Community & Business Health Reform Roundtable

Health reform is stalled in Australia and just like climate change and the many other challenges currently confronting Australia, it needs business and other community leaders to use their skills and influence to put it back on the national agenda. A productive economy requires a healthy workforce.  An improved health system could deliver $3 billion in productivity savings and lead to big improvements in health outcomes for all Australians.

In 2004-5, the majority of spending on health in Australia was provided by governments (68.2%), with the Federal Government contributing $39.8 billion and the State, Territory and Local governments contributing $19.8 billion in total.  However, the business and non-government sectors funded the remaining $27.7 billion (31.8%). It is clear that when governments change health policy or implement reform, this directly impacts on the business and all other sections of the community. Health reform is being addressed at many levels of Australian society, from COAG through to more micro-level reforms. However, health reform should be of concern to all Australians and all sections of the community, particularly the business community.

Date: Friday 14th September, 2007

Facilitated by: Dr Norman Swan, Presenter, The Health Report (ABC Radio National)

Speakers:
Peter Brooks, Executive Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Queensland
Karen Carey, Senior Consumer Representative, Consumers Health Forum of Australia
Robert Fitzgerald, Commissioner, Productivity Commission
Lyn Roberts, Chief Executive Officer, National Heart Foundation (Australia)
Michael Armitage, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Health Insurance Association
Noreen Dowd, Senior Health Partner, PriceWaterhouse Coopers (Australia)
Brian Oldenburg, Chair of International Public Health, Monash University

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