3.6 - Ministerial Responsibilities (as at 30 June 2007)

THE HON TONY ABBOTT MHR, MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND AGEING

The Hon Tony Abbott MHR, as senior Minister and member of Cabinet, holds overarching policy responsibility for all health and ageing issues including specific responsibility for:

• Medicare benefits;
• hospitals;
• medical indemnity;
• private health insurance;
• medical workforce issues;
• the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme;
• pharmacy issues;
• population health, including issues concerning HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases, immunisation, obesity, specific women’s and men’s health issues, environmental health issues and drug abuse reduction;
• biosecurity and bioterrorism;
• national health priorities (with the exception of injury prevention, arthritis musculoskeletal conditions and asthma);
• rural and regional health;
• health and medical research and biotechnology;
• diagnostics and technology;
• Indigenous health issues;
• e-Health;
• strategic policy analysis and evaluation; and
• corporate leadership and resource management.

THE HON CHRISTOPHER PYNE MP, MINISTER FOR AGEING

As Minister for Ageing, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP has responsibility for:

• 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;
  • Residential Care;
  • National Respite for Carers – including the Carer Information and Support Program, Carer Respite Centres and Carer Resource Centres;
  • Aged Care Assessment;
  • Community Care Packages;
  • Assistance with Care and Housing for the Aged;
  • the Complaints Resolution Scheme;
  • Dementia Support Services;
  • Advocacy Services;
  • the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency Ltd;
  • the Safe at Home Program; and
  • Multipurpose Services.
• the Hearing Services Program and policy;
• injury and falls prevention;
• arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions;
• illicit drugs;
• alcohol; and
• tobacco.

SENATOR THE HON BRETT MASON, PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY TO THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND AGEING

Senator Mason assisted Minister Abbott by assuming responsibility for matters relating to:

• the Therapeutic Goods Administration;
• the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator;
• the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme;
• the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency;
• Food Standards Australia New Zealand;
• food policy;
• mental health and suicide prevention;
• blood and organ donation regulation;
• human cloning and stem cell research;
• asthma; and
• palliative care.

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