3.7 Ministerial Responsibilities

The Hon Nicola Roxon MP
Minister for Health and Ageing

The Hon Nicola Roxon MP, as senior Minister and member of Cabinet, held overarching policy responsibility for all issues pertaining to health and ageing, and specific administrative 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;
• illicit drugs; and
• mental health and suicide prevention.

The Hon Justine Elliot MP
Minister for Ageing

As Minister for Ageing, Ms Elliot had 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;
  • Complaints Investigation Scheme;
  • Dementia Support Services;
  • Advocacy Services;
  • Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency; and
  • the Safe at Home Program.
• Multipurpose services;
• the Hearing Services Program and policy;
• injury and falls prevention;
• arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions; and
• palliative care.

The Hon Kate Ellis MP
Minister for Sport

As the Minister for Sport, Ms Ellis had responsibilites relating to:

• national sports policy and programs;
• the Australian Sports Commission (including enabling legislation);
• the Australian Sports Foundation;
• the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (including enabling legislation);
• the Australian Sports Drugs Medical Advisory Committee;
• the World Anti-Doping Agency;
• the UNESCO Anti-Doping Convention;
• the International Anti-Doping Arrangement;
• the Anti-Doping Research Program;
• the Indigenous Sport and Recreation Program;
• the National Recreation Safety Program (water and snow safety);
• ad hoc grants for sports facilities;
• ad hoc grants for major sporting events;
• sport and leisure industry development;
• the Sport Intellectual Property Framework;
• Commonwealth involvement in major sporting events; and
• Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting, Beijing.

Senator The Hon Jan McLucas
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing

Senator McLucas assisted Minister Roxon 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;
• the National Blood Authority;
• food policy;
• blood and organ donation;
• human cloning and stem cell research;
• nanotechnologies;
• asthma;
• alcohol; and
• tobacco.