Departmental Media Releases

CMO To Step Down

Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer, Professor John Horvath AO, will step down from his role as CMO at the end of January 2009.

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26 August 2008

After five years in the job the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer, Professor John Horvath AO, has decided that the time has come for him to moderate his pace. Professor Horvath will step down from his role as CMO at the end of January 2009.

The Department of Health and Ageing has greatly benefited from Professor Horvath's expertise and advice during his tenure, bringing to the position a wealth of experience as both a practicing physician and as a health administrator.

Professor Horvath came to the Department as Clinical Professor of Medicine at Sydney University, with a long history as a specialist renal physician at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Prior to his appointment, he had worked with the Department through his role as chair of the Australian Medical Workforce Advisory Committee.

While Professor Horvath's achievements during his time as CMO have been numerous, he has most notably been at the forefront of the Commonwealth’s response to emergency events such as the Indian Ocean tsunami and preparing for the threat of a pandemic influenza outbreak.

He has helped position the Department as a leading agency in Australia’s national health emergency preparedness, being instrumental in the establishment of the Department’s Office of Health Protection in early 2006. Professor Horvath also played an important role in making the Australian Health Protection Committee a well functioning committee.

Professor Horvath has played an integral role in the development and implementation of a national registration and accreditation scheme for health professions, the development of Australia’s National Chronic Disease Strategy and more recently, the development of a national reform package for organ donation.

Professor Horvath has agreed to stay working for the Department on a part time basis next year.

For more information, contact Kay McNiece on 0412 132 585