An Albanese Labor Government will strengthen Australia’s response to future pandemics by establishing an Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC).
Australia is the only OECD country without a CDC equivalent and the Federal Government has not led a national pandemic drill for 12 years.
Our nation went into the coronavirus pandemic with less than one mask for every Australian in the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Medical Stockpile, an overreliance on global supply chains, and badly stretched aged and health care systems.
These failures have contributed to the tragic deaths of almost 900 Australians – 673 of whom were aged care residents and 28 linked to the Ruby Princess debacle – and more than 27,000 infections.
To strengthen Australia’s preparedness and lead the national response to future pandemics, the CDC would:
- House surveillance experts and systems to monitor current and emerging threats;
- Work with state and territory governments and service providers to improve preparedness in the health and aged care sectors;
- Manage the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Medical Stockpile, including analysing needs, procuring and managing stock and distributing supplies as needed;
- Run regular preparedness drills on the scale of Exercise Sustain in 2008;
- Work with other countries on regional and global preparedness.
As in other countries, Australia’s CDC would play a role in preventing health threats posed by chronic disease, as well as infectious diseases.
An Australian CDC has widespread support, including from the ssociation, the , the , health experts, and other experts such as the .
