Australian Medical Research and Innovation Priorities 2016 – 2018 Determination 2016

Overview

The Medical Research Future Fund Act 2015 was enacted by the Australian Parliament to establish the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) with the primary objective of providing financial assistance to support health and medical research and innovation, aiming to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians. Section 32E of this Act mandates the Australian Medical Research Advisory Board (Advisory Board) to determine the Australian Medical Research and Innovation Priorities (the Priorities) for guiding the disbursement of funds from the MRFF. The determination of these Priorities ensures that financial assistance provided under the Act delivers the greatest value and practical benefits to Australians, complements other financial assistance, and aligns with the Australian Medical Research and Innovation Strategy 2016-2021. The Priorities are developed through extensive consultation with various stakeholders, including consumers, healthcare providers, researchers, and organisations, to reflect the burden of disease and other relevant matters. The Act stipulates that the Priorities are in force for two years, with subsequent Priorities to be determined as the current ones cease.

Scope and Application

The Australian Medical Research Future Fund Act 2015 applies to the Australian Government and the Australian Medical Research Advisory Board, which is tasked with determining the Australian Medical Research and Innovation Priorities (the Priorities). These Priorities guide the disbursements from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), which aims to support health and medical research and innovation to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians. The Act requires the Advisory Board to consult with relevant stakeholders, including consumers, healthcare providers, researchers, and organisations, to develop the Priorities. The consultation process included a call for written submissions, public forums, roundtables, and meetings with jurisdictional health departments. The Priorities are consistent with the Australian Medical Research and Innovation Strategy 2016-2021, and they are determined for two years. The Act allows for the extension or restriction of application through subordinate instruments.

Key Provisions

The Medical Research Future Fund Act 2015 (section 32E) mandates that the Australian Medical Research Advisory Board (Advisory Board) must determine the Australian Medical Research and Innovation Priorities (the Priorities) to guide the disbursement of funds from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF). These Priorities must be considered by the Australian Government when making disbursements from the MRFF, as per the Act. The Priorities are intended to be read in conjunction with the Australian Medical Research and Innovation Strategy 2016-2021, which also aligns with the identified strategic platforms. The Priorities serve to guide the provision of financial assistance from the MRFF, ensuring that funding decisions align with the overarching strategic platforms identified in the Strategy. Program-level funding decisions, informed by these Priorities, are proposed by the Australian Minister for Health through the Budget process. The Advisory Board is required to consult extensively with various stakeholders, including organisations with expertise in medical research and innovation, consumer representatives, and other relevant parties. This consultation process includes a call for written submissions, public forums, roundtables, meetings with jurisdictional health departments, and a national webinar. The Priorities were developed following this extensive consultation process, which received 163 written submissions and involved approximately 700 individuals in public forums across six cities. The feedback from these consultations has been considered in the final determination of the Priorities. The Priorities are legally binding and come into effect the day after they are registered on the Federal Register of Legislation. The obligations imposed by the Act on the Advisory Board include determining the Australian Medical Research and Innovation Priorities in accordance with the statutory requirements and considering feedback from extensive consultations. The Australian Government, in turn, must take these Priorities into account when making disbursements from the MRFF, ensuring that funding decisions align with the strategic objectives outlined in the Priorities and the Strategy. The Act also mandates that the Priorities be consistent with the Strategy and must be determined and in force for two years, with subsequent Priorities to be determined as soon as the current ones cease to be in force. Any failure to comply with the requirements set out in the Act could potentially lead to legal consequences. Although specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences are not detailed in the Explanatory Statement, non-compliance with statutory obligations can generally result in legal action, including the potential for judicial review or other enforcement measures. The precise nature and extent of penalties would depend on the specific breach and relevant legal frameworks governing such actions.