Australia Pledges $250 Million for Its Own Centre for Disease Control

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler has introduced a bill to set up an Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC).

The bill formally establishes the $251.7 million CDC as a statutory agency, led by a director-general and due to launch on Jan. 1, 2026.

Butler argued the CDC brings Australia in line with Canada, the UK, Singapore and most European countries—it also fulfils an election pledge by the Labor Party.

“The Australian people deserve public health data, insights and advice that is high quality, nationally coordinated and responsive—not just in a crisis, but every day,” he said.

A temporary Australian CDC is already operating within the health department.

Butler warned of the danger of future public health threats, including climate change.

“The COVID-19 pandemic was a once-in-a-century event, but it will not be the last public health threat that we face,” Butler said.

“Climate change, antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, zoonotic spillovers and changing geopolitical tensions impacting on Australia’s health security all demand a permanent national public health authority right now.”

An ‘Authoritative Source’

Butler said the bill enshrined the Australian CDC in law as an independent Commonwealth agency, separate from the health department.

“It will draw on the best technical and scientific expertise across the nation through its national convening role. This will include epidemiologists, data scientists, public health researchers and population health experts,” he said.

“It will play a national leadership role and become an authoritative source of expertise and evidence in public health, assisting state and territory governments to fulfil their critical roles in times of normality and crisis.”

Along with providing advice, Butler said it would build awareness about public health threats.

“It will be an authoritative source of public health advice and information for the Australian public and for health professionals across the country,” he said.

The legislation formalises a a director-general who will lead the Australian CDC and report directly to the health minister. An advisory council will also be established, chaired by the director general, and appointed by the minister.

Butler said one of the most powerful messages of the COVID-19 pandemic was that Australians deserve transparency in public-health decision-making, and the CDC would publish the advice it gives the government.

“The publication requirement will help improve confidence, counter misinformation and disinformation, and give communities and businesses the information they need to act effectively during future crises,” Butler said.

More Data Collection and Sharing

The minister also earmarked tighter data collection, saying it would be needed for crisis response.

“Critically, it was not—and still is not—possible to bring together essential information such as vaccination status, health service utilisation, mortality and key population characteristics with data about who was infected by COVID-19,” he said.

“This bill will close this gap so future decisions are driven by comprehensive, connected data to protect every Australian.:

He said the CDC would streamline data sharing between the Commonwealth and state and territories.

Debate was adjourned on the legislation after the bill was introduced.

Response to Legislation

The Public Health Association of Australia said it looked forward to the parliament finalising the details in the next few months.

“There is an absolutely packed agenda for this agency. With Australia facing challenges like the threat of bird flu, and public health misinformation and falling immunisation rates, the Australian CDC will provide a central, credible source of information,” the Public Health Association said in a statement.

“We don’t know when the next infectious pandemic may come, but this agency helps us get prepared. And when it comes it will lead the response.”

The Coalition is yet to speak on the legislation.

However, Liberal Senator Alex Antic did recently called on the federal government to release COVID-19 vaccine safety monitoring documents. However, the push was rejected by the Senate.