Ministerial Team (as at 30 June 2012)

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The Prime Minister’s announcement on 12 December 2011 resulted in the inclusion of Mental Health and Ageing in the Cabinet, thus introducing to the portfolio two Cabinet Minister positions. The following list outlines the split of responsibilities within the ministerial team.

The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for Health

The Minister for Health holds overarching policy and coordinating responsibility for issues pertaining to health, including high level responsibility for the portfolio’s responsibilities relating to the Council of Australian Governments’ reform agenda, and has specific administrative responsibility for:

• Medicare benefits;
• hospitals;
• medical indemnity;
• private health insurance;
• health workforce issues (including policy oversight of all areas of workforce distribution, education and training);
• the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme;
• pharmacy issues;
• population health, including issues concerning Blood Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmissible Infections including HIV/AIDS, and other communicable diseases, immunisation, obesity, specific women’s health issues, environmental health issues and drug abuse reduction;
• eye health;
• national health priorities (with the exception of injury prevention, arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions);
• rural and regional health;
• biosecurity and bioterrorism;
• diagnostics and technology;
• eHealth;
• tobacco;
• human cloning and stem cell research;
• health and medical research; and
• asthma.

The Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Mental Health and Ageing

Minister Butler has responsibility for:

• Mental Health and Suicide Prevention;
• Aged Care Reform;
• the National Strategy for an Ageing Australia;
• the National Continence Management Strategy;
• a range of programs to meet the needs of Australia’s ageing population, including:
  • Home and Community Care Program;
  • Residential Care;
  • The National Respite for Carers Program – including the Carer Information and Support Program, Carer Respite Centres and Carer Resource Centres;
  • Aged Care Assessment;
  • Community Aged Care Packages;
  • Assistance with Care and Housing for the Aged;
  • Complaints Resolution Scheme;
  • Dementia Support Services;
  • Advocacy Services; and
• Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency;
• multipurpose services;
• Hearing Services Program and policy;
• injury and falls prevention;
• arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions;
• palliative care;
• illicit drugs; and
• alcohol.

The Hon Warren Snowdon MP, Minister for Indigenous Health

Minister Snowdon has responsibility for:

• Indigenous health including;
  • The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan;
  • prevention and management of chronic disease by Indigenous health services;
  • child and maternal health;
  • improved access to effective substance use and health services;
  • social and emotional wellbeing services;
  • workforce capacity; and
• men’s health.

The Hon Catherine King MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing

Parliamentary Secretary King assists Minister Plibersek by assuming responsibility for matters relating to:

• Therapeutic Goods Administration;
• Office of the Gene Technology Regulator;
• National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme;
• Office of Chemical Safety;
• Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency;
• Food Standards Australia New Zealand;
• National Blood Authority;
• food policy;
• nanotechnologies;
• gene technology; and
• blood and organ donation.

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