Our role and priorities

What we do

We help Australia see risks earlier so we can act earlier – and more effectively. Most people don't wake up thinking about all the things that keep them healthy. They don’t think about disease, environmental health or the many factors that shape our health.

That’s a good thing. People want to get on with their lives knowing that someone is paying attention for them.

They expect the right people are working together to protect the health of all Australians and that health advice can be trusted. They expect diseases or a new virus to be monitored and outbreaks contained.

That is our role. We are here to help Australia act earlier to:

understand the many things that shape our health
identify emerging health risks
prevent illness wherever possible
prepare for the health challenges of tomorrow
use trusted advice and intelligence
intervene and coordinate protection.

Australia is safer because we – the CDC – are always looking ahead.

We help protect all Australians from health threats by:

preventing what we can
preparing for what we can't
providing trusted public health advice so we can act when we need to.

Our work includes:

anticipating, preparing for and responding to infectious diseases that pose a risk to public health
tracking and assessing emerging health risks
bringing together information, data and advice from across Australia and the region to enable early action
providing clear and timely evidence-informed health advice and disease information
recommending action across governments and communities
promoting research and education to strengthen public health expertise
collaborating and building partnerships across and outside government, nationally and internationally
making written submissions in response to public consultations on public health matters.

Our work is guided by the One Health approach. This means we recognise the connection between the health of people, the environment and animals.

We provide trusted advice based on data, science and expert analysis.

Who we work with

Protecting health is a shared responsibility.

We work alongside:

governments
researchers
clinicians
Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations
community organisations
international partners.

Communities know their own strengths and challenges.

We listen first, work in partnership and build on what communities and partners already know and do well. The best solutions are developed with communities and partners, not simply delivered to them.

Why our work is important

The world is changing and so are the health risks we face. Health risks are becoming more complex and interconnected. New diseases emerge and familiar ones return. Our health is influenced in new ways by changes in:

our environment and climate
the way we live
the way people move around the world.

Many of the things that shape health sit in our homes, workplaces, communities and environment. Understanding this early helps Australia identify risks and respond calmly and confidently.

We help Australia stay ready. We help strengthen Australia's readiness for future health challenges. Preparedness is something we build every day. Health intelligence is at the centre of this. We monitor, support planning, learning, guidance and partnerships that strengthen Australia's ability to respond quickly and confidently when health threats emerge.

We are stronger when we work together. Australia already has highly skilled doctors, nurses, researchers, laboratories and public health teams across the country. Each plays an important role. And yet no organisation has the full picture. The challenge is making sure information, insight, experience and expertise are connected so everyone has the clearest possible picture and can act quickly when needed. This national perspective should strengthen the work of states, territories and partners.

Trust matters. People deserve health information they can rely on – especially in a world of mis- and disinformation, and post-COVID. Our advice is always grounded in science, informed by evidence and strengthened through collaboration. We are transparent about what we know, honest about what we are still learning and committed to providing practical information people can trust.

Our priorities

Australia's health depends on understanding what is happening here and overseas, learning from international experience and contributing our expertise to global public health efforts.

Communicable diseases prevention and surveillance

We work to reduce the risks posed by communicable diseases in Australia by:

providing health information and advice
monitoring and reporting on communicable diseases
publishing guidance to support health professionals and authorities
issuing health alerts to warn about disease outbreaks
supporting communications campaigns targeting at-risk populations.

Climate and health

We work to:

address the impacts of climate change on health and the health system
build a sustainable, resilient, high-quality, net-zero health system
support climate-resilient and inclusive health systems.

Read more about our work to make the health system and communities resilient and responsive to a changing climate.

Environmental health

We work to protect human health from the impacts of environmental hazards in Australia, including:

air quality
environmental toxins and contaminants
occupational threats such as silica dust
water quality.

Read more about our work to protect the health of Australians from environmental risks.

How we use and manage data

We work to use enhanced data to strengthen the evidence base for our advice. We ensure the privacy of individuals is protected.

Read more about how we use and manage data.

Legislation and transparency

We publish our advice for full transparency and accountability.

This is embedded in the legislation. It ensures everyone can see the advice behind public health decisions.