Australian Health Care Reform Alliance

07/02/2026

Whooping cough is back — and it’s hitting harder

Australia has recorded its highest number of whooping cough cases in 35 years, with more than 82,000 infections across 2024–25. This isn’t just a nasty cough — it’s a serious, highly contagious illness that can be life-threatening for babies, and it’s putting real pressure on families and the health system.

So what’s driving the surge? Why are infants still so vulnerable? And what can adults do to protect themselves — and the people around them?

This evidence-based explainer from The Conversation breaks down what’s happening, how immunity wanes, the role of COVID disruptions, and why vaccination at every age really matters. https://theconversation.com/whooping-cough-cases-are-at-their-highest-level-in-35-years-so-why-the-surge-275082

It's an important read - especially for parents, grandparents, carers, and anyone who spends time around young children.

This debilitating disease is particularly dangerous for babies, but can affect people at any age. Vaccination remains a key line of defence.

31/01/2026

$25 billion for public hospitals — but patients still pay the price

The Federal Government’s announcement of a record $25 billion for public hospitals has been framed as a major win. But peak health and social policy bodies are warning that headline figures don’t fix systemic underfunding — or growing patient harm. https://tinyurl.com/ytmc438u

As Doctors Reform Society President Dr Tim Woodruff bluntly puts it: this is smoke and mirrors. Population growth, an ageing society, and rising complexity mean any increase will be a “record”. What really matters is whether the Commonwealth is finally lifting its share of hospital funding back toward the 50% benchmark it once accepted responsibility for. On current projections, it’s still hovering just above 40%. https://tinyurl.com/4phptwaa

The Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association (AHHA) has repeatedly warned that activity-based funding alone cannot keep pace with demand, especially as hospitals absorb the failures of aged care and primary care systems. Hospitals are being forced to do the work of multiple under-resourced sectors — and patients pay the price in delays and overcrowding.

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has echoed concerns that emergency departments are overwhelmed not because hospitals are inefficient, but because people can’t access timely GP care, community health, or aged care support. Preventable admissions are rising, not falling. https://tinyurl.com/s4fp7nw2

And as ACOSS and other social policy advocates have highlighted, the human cost is clearest in aged care. Around one in ten hospital beds is occupied by someone who no longer needs acute care but has nowhere safe to go. https://tinyurl.com/4y9ncudt

More than 120,000 older Australians remain stuck on the aged care package waiting list — with no serious commitment in this latest announcement to clear it. https://tinyurl.com/4xp9pbvw

There is cautious acknowledgment that underfundiing of primary care drives avoidable hospital demand, and recent federal steps in this space are welcome. But progress remains slow, fragmented, and years behind identified demand.

Big numbers always make good headlines but must be placed into context. Fair funding, system integration, and accountability are what patients really need.

Until governments address aged care bottlenecks, primary care access, and the Commonwealth’s shrinking share of hospital funding, public hospitals will remain in crisis - no matter how large the dollar figure sounds.

29/01/2026

Left behind twice.

Every year, hundreds of Australians diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND( after turning 65 are locked out of the support they urgently need — not because their condition is different, but because their birthday is.

While the NDIS can fast-track support in days, older Australians with MND are pushed into an aged care system never designed for rapidly progressing, terminal neurological disease — with far less funding and far longer waits.

This isn’t a policy glitch. It’s a two-tiered system that values age over need, and it’s leaving families exhausted, unsupported, and running out of time.

MND Australia is calling for urgent reform — because MND can’t wait, and neither should the system. https://www.mndaustralia.org.au/articles/left-behind-twice-older-australians-with-mnd-deserve-equal-support

25/01/2026

WHO statement on notification of withdrawal of the United States

WHO statement on notification of withdrawal of the United States

As a founding member of the World Health Organization (WHO), the United States of America has contributed significantly to many of WHO’s greatest achievements, including the eradication of smallpox, and progress against many other public health threats including polio, HIV, Ebola, influenza, tuberculosis, malaria, neglected tropical diseases, antimicrobial resistance, food safety and more.

