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enHealth

Environmental Health Committee (enHealth)

The Environmental Health Committee (enHealth) is a subcommittee of the Australian Health Protection Committee (AHPC).

Under its terms of reference, enHealth has responsibility for providing agreed health policy advice, implementation of the National Environmental Health Strategy 2007-2012, consultation with key players, and the development and coordination of research, information and practical resources on environmental health matters at a national level. The advice development process is strongly based on collaboration and consultation.

The enHealth membership includes representatives from Commonwealth, State and Territory health departments; the New Zealand Ministry of Health; the National Health and Medical Research Council; Choice; Environmental Health Australia; the Australian Local Government Association; the Commonwealth Department of the Environment, Heritage, Water and the Arts; the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change; the Public Health Association of Australia; and the Deputy Chair (who must be Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander) of the enHealth Working Group on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Environmental Health.

enHealth Terms of Reference

The Environmental Health Committee (enHealth), under the guidance of the Australian Health Protection Committee (AHPC) and with reference to the National Environmental Health Strategy 2007-2012, will:

1. Provide nationally agreed environmental health policy advice, based on the best available evidence and expertise, to the Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council (AHMAC) through the AHPC;
2. Coordinate implementation of nationally agreed environmental health policies and approaches;
3. Provide environmental health expertise and support for AHPC’s emergency management role;
4. Under arrangements to be agreed between AHMAC and the Environment Protection and Heritage Standing Committee (EPHSC), keep the AHPC and AHMAC informed of developments in environmental policy with significant health implications and provide expert, and where nationally agreed, health advice in environmental policy forums;
5. Consult with consumers and other stakeholders as appropriate in developing environmental health policy advice and implementing environmental health policies;
6. Contribute, through the Commonwealth, to international collaboration on environmental health issues; and
7. Coordinate research, share information and develop practical environmental health resources, including through expert and/or nationally agreed publications as guided by the AHPC.

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Membership

Chair

Associate Professor Kevin Buckett – Director, Public Health, South Australian Department of Health

Deputy Chair

Mr Jim Dodds – Director, Environmental Health Directorate, Western Australia Department of Health

Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing

Ms Jenni Paradowski - Director, Environmental Health Section, Office of Chemical Safety and Environmental Health, Office of Health Protection, Department of Health and Ageing

Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts

Dr Dianna Wright – First Assistant Secretary, Environment Quality Division, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts

Australian Government Department of Climate Change

Ms Catherine Farrell, Director, Settlements and Built Environment Team, Adaptations Partnerships Branch, Adaptation and Land Management Division, Department of Climate Change

Australian Capital Territory

Mr Vojkan Stefanovic, Acting Director, Environmental Health, ACT Health

New South Wales

Dr Wayne Smith – Director, Environmental Health Branch, New South Wales Department of Health

Northern Territory

Mr Xavier Schobben – Director, Environmental Health, Northern Territory Department of Health and Families

Queensland

Ms Sophie Dwyer PSM – Senior Director, Environmental Health Unit, Queensland Health

South Australia

Dr Chris Lease – Director, Applied Environmental Health, South Australian Department of Health

Tasmania

Mr Stuart Heggie – State Manager, Environmental Health, Public and Environmental Health Service, Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services Top of page

Victoria

Ms Jan Bowman, PSM – Assistant Director, Environmental Health, Victorian Department of Health

Western Australia

Mr Jim Dodds – Director, Environmental Health Directorate, Department of Health WA

Australian Local Government Association

Mr John Pritchard – Policy Manager

New Zealand

Ms Frances Graham, Senior Policy Analyst, Public Health Directorate, New Zealand Ministry of Health

Environmental Health Australia

Mr Darren Ponton – Director, Environmental Health Australia

Choice

Professor Ian Lowe, AO – Emeritis Professor, School of Health Sciences, Griffith University

Environment Protection and Heritage Standing Committee

Mr Warren Jones, General Manager and Director, Environment and Environmental Management, Environment Division, Department of Environment, Parks, Heritage and the Arts (Tasmania)

National Health and Medical Research Council

Professor John McCallum – Senior Scientist Public Health

Public Health Association of Australia

Dr Elizabeth Hanna – Convenor, Environmental Health

Public Health Laboratory Network

Mr John Bates – Chief Scientist, Public Health Microbiology Forensic and Scientific Services

Deputy Chair of the Working Group for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Environmental Health

Ms Sonja Carmichael, Environmental Health Unit, Queensland Health
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enHealth Air Working Group Terms of Reference

The Air Working Group, under the guidance of enHealth and with reference to the National Environmental Health Strategy will:

• advise enHealth on public health issues related to air quality;
• act as a focal expert group for enHealth in promoting air quality and health issues with relevant stakeholders;
• collaborate with relevant stakeholders in the development of strategies and programs which address major issues of public health concern in air quality;
• in support of enHealth, engage and collaborate with regulatory bodies and other agencies in the Australian and the Oceania region that have responsibility for, or impact on, air quality and health issues (e.g. development or review of National Environment Protection Measures, standards development);
• coordinate the development and review of health-based guidelines related to air quality; and
• develop a communication and support network for jurisdictions in regards to air quality issues, including maintaining an awareness of emerging air quality issues.

enHealth Working Group on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Environmental Health Terms of Reference

The Environmental Health Workforce Working Group, under the guidance of the Environmental Health Committee (enHealth) of the Australian Health Protection Committee (AHPC) and with reference to both the National Environmental Health Strategy 2007-2012 and the National Environmental Workforce Action Plan will:

1. Contribute to national health workforce policy through the development of agreed advice to enHealth on the environmental health workforce.
2. Work with the National Health Workforce Taskforce to ensure that environmental health workforce issues are considered within the broader health workforce reform agenda.
3. Coordinate the implementation of nationally agreed environmental health workforce policies and approaches.
4. Provide nationally agreed advice to enHealth on the roles and functions of the environmental health workforce and the core competancies required to fulfil these roles and functions.
5. Collaborate with relevant Industry Skills Councils, Registered Training Organisations and appropriate bodies to develop flexible education pathways that will ensure an appropriately skilled environmental health workforce.
6. Coordinate research, share information and develop practical environmental health workforce resources.