resourced accordingly. 

“We don’t know when the next infectious pandemic may come, but this agency helps us get prepared. And when it comes it will lead the response. While infectious disease preparedness and response is the immediate priority, the Aus CDC will also play an important role in chronic disease prevention.” 

Epidemiologist Prof Bob Douglas first posed the question, “Does Australia need a Centre for Disease Control?” back in 1987. It wasn’t until June 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, that then Opposition Leader Athony Albanese committed to establishing an Australian CDC – a pledge that later became part of Labor’s successful 2022 election platform.