WHO therefore regrets the United States’ notification of withdrawal from WHO – a decision that makes both the United States and the world less safe. The notification of withdrawal raises issues that will be considered by the WHO Executive Board at its regular meeting starting on 2 February and by the World Health Assembly at its annual meeting in May 2026.

WHO takes note of statements from the government of the United States that say WHO has “trashed and tarnished” and insulted it, and compromised its independence. The reverse is true. As we do with every Member State, WHO has always sought to engage with the United States in good faith, with full respect for its sovereignty.
In its statements, the United States cited as one of the reasons for its decision, “WHO failures during the COVID-19 pandemic”, including “obstructing the timely and accurate sharing of critical information” and that WHO “concealed those failures”. While no organization or government got everything right, WHO stands by its response to this unprecedented global health crisis. Throughout the pandemic, WHO acted quickly, shared all information it had rapidly and transparently with the world, and advised Member States on the basis of the best available evidence. WHO recommended the use of masks, vaccines and physical distancing, but at no stage recommended mask mandates, vaccine mandates or lockdowns. We supported sovereign governments to make decisions they believed were in the best interests of their people, but the decisions were theirs.

Immediately after receiving the first reports of a cluster of cases of “pneumonia of unknown cause” in Wuhan, China on 31 December 2019, WHO asked China for more information and activated its emergency incident management system. By the time the first death was reported from China on 11 January 2020, WHO had already alerted the world through formal channels, public statements and social media, convened global experts, and published comprehensive guidance for countries on how to protect their populations and health systems. When the WHO Director-General declared COVID-19 a public health emergency of international concern under the International Health Regulations on 30 January 2020 – the highest level of alarm under international health law – outside of China there were fewer than 100 reported cases, and no reported deaths.

In the first weeks and months of the pandemic, the Director-General urged all countries repeatedly to take immediate action to protect their populations, warning that “the window of opportunity is closing”, “this is not a drill” and describing COVID-19 as “public enemy number one”.
In response to the multiple reviews of the COVID-19 pandemic, including of WHO’s performance, WHO has taken steps to strengthen its own work, and to support countries to bolster their own pandemic preparedness and response capacities. The systems we developed and managed before, during and after the emergency phase of the pandemic, and which run 24/7, have contributed to keeping all countries safe, including the United States.

The United States also said in its statements that WHO has “pursued a politicized, bureaucratic agenda driven by nations hostile to American interests”. This is untrue. As a specialized agency of the United Nations, governed by 194 Member States, WHO has always been and remains impartial and exists to serve all countries, with respect for their sovereignty, and without fear or favour.

WHO appreciates the support and continued engagement of all its Member States, which continue to work within the framework of WHO to pursue solutions to the world’s biggest health threats, both communicable and noncommunicable. Most notably, WHO Member States last year adopted the WHO Pandemic Agreement, which once ratified will become a landmark instrument of international law to keep the world safer from future pandemics. Member States are now negotiating an annex to the WHO Pandemic Agreement, the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system, which if adopted will promote rapid detection and sharing of pathogens with pandemic potential, and equitable and timely access to vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics.

We hope that in the future, the United States will return to active participation in WHO. Meanwhile, WHO remains steadfastly committed to working with all countries in pursuit of its core mission and constitutional mandate: the highest attainable standard of health as a fundamental right for all people.

22/01/2026

Australia has clear evidence on women’s pain: but national policy action is needed

A landmark Victorian inquiry drawing on the experiences of over 13,000 women and girls shows systemic failures in how pain is assessed, treated and understood across the health system — from GPs and paramedics to specialist care.

It reveals widespread dismissal of women’s pain, long-lasting impacts on wellbeing and barriers to care that cost people dearly, both physically and socially.

This article by Ray Bange* argues that with such robust evidence, what’s needed isn’t more reports, but national policy leadership to turn this knowledge into change across Australia’s health system.
https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/01/australia-evidence-on-womens-pain-policy-challenge-is-to-act/

Read more and join the conversation about why we can’t afford to ignore women’s pain any longer.


