enHealth Council

Session Reports

Report of 6th Session of the enHealth Council
21-22 March 2001, Canberra

Opening of Sixth Session of enHealth Council

Administrative Matters

Policy Issues

Guidelines and Publications Development

Environmental Health Issues

Other Business

Next Meeting

Opening of Sixth Session of enHealth Council

The sixth session of the enHealth Council was held in Canberra on 21-22 March 2001. The following Members were in attendance:

Professor C. Ewan	Chair
Ms J. Bowman	Victorian Department of Human Services
Ms C. Brady	Secretary to Council (Commonwealth Australian Department of Health and Ageing)
Dr K. Buckett	Commonwealth Australian Department of Health and Ageing
Mr P. Burnett	Environment Australia
Dr S. Corbett	NSW Department of Health
Ms S. Dwyer	Queensland Health
Ms A. Gliddon	Australian Institute of Environmental Health (for Mr O. Ashby)
Mr M. Jackson	Western Australian Department of Health
Mr R. James	National Indigenous Environmental Health Forum (for Mr C. Jackson)
Dr M. Jacobs	Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services
Professor I. Lowe	Australian Consumers' Association
Dr T. Maynard	South Australian Department of Human Services
Mr P. Taylor	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
Dr A. Neller	Public Health Association of Australia
Mr P. Prendergast	New Zealand Ministry of Health
Mr R. Preece	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (for Mr P. Taylor, Day 2)
Mr X. Schobben	Northern Territory Health Services
Dr R. Taylor	NHMRC Health Advisory Committee (Observer)
Ms S. Tuffin	Commonwealth Australian Department of Health and Ageing
Mr J. Woollard	ACT Department of Health and Community Care
Apologies
Mr O. Ashby	National President, Australian Institute of Environmental Health
Mr C. Jackson	Chair, National Indigenous Environmental Health Forum

Administrative Matters

Minutes of fifth session and Session Report, October 2000

The Minutes and Session Report of the fifth session of Council were noted by Council.

Action arising

The status of action arising from the fifth session of Council was noted.

Out of session items and decisions (October 2000-February 2001)

Council noted the three out-of-session items considered between October and February and their status:

Whether a teleconference of enHealth Council should be convened to discuss the issue of TBT in mattresses in response to a program screened on A Current Affair – it was agreed that a teleconference was not required;
The consultation paper released by the Legislation Reform Working Group (LRWG) of the National Public Health Partnership (NPHP) The Role of Local Government in Public Health – no comments received from Members; and
The discussion paper released by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Microbial Indicators of Water Quality – comments from Members had been provided to the NHMRC.

Members agreed that a general response should be provided to the LRWG’s consultation paper, noting that the lack of local government representation on enHealth Council constrained Council’s ability to respond to these issues.

Council meeting dates for 2001

Council agreed to re-schedule the meeting originally proposed for 20-21 June 2001 to 28-29 June.

Policy Issues

National Environmental Health Strategy

a) Non-auditory Health Effects of Noise

NSW Health had provided a revised draft of the report on the non-auditory health effects of noise to Members prior to the meeting. Members suggested that an issues paper highlighting potential future actions arising from the report should be developed. Council endorsed the release of the draft document, together with the issues paper, for targeted consultation.

b) Sustainable Development

Council noted that negotiations have commenced with the preferred tenderer for the project to develop an information kit for sustainable development and environmental health.

c) Economic evaluation

The current status of activities lead by Queensland towards the development of guidelines for environmental health economic evaluation, including the issuance of a tender for the development of a methodology and handbook, was noted by Council.

d) Workforce

The Acting National President of the Australian Institute of Environmental Health (AIEH), Ms Adele Gliddon, provided Members with an overview of activities initiated by the AIEH since assuming the leadership role for progressing workforce issues for environmental health practitioners under the National Environmental Health Strategy.

e) Website

Members agreed to provide input to the enHealth Council website to update the section on projects in progress under the National Environmental Health Strategy Implementation Plan.

f) Mid-term Review of Implementation Plan

Council noted that a mid-term review of the National Environmental Health Strategy Implementation Plan was due in the second half of the current year and two Members agreed to assist the Secretariat with the design and oversight of the review.

