EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Medical Research Future Fund Act 2015
Australian Medical Research and Innovation Priorities 2018-2020
Authority
Section 32E of the Medical Research Future Fund Act 2015 (the MRFF Act) provides that the Australian Medical Research Advisory Board (AMRAB) must determine the Australian Medical Research and Innovation Priorities (the Priorities). The Act determines that the Priorities are in force for two years and that subsequent Priorities must be determined and in force as soon as the current Priorities cease to be in force.
Purpose
In accordance with the MRFF Act, the Australian Government must take into account the Priorities that are in force at the time of making disbursements from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF). The Advisory Board has constructed the Priorities as a document that should be read and considered in conjunction with the Australian Medical Research and Innovation Strategy 2016-2021 (the Strategy), also required by the Act, as there is alignment with the identified strategic platforms.
Background
The MRFF was established under the MRFF Act to provide financial assistance to support health and medical research and innovation, with the objective of improving the health and wellbeing of Australians.
The first disbursements from the MRFF were made in the 2016-17 financial year by the Australian Government following consideration of the inaugural Strategy and Priorities.
The Advisory Board was announced on 4 April 2016 and comprises of:
- Professor Ian Frazer AC (Chair)
- Mr Yasser El-Ansary
- Professor Peter Høj
- Dr Deborah Rathjen
- Professor Karen Reynolds
- Ms Jennifer Williams
- Professor Anne Kelso AO
In developing the next set of Priorities, the Advisory Board has taken into consideration:
a) the burden of disease on the Australian community;
b) how to deliver practical benefits from medical research and medical innovation to as many Australians as possible;
c) how to ensure that financial assistance provided under this Act provides the greatest value for all Australians;
d) how to ensure that financial assistance provided under this Act complements and enhances other financial assistance provided for medical research and medical innovation; and
e) other relevant matters.
Details
The Priorities guide the provision of financial assistance from the MRFF. Program level funding decisions, informed by the Priorities are proposed by the Australian Minister for Health through the Budget process.
The Priorities must be consistent with the Strategy that is in force. The Priorities have been organised according to the overarching strategic platforms identified in the Strategy.
The Priorities that are in force are published on the Department of Health’s Medical Research Future Fund website.
Consultation
Section 32EA of the Act requires the Advisory Board to consult with organisations with expertise in medical research and innovation, organisations that represent consumers who benefit from health and medical research and innovation, and any other person or organisation.
These Priorities have been developed following extensive national consultation with consumers, healthcare providers, researchers, organisations and individuals. The consultation process included a call for written submissions, public forums, invited roundtables and meetings with jurisdictional health departments.
The consultation process commenced on 29 June 2018 with the release of a Discussion Paper. Public forums were held across the country, including Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Hobart. There were also a number of targeted roundtables and an online submission process. More than 1200 stakeholders were engaged in the overall consultation process and approximately 350 submissions were received.
The submissions and feedback received through the consultation process were considered in the development of the Priorities.
The Priorities commence the day after registration on the Federal Register of Legislation.
The Priorities is a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislation Act 2003.
Overview
The Medical Research Future Fund Act 2015 was enacted to establish the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), which aims to provide financial assistance to support health and medical research and innovation, ultimately improving the health and wellbeing of Australians. This Act was introduced to address the need for a sustainable and long-term funding source for medical research in Australia. Enacted by the Parliament of Australia, the policy objective of the Act is to ensure that financial assistance provided under it delivers the greatest value for all Australians and complements other financial assistance for medical research and innovation. The Australian Medical Research Advisory Board, established under the Act, determines the Australian Medical Research and Innovation Priorities to guide the disbursement of funds from the MRFF, ensuring alignment with the broader Australian Medical Research and Innovation Strategy. These Priorities are developed through extensive consultation with various stakeholders, including consumers, healthcare providers, and researchers.
Scope and Application
The Australian Medical Research and Innovation Priorities 2018-2020, under the Medical Research Future Fund Act 2015, serve to guide the allocation of financial assistance from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF). The Act mandates that the Australian Medical Research Advisory Board (AMRAB) determines these priorities, which are effective for two years and must be updated promptly as they expire. The Priorities are intended to be read alongside the Australian Medical Research and Innovation Strategy 2016-2021 to ensure alignment with strategic platforms. The purpose of the Act is to ensure that disbursements from the MRFF take into account these priorities, thereby improving the health and wellbeing of Australians. The priorities are developed through a process that includes consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, such as healthcare providers, researchers, and consumer groups, to ensure they reflect the needs and burdens of the Australian community. The Act applies to all entities and individuals involved in the distribution and use of funds from the MRFF, ensuring that the priorities are reflected in funding decisions. The geographic reach of the Act is national, encompassing all states and territories of Australia. The Act does not specify any exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds within the explanatory statement, though it does note that the priorities are legislative instruments subject to the Legislation Act 2003. The application of the Act may be further defined or extended through subordinate instruments, such as regulations or guidelines issued by the relevant authorities.
Key Provisions
Section 32E of the Medical Research Future Fund Act 2015 mandates that the Australian Medical Research Advisory Board (AMRAB) must determine the Australian Medical Research and Innovation Priorities (the Priorities), which are in force for two years. These Priorities must be aligned with the Australian Medical Research and Innovation Strategy 2016-2021, and they guide the disbursement of funds from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) to support health and medical research and innovation. The Priorities are published on the Department of Health’s website and are developed through extensive national consultation with stakeholders including consumers, healthcare providers, researchers, and organisations. The consultation process, which began on 29 June 2018, involved public forums across major cities, roundtables, and an online submission process, resulting in over 1200 stakeholders engaging and approximately 350 submissions received.
The Act imposes specific obligations on AMRAB, requiring it to consult extensively with organisations that have expertise in medical research and innovation, consumer groups, and other relevant parties. The consultation must include a call for written submissions, public forums, invited roundtables, and meetings with jurisdictional health departments. The Priorities must be consistent with the Strategy that is in force, and they should be read in conjunction with the Strategy due to their alignment with the identified strategic platforms. Additionally, AMRAB must consider several factors in developing the Priorities, including the burden of disease, practical benefits of research and innovation, value for all Australians, and how the financial assistance complements and enhances other support provided for medical research and innovation.
Breaches of the requirements set forth in the Act may result in various civil or criminal consequences. While the specific penalties are not detailed in the explanatory statement, under Australian legislative conventions, penalties for non-compliance with such statutory obligations typically range from fines to imprisonment, depending on the severity and intent behind the breach. The maximum penalties would be determined by the specific legislation addressing the breach and would be enforced by the relevant authorities. The Australian Government must ensure that the Priorities are taken into account when making disbursements from the MRFF, and failure to do so could potentially lead to legal challenges or other civil consequences.