Role
The National Women’s Health Advisory Council provides advice to the government on priority health issues for women and girls in Australia.
The council also provides advice and recommendations on the implementation of the National Women’s Health Strategy 2020–2030. This strategy outlines a national approach to reducing inequalities and improving the health of women and girls in Australia.
Terms of reference
National Women’s Health Advisory Council – Terms of reference
Members
The Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Ged Kearney MP, is chair of the council.
| Name | Organisation | Council Role |
|---|---|---|
| Professor Gita Mishra Co-director | Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH) | Member |
| Associate Professor Ines Rio Member | Australian Medical Association | Member |
| Ms Lorna Scott Member | Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation | Member |
| Ms Bonney Corbin Executive Chair | Australian Women’s Health Alliance | Member |
| Dr Elizabeth Deveny Chief Executive Officer | Consumers Health Forum | Member |
| Dr Sarah L. White Chief Executive Officer | Jean Hailes for Women’s Health | Member |
| Dr Adele Murdolo Executive Director | Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health | Member |
| Dr Dawn Casey Deputy Chief Executive Officer | National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) | Member |
| Ms Keli McDonald Chief Executive Officer | National Rural Women’s Coalition | Member |
| Dr Fei Sim President | Pharmaceutical Society of Australia | Member |
| Dr Gillian Gibson President | Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) | Member |
| Dr Sue Matthews Chief Executive Officer | Royal Women’s Hospital | Member |
| Professor Danielle Mazza AM FAHMS Director | SPHERE NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health in Primary Care | Member |
| Professor Robyn Norton AO Founding Director | The George Institute for Global Health | Member |
| Professor Zoe Wainer Honorary Enterprise Professor | University of Melbourne | Member |
| Professor Cathy Vaughan Director | University of Melbourne, Nossal Institute for Global Health | Member |
| Professor Deb Loxton Member Co-director (ALSWH) | Women’s Health Research, Translation and Impact Network ALSWH | Member |
| Ms Bronwyn Morris‑Donovan Chief Executive Officer | Allied Health Professions Australia | Special Adviser |
| Dr Tessa Boyd-Caine Chief Executive Officer | Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) | Special Adviser |
| Ms Helen White Chief Executive Officer | Australian College of Midwives | Special Adviser |
| Associate Professor Aliza Werner Seidler | Black Dog Institute | Special Adviser |
| Ms Linda Kensington Chief Executive Officer | Council of Remote Area Nurses of Australia (CRANA) | Special Adviser |
| Ms Nyadol Nyuon OAM Chair | Harmony Alliance | Special Adviser |
| Professor Cath Chamberlain Head | Indigenous Health Equity Unit, University of Melbourne | Special Adviser |
| Ms Nicky Bath Chief Executive Officer | LGBTIQ+ Health Australia | Special Adviser |
| Professor Susan Davis AO Director | Monash University Women’s Health Research Program | Special Adviser |
| Ms Leah Van Poppel Principal Member | Independent Advisory Council to the National Disability Insurance Scheme | Special Adviser |
| Ms Shannon Calvert Consumer Co-chair | National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum | Special Adviser |
| Professor Angela Dawson Associate Dean Research, University of Technology Sydney | Public Health Association of Australia | Special Adviser |
| Ms Nadia Levin Chief Executive Officer | Research Australia | Special Adviser |
| Dr Nicole Higgins President | Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) | Special Adviser |
| Ms Sandy Gillies Chief Executive Officer | Western Queensland Primary Health Network | Special Adviser |
Meetings
The council will meet up to 4 times a year, face-to-face or virtually.
Communiques
National Women’s Health Advisory Council – Communiques
Reports
Annual report
The National Women’s Health Advisory Council has undertaken several activities during the first 18 months of its term. The inaugural annual report outlines the activities of the council, including:
- the #EndGenderBias survey
- a literature review
- the National Women’s Health Summit
- a framework to monitor and report on the National Women’s Health Strategy 2020–2030.
See the 2023–24 annual council report.
#EndGenderBias survey
The council conducted the #EndGenderBias survey to better understand the unique barriers and gender bias women face in Australia’s healthcare system. We heard from:
- women
- experts
- healthcare professionals
- consumer representatives
- peak stakeholder groups.
The survey closed on 13 October 2023. The council is using the survey findings to help inform its advice to government on addressing gender bias in the healthcare system.
Read the:
Literature review
The council commissioned Monash University to undertake a literature review to:
- examine gender equity issues in the Australian context
- inform strategies to reduce sex and gender bias and disparities in the healthcare system.
The review found sex and gender differences in the risk, presentation, treatment, and research of various health conditions in Australia. The review also found variations in how Australian clinical practice guidelines incorporate evidence on sex and gender.
See the final literature review.
Learn more
Find more resources related to the council.
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