Indigenous Environmental Health

a) National Indigenous Environmental Health Conference

Council endorsed the publication of the recommendations arising from the 3rd National Indigenous Environmental Health Conference held in Alice Springs in the Conference Monograph. The recommendations would be redrafted for presentation to the Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council through the National Public Health Partnership.

b) Indigenous Environmental Health Mapping Exercise

Council noted that the project to map the key agencies and organisations that manage, have an active role or fund Indigenous environmental health around Australia had been released for tender. The received tenders were in the process of being evaluated.

enHealth Council Task Groups

a) Research Task Group

The Chair of Council provided a report to Members on follow-up discussions with the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) regarding enHealth Council’s proposal to establish a virtual research centre for environmental health and possible funding options. Council also noted the request from the Research Task Group for clarification of their role and direction for their future work in identifying research priorities.

Members discussed the most effective way to progress the work on a virtual centre and priorities for environmental health research and Council agreed that the Research Task Group would be disbanded in favour of a small Steering Group of enHealth Council Members who would:

Identify and manage the process for consulting with researchers, stakeholders and potential clients on a research centre and research agenda for environmental health;
Identify and approach potential leaders for the research centre project; and
Pursue funding options for the research centre with the NHMRC and other funding bodies.

b) Information Task Group

Council noted the status of activities being progressed by the Information Task Group including the convening of a National Environmental Health Advice Priority Setting Workshop and a project being developed by a team of organisations on Australia-wide integration and spatial analysis of environmental, social and health data.

c) Outcomes from the National Environmental Health Advice Priority Setting Workshop

The Information Task Group Secretariat provided Council Members with an overview of the outcomes of the recent National Environmental Health Advice Priority Setting Workshop and invited Members to prioritise and specify time frames for the environmental health advice issues identified in the Workshop.

Council reviewed the identified issues and agreed that the priorities for its advice work program were:

Indigenous environmental health – including technical solutions to community problems
Intensive animal husbandry (under the Health Impact Assessment Series)
Contaminated land (including work with the NHMRC on soil carcinogens)
Major road development (under the Health Impact Assessment Series)
Risk assessment and climate change
Emergency management
Dust in remote communities.

An outstanding recommendation from the Cairns Workshop relating to project proposals and funding options for the development of technical solutions to problems frequently encountered in Indigenous communities was also raised in the context of priorities for advice development. It was agreed that a paper would be prepared for Council’s consideration on technical solutions that are already in design and development, prior to Council assigning a priority to this work.

Guidelines and Publications Development

Health Impact Assessment Series

Council noted that the commissioning of work on the Health Impact Assessment Series had stalled. Council reaffirmed their earlier decision to proceed with the Health Impact Assessment Series commencing with the topics of intensive animal husbandry and major road development. Council requested that the Secretariat restart the process and recommended redrafting the project documentation to emphasise the intended audience for the Series and how it would be used in practice.

Health Impact Assessment Implementation Guidelines

The current status of work on the revised draft of the Health Impact Assessment Implementation Guidelines was noted and Council agreed that the draft document should be released for a further round of targeted consultation.

Environmental Health Risk Assessment

Members noted that a consultant had commenced revision of the draft Environmental Health Risk Assessment document based on comments received during the public consultation process. The revised document would be provided to Council out-of-session for endorsement prior to publication.

The Management of Asbestos in the Non-Occupational Environment

Council supported the proposal prepared by the Health Department of Western Australia to develop Australian guidelines for the management of public health exposures to asbestos in the non-occupational environment based on the New Zealand Guidelines (Management of Asbestos in the Non-Occupational Environment: Guidelines for Public Health Services,1997). Western Australia would commence development of the guidelines, overseen by the Steering Group, and seek further funding from the Commonwealth, through Council, next financial year.