*Ray Bange OAM is an Executive Committee Member of AHCRA and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Central Queensland University. He has extensive experience in policy discussions relating to health system reform. This article draws on publicly available research and government reports, and the views expressed are those of the author. There are no known conflicts of interest.

A landmark Victorian inquiry has exposed deep, system-wide failures in how women’s pain is treated. The policy response now requires national leadership.

15/01/2026

Observations on the new US dietary guidelines

Meat and full-fat dairy are in. Ultra-processed foods are out. And there’s a new, inverted food pyramid.

11/01/2026

Why the health news you read matters more than you think.

Ever feel like mainstream health news oversimplifies complex issues? Or get whiplash from the latest influencer-driven health fad?

The media landscape that shapes our health understanding is crowded, conflicted, and often commercialised.

As we head into 2026, this article by Christopher Carter, CEO of the North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network, challenges us to think critically about where we get our health information.

He argues that journalism itself is a social - and commercial - determinant of health. From the "human interest" frames of legacy media to the unfiltered claims on social platforms, what we consume directly influences public behaviour and belief.

So, where can we turn for depth, nuance, and integrity?

Carter makes a compelling case for independent, public interest health journalism like the work done by Croakey Health Media, as an essential counterbalance. It’s journalism driven by community benefit, not profit; by evidence, not hype.

It’s a vital read for anyone working in health, communications, or simply anyone who cares about making informed decisions for themselves and their communities.

Read the full article and join the conversation: Why does independent health journalism matter to you?

Croakey is closed for summer holidays and will resume publishing in the week of 19 January 2026. In the meantime,

15/12/2025

Imagine ......

Imagine a health system where your GP, psychologist, and dietitian work together under one roof - at no extra cost. Where hospital specialists and your family doctor communicate seamlessly about your care. For many Australians, this feels like a fantasy.

In the latest Arena Quarterly No. 24, Dr. Tim Woodruff* delivers a powerful diagnosis of our ailing healthcare system and a bold prescription for its recovery in his article Bandsaw not Band-Aid.

He moves beyond the band-aid solutions to ask: why is timely, integrated care so rare? Why are specialist copayment gaps soaring while bulk-billing GPs struggle? And how have we built a system that often feels like a confusing maze rather than a coordinated service?

Woodruff pulls no punches, examining the changing structure of care, the milieu of the medical specialist, and the deep-seated inequalities that dictate who gets care and who gets left behind. He also maps a practical path forward, from patient enrolment and primary care funding reform to the role of a National Health Care Reform Commission.

This is essential reading for anyone who has ever faced a medical bill with dread, waited months for a specialist, or wondered why we can't do better.

Read “Bandsaw, not Band-Aid" here: https://arena.org.au/bandsaw-not-band-aid/

* Dr Tim Woodruff is Vice President of the Doctors Reform Society and a rheumatologist in private practice.

11/12/2025

Rewriting the narrative does not change reality

A new report reveals that the present U.S. administration has systematically removed crucial climate change information from the EPA's website. This isn't a simple update - it's a deliberate erasure of facts.

A pivotal deletion is the scientific consensus that human activity is a primary driver of modern climate change. Pages detailing the catastrophic impacts: rising seas, melting ice, extreme heat, and health risks are missing.

So too is data on how climate change disproportionately harms children and low-income communities, and references to how we can reduce these risks. https://tinyurl.com/munnxytr

What remains focuses almost exclusively on natural causes, a stance completely at odds with the overwhelming body of peer-reviewed science from the IPCC and global scientific institutions.

This is more than a website update. It's a direct attack on scientific integrity, designed to undermine the legal basis for climate change regulations.

The timing is no coincidence. This follows millions in campaign contributions from the oil and gas industry and comes as the U.S. administration moves to rescind the legal "endangerment finding" that allows the EPA to regulate greenhouse gases.

They can delete web pages, but they can't delete reality. The science is unequivocal, and the impacts are being felt in our communities every day. Central to every one of us are the health impacts of climate change and rising temperatures which require resolute action to move to a low emissions future. https://tinyurl.com/2r8je3mn

The Trump administration has removed references to human-caused climate change and key scientific data from EPA websites, alarming climate scientists and health experts.

