Former ministers' media centre

The Australian Government is investing in the future competitiveness of Australian health and medical research with more than $44 million for postgraduate scholarships, international collaboration and research infrastructure and equipment through the National Health and Medical Research Council.

Three million vaccines are being distributed ahead of the start of the school year to enable the 2.3 million children now eligible to be vaccinated against COVID to get their first vaccine

Read the transcript of Minister Hunt's Canberra Press Conference on 9 January 2022, on Omicron, COVID-19 vaccines and MRFF Rare Cancers funding.

Research into some of the world’s rarest forms of cancer and disease have received a boost, with the Australian Government announcing 27 grant recipients under the 2021 Rare Cancers, Rare Diseases and Unmet Need (RCRDUN) grant opportunity.

The Australian Government has introduced measures under the Biosecurity Act 2015 to prohibit price gouging and impose restrictions on the improper export of rapid antigen tests (RAT).

Parents of young children will get help to build their parenting skills under a new Australian Government-funded national program grant opportunity opening today.

Seven clinical trials testing the use of potential breakthrough combination therapies to treat debilitating mental illnesses will receive a total of almost $15 million from the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).

Read the transcript of Minister Colbeck's interview with Hamish MacDonald, of RN Breakfast, on 6 January 2022, on Novak Djokovic.

Read the transcript of Minister Hunt interview on Sunrise on 6 January 2022, on Novak Djokovic, COVID-19 Testing and COVID-19 Vaccines for Kids.

Two clinical trials which could save lives through new therapies to treat breast cancers that have low rates of survival have been funded, thanks to the Australian Government.

Read the transcript of Minister Hunt at the Melbourne Press Conference on new sotrovimab units, health programs, Indigenous smoking rates and vaccination rollout

The drowning deaths of 20 people at coastal waterways across Australia since the start of summer underlines the important reasons to stay vigilant as thousands flocks to beaches for holidays.

Many of us have New Year’s resolutions but the most important one all Australians can make in 2022 is to get any health checks they put aside during the pandemic.

The Australian Government continues to make important, life changing medicines available to Australians at affordable prices through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), including a new treatment for Australians with bowel cancer.

The Australian Government will invest a further $187.8 million in the highly successful Tackling Indigenous Smoking (TIS) program which is designed to reduce smoking in Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander communities.

The Australian Government is investing more than $15 million in 19 innovative research projects that will drive better health care through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Development Grant scheme.

The measures put in place by the Australian Government to protect remote communities in the Northern Territory facing a COVID-19 outbreak have ended.

Read the transcript of the Canberra Press Conference on 24 December 2021, on National COVID-19 vaccine booster rollout and ATAGI.

Australians who have completed their primary course of COVID-19 vaccination no less than four months ago, will now be able to receive a booster dose from 4 January 2022, providing further protection and peace of mind.

Senior Australians now have a strong, formal voice to government on ageing and aged care matters, with the 14 members of the new Council of Elders – a specific recommendation coming out of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety – announced today.

Read the transcript of Minister Hunt at the Melbourne Press Conference on 23 December 2021, on National COVID-19 booster roll out and private health insurance uptake.

New sport and physical activity programs encouraging Australians to run, play, skate, sail and ride are among those to receive funding through the second round of Sport Australia’s Participation Grant program.

The Morrison Government’s ongoing reforms to private health insurance have contributed to the lowest annual average premium change for consumers since 2001, which will be 2.70 percent in 2022.

High numbers of Australians continue to receive the medical care they need at no cost to themselves, with recent data showing almost 9 out of 10 visits to the GP in the last quarter were provided with no out-of-pocket cost for the patient.

The Australian Government has further bolstered the high-calibre membership of the nation’s pre-eminent sports dispute resolution body, the National Sports Tribunal (NST).