Indoor Air Quality in the Home

Members noted that the draft document Healthy Homes – a guide to indoor air quality in the home for buyers, builders and renovators was ready for distribution in a final round of targeted consultation. The Housing Industry of Australia and the Master Builders Australia had endorsed the use of their logos on the front cover.

Potable Reuse of Waste Water

The technical report commissioned by the Commonwealth Australian Department of Health and Ageing, Review of the Health Issues Associated with Potable Reuse of Sewage Waste-water, was received and noted by Council. The report will be distributed to relevant agencies, including the NHMRC.

Multi-State Colilert Field Trial

Council noted the report Assessment of the Colilert Field Test Kit System for the Detection of Coliforms and Escherichia coli in Remote Aboriginal Communities in Australia, which documented the findings of a field trial of the Colilert water test kit run by the Health Department of Western Australia. Members agreed with the proposal by Western Australia to draft brief guidelines for the appropriate use of the Colilert water test kit in remote communities, which would be provided to Council for endorsement.

Guidance for the Control of Legionella

The revised format proposed by Victoria for Appendix 1 of the National Environmental Health Forum Monograph Guidance for the Control of Legionella was endorsed and Members agreed to provide details of jurisdictional requirements and regulations to complete the Appendix. The revised document will be presented to Council for endorsement prior to publication.

Environmental Health Issues

Rural and Remote Communities Potable Water Project

Progress on the Bureau of Rural Sciences-lead project to measure quality, availability and access to water and map water supplies against populations, including the key outcomes of the workshop held in Melbourne on 7 March, was noted by Council.

Review of Environmental Toxicology Expertise

Council noted the progress on the National Public Health Partnership Group’s review of environmental toxicology expertise in public health, including the convening of an enHealth Council Steering Committee to oversee the project.

Other Business

National Tobacco Strategy

The information provided on the National Tobacco Strategy and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control was noted.

Review of Committee Operational Arrangements

Members noted the intention to review the efficiency and effectiveness of various committee operational arrangements by the Population Health Division of the Commonwealth Australian Department of Health and Ageing.

Climate Change Activities

As a result of the earlier discussion of priorities for Council’s advice development program where climate change was rated as a medium-term priority, Members agreed that work on the suite of activities proposed by the Commonwealth in the climate change project proposal should be deferred.

Development of Air Quality Guidelines for Western Australia

Council considered the approach being taken by the Western Australian Department of Environmental Protection to developing ambient air quality guidelines and agreed that there was a need for such guidance at the national level. However, Members resolved that the development of national guidelines by enHealth Council required further consideration and consultation with the National Environment Protection Council (NEPC) in the context of their plans to develop a National Environment Protection Measure (NEPM) for Air Toxics.

Journal of the Australian Institute of Environmental Health

Members noted the release of the first issue of Environmental Health – The Journal of the Australian Institute of Environmental Health and congratulated the Institute on its production.

NEPC Risk Assessment Taskforce Recommendations for future NEPM Reviews

Members agreed to provide advice in relation to NEPC’s request for suggestions of targeted epidemiological studies that would be beneficial in the development and review of air quality standards by NEPC out-of-session.

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Strategy

Council noted the release of the discussion draft of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Strategy and confirmed the importance of environmental health in Indigenous communities. Council agreed to seek advice from the National Indigenous Environmental Health Forum in preparing a response to the Strategy for the National Public Health Partnership Group.

Tolerable Daily Intake for Dioxins

Members considered the request for advice from the Chemicals Clearing House regarding the role of Council in setting a tolerable daily intake for dioxins and agreed that Council did not have the necessary expertise or remit to set such a health standard. Council also noted the proposed national program on dioxins being developed by Environment Australia.

National Competition Policy Review of Radiation Protection Legislation

Council agreed that a general response would be provided in response to the release of the Draft Final Report of the National Competition Policy Review of Radiation Protection Legislation stating that the setting and maintenance of radiation standards is an important public health issue which should not be left to market forces.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the enHealth Council will be held in Canberra on 28-29 June 2001.