Committee activities (inquiries and reports)

Inquiry into Health issues across international borders

Terms of Reference

Increasing globalisation and climate change pose unique challenges for population health. Growing global interconnectedness and close proximity to regional neighbours increases Australia’s exposure to imported infectious diseases and to the risk of epidemic or pandemic disease outbreaks.

Recognising the need to protect Australians, the Committee will inquire into and report on screening, surveillance and control practices for infectious diseases, with a particular focus on:

• screening, surveillance and control processes that are applied to:
• Australians travelling to and returning from overseas;
• international visitors entering Australia, including asylum seekers;

• Australia’s preparedness to respond to a national or global health crisis involving the spread of infectious disease, including:
• how Australia’s planning processes compare with World Health Organisation standards and recommendations;
• how Australia plans and manages drug and vaccine stockpiles to respond to epidemic or pandemic infectious disease outbreaks;
• Australia’s role and responsibility for coordinating with regional neighbours and other countries to prepare for and respond to the threat of epidemic or pandemic infectious disease outbreaks.

In examining each of these issues, the Committee will consider the roles and responsibilities of Commonwealth, state and non-government agencies and coordination of their activities.

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