06/12/2025

An incentive to work differently in health

A major national shift is underway, focused on how we fundamentally use our health workforce. The goal is to move beyond outdated rules and practice barriers to let highly skilled professionals - like nurses, paramedics and other allied health practitioners, apply their full capabilities in patient care.

To make this happen, the Federal Government is using a powerful lever: $900 million in funding. This money is tied directly to states and territories reforming their models of care and "scope of practice" rules.

The result is that jurisdictional Treasurers and Premiers have a clear, financial incentive to modernise the system. It's about moving from a model that has underutilised talent to one that actively unlocks it.

This reform isn't just about individuals doing more - it's about redesigning how teams and the system operate. The projected outcomes are better support for community-based care, more flexible roles, and smarter ways to keep people well and out of hospital.

Alison Barrett writes: The inclusion of scope of practice reforms in national competition policy arrangements has been welcomed as likely

05/12/2025

The Silver Report

Victorian Treasurer Jaclyn Symes has released (4/12/2025) the final report from Independent Reviewer Helen Silver AO — the former top bureaucrat tasked with streamlining Victoria's public sector by identifying inefficiencies and consolidating government entities - as well as the government's response.
ABC News https://tinyurl.com/48eevdcx
Full 154 page Report: https://tinyurl.com/rd4eanev
Victorian Govt response: https://www.vic.gov.au/vps-review
What Matters Most summaries: https://tinyurl.com/zn6e9wts

The Report is comprehensive within the the Review’s Terms of Reference that excluded integrity bodies and Parliament and other bodies not within scope due to their independent functions.

Frontline workers were considered outside the scope of the Review and thus the Review did not consider schools, hospitals, health services and the police. Individual courts, local government and departments were also excluded. Captured within scope were 90+advisory committees.

The Department of Health is used as a case study - with Victorian health spending increasing over the past 10 years, with real per capita state health expenditure increasing by 39 per cent in Victoria since 2014-15 and contrasted at $4200 in 2023-24 with NSW at $3600.

The Silver Review covers several related issues with reform proposals, including an increased role for preventive health measures, greater use of digital systems, delivery of care closer to home, and transitioning out of areas of Commonwealth responsibilities (p 41).

The Review recommended the Health Complaints Commissioner role be absorbed into Safer Care Victoria so as to realise operational efficiencies and reduce administrative costs.

Another merger proposal was to merge human rights offices and commissioners within the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC), bringing together the Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ Communities, Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Sector, Commission for Children and Young People, the Victorian Multicultural Commission and the Office of the Public Advocate within VEOHRC. This initiative is intended to leverages expertise, increase administrative efficiency and provide a one-door approach to human rights services with VEOHRC to become a centre for excellence for human rights.

The Review recommends streamlining the regulatory system to a smaller number of larger, focused regulators that could address common issues and concentrate on core regulatory activities. However, it is noted that too large regulators tend to lose efficiency, subject matter expertise and focus on the sectors they regulate, and knowledge of the sector dynamics and the priority risks of harm.

AHCRA reiterates that patient (community) safety and health practitioner regulation are of paramount importance and a fundamental role of government. www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/quality-care

Effective implementation of the various merger proposals is crucial and it is absolutely vital that the health-related input provided by advocacy groups is retained. Some of the strongest reactions and objections to the Review proposals have been those relating to the news that VicHealth will close as a standalone agency and be absorbed into the State Department of Health.
https://www.croakey.org/shock-and-alarm-greet-news-about.../

Among the insights offered by the Review was that Victoria should strengthen its approach to oversee and manage entities (p 149). It should implement best practice governance structures, enhance visibility and monitoring through data, conduct first-principles necessity reviews, and sunset entities by default.

The Victorian Secretaries’ Board will oversee implementation and its monitoring role will be supported by the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the Department of Treasury and Finance. https://tinyurl.com/3rpd7af3

24/11/2025

Beyond the Band-Aid

A plea for the federal health Minister to resolve the structural and funding issues impacting valuable community health centres.

Introduction by Croakey: Communities in Naarm/Melbourne who rely on community health services provider cohealth have been given a short-term reprieve