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| House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport | |
|---|---|
| Name | House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport |
| Jurisdiction | Parliament of Australia |
| Formed | 2019 |
| Preceding | House Standing Committee on Health |
| Type | Parliamentary committee |
| Parent agency | House of Representatives (Australia) |
| Ministers | Minister for Health and Aged Care (Australia), Minister for Sport (Australia) |
House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport is a standing committee of the Parliament of Australia charged with scrutiny of legislation, administration and policy in the fields of Australian Department of Health and Aged Care, Aged care in Australia, and Sport in Australia. The committee conducts inquiries, reports to the House of Representatives (Australia), and holds public hearings involving stakeholders such as the Australian Medical Association, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Australian Sports Commission, and consumer advocacy organisations. It interfaces with ministerial portfolios held by figures like Mark Butler, Anika Wells, Richard Colbeck, and engages with agencies including the Therapeutic Goods Administration, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation.
The committee's roots trace to parliamentary practice in the Parliament of Australia where subject-specific standing committees emerged alongside changes following the 1983 Australian Parliamentary Reforms and successive reorganisations under Bob Hawke, Paul Keating, John Howard, and Kevin Rudd administrations. Formal iterations addressing health appear alongside inquiries conducted by predecessors such as the House Standing Committee on Health and Ageing and committees responding to crises like the 2009 swine flu pandemic in Australia and the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. Its reconstitution in 2019 followed portfolio realignments after the 2019 Australian federal election and reflects continuity with inquiries into issues raised during the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and the Sport integrity investigations during the 2010s sports doping controversies.
The committee operates under standing orders of the House of Representatives (Australia) and is empowered to refer matters relating to health, aged care, and sport for inquiry, summon witnesses, and require documents. Its mandate encompasses oversight of portfolios administered by the Minister for Health and Aged Care (Australia), the Minister for Sport (Australia), and agencies such as the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, and the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority. Functions include producing reports that inform legislation considered by the Australian Senate, influence budget appropriations debated with the Treasury (Australia), and contribute evidence used in reviews by bodies like the Australian National Audit Office and the Productivity Commission.
Membership comprises MPs appointed from major parties represented in the House of Representatives (Australia), including the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal Party of Australia, the National Party of Australia, and crossbenchers from groups such as the Australian Greens and the United Australia Party. The committee is chaired by a member designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives (Australia), with deputy chairs and party nominees forming subcommittees and working groups for areas like aged care, primary health, indigenous health, and high performance sport. Secretariat support is provided by the Parliamentary Service of Australia and collaborates with experts from institutions including the University of Sydney, the Monash University, the University of Melbourne, the Australian National University, and research centres like the Murdoch Children's Research Institute.
The committee has undertaken inquiries into matters such as aged care quality following the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, the regulation of medicines overseen by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, concussion and brain injury in sport linked to cases like those examined by the Australian Football League and National Rugby League, and integrity in sport involving organisations such as the Australian Sports Commission and the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority. Reports produced by the committee have recommended reforms cited in submissions to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, budget proposals debated during negotiations with the Treasury (Australia), and policy adjustments considered by the Department of Health and Aged Care and Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
Committee findings have influenced legislation introduced in the Parliament of Australia, amendments to the Aged Care Act 1997, funding allocations in federal budgets debated with the Treasury (Australia), and administrative changes within agencies such as the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the Australian Sports Commission. High-profile reports have catalysed media coverage by outlets like the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Age, prompted ministerial responses from officeholders including Greg Hunt and Sussan Ley, and informed advocacy by organisations such as the Australian Medical Association and consumer groups like CHOICE (organisation). Its inquiries into sport have intersected with international bodies including the World Anti-Doping Agency and events like the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games.
The committee has faced criticism over perceived partisanship during high-stakes inquiries, with critiques appearing alongside debates involving parliamentarians from the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal Party of Australia, and minor parties, and scrutiny from legal commentators connected to cases in the High Court of Australia. There have been disputes about confidentiality and whistleblower protections tied to witnesses from institutions such as the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and sporting bodies including the Australian Football League Commission. Some stakeholders, including professional associations like the Australian Medical Association and peak bodies such as the Australian Council of Social Service, have argued the committee's recommendations were insufficiently implemented by the Department of Health and Aged Care or constrained by budget decisions made with the Treasury (Australia).
Category:Parliament of Australia Category:Australian parliamentary committees