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I am pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Kristine Macartney as Chief Medical Advisor to the Australian Centre for Disease Control.
Professor Macartney is one of Australia's leading public health and infectious diseases experts, with extensive experience spanning clinical care, research, public health policy and disease surveillance. Throughout her career, Professor Macartney has combined clinical expertise with public health leadership, helping to translate complex scientific evidence into policy and practice that improves health outcomes for people in Australia and globally.
She joins the Australian CDC from the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) where she currently serves as Director. She also holds appointments as a Clinical Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney, and as a specialist in infectious diseases at The Children's Hospital at Westmead in NSW.
As Chief Medical Advisor, Professor Macartney will provide strategic medical and public health leadership at the Australian CDC, helping shape how Australia understands, monitors and responds to public health risks. Working at the intersection of clinical expertise, public health and national policy, she will support the delivery of independent, evidence-centred advice that informs government decision making and strengthens Australia's public health protections. Professor Macartney will also provide authoritative clinical and technical leadership to ensure the CDC's policies, programs and advice reflect best practice, while fostering partnerships across government, the health sector and international counterparts.
Professor Macartney brings invaluable expertise in public health intelligence and surveillance, having led the nationally significant networks and research programs on disease surveillance, and on the uptake, effectiveness and safety of public health interventions, particularly vaccines. Her work has helped strengthen Australia's capacity to monitor infectious diseases, assess vaccine impact and support comprehensive public health action. In the Asia-Pacific region, Professor Macartney has also been leading immunisation and health system-strengthening programs of support to more than a dozen countries, assisting their efforts to strengthen disease control.
She also brings substantial national and international leadership experience, including as a member of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), the Therapeutic Goods Administration Advisory Committee on Vaccines and the Communicable Diseases Network Australia. She has served as an expert consultant to the World Health Organization and is a member of the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety and working groups of the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization.
Professor Macartney's appointment marks an important step in the continued development of the Australian CDC, and I am confident she will make an outstanding contribution to our mission of advancing the health of everyone in Australia by strengthening prevention, preparedness and response through collaboration, programs and timely independent evidence-informed advice.
Quotes attributable to Australian Centre for Disease Control Director-General, Professor Zoe Wainer
"Professor Macartney has an outstanding record of translating complex scientific evidence into practical public health action and has made significant contributions to health policy and disease prevention in Australia and internationally.
I look forward to welcoming Professor Macartney to the Australian CDC and working alongside her as we continue to build a trusted, capable and connected national public health institution."
Quotes attributable to Australian Centre for Disease Control Chief Medical Advisor, Professor Kristine Macartney
"I am honoured to be joining the Australian CDC at such an important time for public health in Australia.
Strong surveillance and public health intelligence are essential to understanding health risks, responding effectively to emerging threats and improving health outcomes for communities.
I look forward to continuing my collaboration with colleagues across governments, healthcare, research and community sectors to strengthen Australia's public health capability and build a more connected and resilient approach to protecting and improving health."