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Opening Plenary - Acting for the long game: Prevention that lasts

Tuesday, May 5, 2026
8:45 AM - 10:30 AM
Grand Ballroom

Details

Session Co-Chairs: Dr Scott McKeown - Deputy Director of Public Health, Tasmanian Department of Health (& PHC26 Committee Co-Chair) Dr Carolyn Wallace - Executive Manager Strategy, Policy and Impact (Acting), Strategy, Policy and Impact Group, VicHealth

Welcome to Country: Mr. Dewayne Everettsmith

Conference Welcome: Prof. Caroline Miller, President, PHAA

Opening Address: Hon Rebecca White MP

Opening Statement

Keynote presentations: Prof. Evelyne de Leeuw | Chair - Canada Excellence in Research Chair, 'One Urban Health', Université de Montréal Dr Alison Roberts | Commissioner, Productivity Commission Mr Blair Comley PSM | Secretary, Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing



Speaker

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Prof. Evelyne de Leeuw
Chair
Canada Excellence in Research Chair, 'One Urban Health', Université de Montréal

Prevention, Resilience or Promotion of the health of everyone and everything....

Abstract

The history of public health has moved through intriguing different iterations. These include transitions between individual and collective responsibilities for the body and the planet. A most recent addition to the mix of calls and opportunities goes beyond new-fangled ecohealth and planetary health to a ‘One Health 2.0’.

One Health traditionally was scoped as ‘One Medicine’ from a veterinarians’ perspective and concerned with identification and resolution of health threats due to zoonoses, anti-microbial resistance, and food systems. Since the coalescing of a ‘Quadripartite’ (WHO, FAO, WOAH and UNEP) a broader and more inclusive range of analyses and actions has been recognised. This new range is foundational to many international research and transformation initiatives – including a recent One Health Summit (France, April 2026) and the 2023-2032 Canada Excellence in Research Chair ‘One Urban Health’.

This presentation will identify new challenges and old connections for promoting the health of everyone and everything and issues a call to action to people, planet, processes and plants.

Biography

Evelyne de Leeuw is professor and holds the Canada Excellence in Research Chair ‘One Urban Health’ at the Université de Montréal. The Chair connects two exciting health promotion fields: Healthy Cities and One Health. She is also Professorial Research Fellow at the University of New South Wales (Sydney) ‘Cities Institute’ – here she assists in health promotion dimensions of urbanism and healthy public policy. Evelyne has a decades long connection to the global health promotion and public health community. She was at the eponymous Ottawa Conference in 1986, which stirred her critical appraisal of the idea of Healthy Public Policy (later Health in All Policies). She was Secretary-General of the Association of Schools of Public Health ASPHER 1992-1998 and (helped) establish(ed) several Schools of Public Health. With Patrick Fafard she edits a book series on health political science. An upcoming book with Cambridge University Press (Well – Together) looks at intersectorality and One Urban Health. She also writes ‘recreatively’ (tree novels) aside from 400+ peer reviewed pieces and seven books. Current research projects include a strategic governance vision of Vertical Cities (including Montreal’s Underground City), urban cartographies of biodiversity, ruminant grazing in urban parks, re-introducing nature into healthcare systems, walkability for health and healthcare, transport justice in and for First Nations communities, policies for the gut microbiome and urban microbiome, place and culture and health in Aboriginal communities, wellbeing and place-based spirituality and eco-anxiety, and others.
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Dr Alison Roberts
Commissioner
Productivity Commission

A national framework to support government investment in prevention and early intervention

Abstract

Investment in prevention and early intervention offers significant benefits to individuals, government and society. Australian, state and territory governments have recognised the need for greater prevention efforts to slow the growth in expenditure while improving outcomes. But government silos, short-term budget cycles, limited evaluations and scepticism about savings pose barriers to sufficient investment. Alison will share insights from the Productivity Commission’s Delivering quality care more efficiently report, including the proposal for a National Prevention and Early Intervention Framework to support government investment in effective programs. By enabling sustained investment, the framework would reduce demand for acute services, improve care, and benefit the wider community. The PC estimated that investing $1.5 billion over five years could save governments $2.7 billion over ten years. When broader social and economic benefits are included, the total expected benefits would be around $5.4 billion over the same period.

Biography

Alison has a PhD which focused on the implementation of collaborative primary health care services. Her career has had a focus on understanding and addressing complex public policy challenges, with board and executive roles including at the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, South Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, and the Parenting Research Centre. Alison has been co-lead commissioner on the PC's inquiry into Delivering Quality Care More Efficiently.
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Mr Blair Comley PSM
Secretary
Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

Health System Priorities

Abstract

TBC

Biography

Blair commenced as the Secretary of the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing on 17 July 2023. Blair has served as the Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency and the Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism. Blair has also served as Secretary of the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet, NSW’s most senior public servant. Prior to these positions, Blair held senior leadership positions in Treasury and the Acting Chief Executive of the Australian Office of Financial Management with responsibility for managing the Commonwealth’s debt and derivative portfolio. Blair has had extensive engagement with Commonwealth State relations, including reform of the Federation and Health funding in his role as Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet in the NSW Government. Blair also has significant private sector experience as a strategy consultant advising governments, not for profits, and corporates on a wide range of matters including climate, energy, human services, health, organisational leadership and design, governance and economic policy. In 2012 Blair was awarded the Public Service Medal for outstanding public service in the development of public policy, particularly in the areas of carbon pricing and emissions trading, tax policy design and debt management. Blair has a Bachelor of Economics (Hons), a Master of Economics and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Studies.
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