Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Health, Disability and Ageing Measures No. 3) Regulations 2025

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Finance

Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997

Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment

(Health, Disability and Ageing Measures No. 3) Regulations 2025

The Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997 (the FFSP Act) confers on the Commonwealth, in certain circumstances, powers to make arrangements under which money can be spent; or to make grants of financial assistance; and to form, or otherwise be involved in, companies. The arrangements, grants, programs and companies (or classes of arrangements or grants in relation to which the powers are conferred) are specified in the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Regulations 1997 (the Principal Regulations). The powers in the FFSP Act to make, vary or administer arrangements or grants may be exercised on behalf of the Commonwealth by Ministers and the accountable authorities of non‑corporate Commonwealth entities, as defined under section 12 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.

The Principal Regulations are exempt from sunsetting under section 12 of the Legislation (Exemptions and Other Matters) Regulation 2015 (item 28A). If the Principal Regulations were subject to the sunsetting regime under the Legislation Act 2003, this would generate uncertainty about the continuing operation of existing contracts and funding agreements between the Commonwealth and third parties (particularly those extending beyond 10 years), as well as the Commonwealth’s legislative authority to continue making, varying or administering arrangements, grants and programs.

Additionally, the Principal Regulations authorise a number of activities that form part of intergovernmental schemes. It would not be appropriate for the Commonwealth to unilaterally sunset an instrument that provides authority for Commonwealth funding for activities that are underpinned by an intergovernmental arrangement. To ensure that the Principal Regulations continue to reflect government priorities and remain up to date, the Principal Regulations are subject to periodic review to identify and repeal items that are redundant or no longer required.

Section 32B of the FFSP Act authorises the Commonwealth to make, vary and administer arrangements and grants specified in the Principal Regulations. Section 32B also authorises the Commonwealth to make, vary and administer arrangements for the purposes of programs specified in the Principal Regulations. Section 32D of the FFSP Act confers powers of delegation on Ministers and the accountable authorities of non-corporate Commonwealth entities, including subsection 32B(1) of the FFSP Act. Schedule 1AA and Schedule 1AB to the Principal Regulations specify the arrangements, grants and programs.

Section 65 of the FFSP Act provides that the Governor-General may make regulations prescribing matters required or permitted by the FFSP Act to be prescribed, or necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to the FFSP Act.

The Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Health, Disability and Ageing Measures No. 3) Regulations 2025 (the Regulations) amend Schedule 1AB to the Principal Regulations to establish legislative authority for government spending on activities to be administered by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.

Funding will be provided for the following initiatives:

a grant to Capital Health Network Ltd to support a community withdrawal support service relating to alcohol and other drugs in the Australian Capital Territory ($0.7 million in 2025-26);
a grant to Wentworth Healthcare Limited to support a comprehensive
community-based addiction services program ($1.1 million in 2025-26);
a grant to Launceston City Mission Inc to support the continued operation of the Serenity House facility ($0.8 million in 2025-26);
a grant to the University of New South Wales for the National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs ($4.2 million over two years from 2025-26);
a grant to Street Side Medics Limited to support the provision of mobile health services to people experiencing homelessness ($2.6 million over four years
from 2025-26);
a grant to Capital Health Network Ltd to maintain and increase access to bulk billing general practitioners in the Australian Capital Territory ($14.3 million over three years from 2025-26);
the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Research program to support research relating to alcohol, tobacco and other drug use in Australia ($8.2 million in 2025-26);
the General Practice Training program to support the training of general practitioners across Australia ($514.1 million over four years from 2025-26);
the Peer Workforce Association to fund the establishment and operation of a National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Peer Workforce Association ($4.3 million over three years from 2025-26);
the Precision Medicine and Rare Cancers Program to support the continuation of precision oncology initiatives that are successful in increasing access to diagnosis and treatment options for patients with rare and less common cancers ($150.2 million over four years from 2025-26);
the Strategic Agreement on Pharmacist Professional Practice for the updating of Australia’s pharmacist practice standards and guidelines ($1.0 million in 2025-26);
the Translation and Interpretation Services for mental health services funded by the Primary Health Networks program to support culturally and linguistically diverse people to access mental health services ($3.3 million in 2025-26); and
the Primary Health Care–Infrastructure Grants program to support the establishment of four new health centres, enabling an integrated community service hub model that enhances patient care in each location ($178.1 million over four years from 2025-26).

Details of the Regulations are set out at Attachment A. A Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights is at Attachment B.

The Regulations are a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislation Act 2003.

The Regulations commence on the day after registration on the Federal Register of Legislation.

Consultation

In accordance with section 17 of the Legislation Act 2003, consultation has taken place with the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.

Attachment A

Details of the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment

(Health, Disability and Ageing Measures No. 3) Regulations 2025

Section 1 – Name

This section provides that the title of the Regulations is the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Health, Disability and Ageing Measures No. 3) Regulations 2025.

Section 2 – Commencement

This section provides that the Regulations commence on the day after registration on the Federal Register of Legislation.

Section 3 – Authority

This section provides that the Regulations are made under the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997.

Section 4 – Schedules

This section provides that the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Regulations 1997 (the Principal Regulations) are amended as set out in the Schedule to the Regulations.

Schedule 1 – Amendments

Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Regulations 1997

The items in Schedule 1 amend Schedule 1AB to the Principal Regulations to establish legislative authority for government spending on activities to be administered by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (the department).

Item 1 – In the appropriate position in Part 3 of Schedule 1AB (table)

This item adds six new table items to Part 3 of Schedule 1AB.

Table item 98 – Grant to Capital Health Network Ltd–Alcohol and Other Drugs

New table item 98 establishes legislative authority for the Government to provide a grant to Capital Health Network Ltd to support a community withdrawal support service in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) (the grant).

Capital Health Network Ltd is the ACT’s Primary Health Network (ACT PHN). PHNs play a key role in supporting general practice and other health service providers to improve the integration of health services at the local level. The ACT PHN will commission Karralika Programs Inc (Karralika), a not-for-profit organisation specialising in alcohol and other drugs (AOD) services within the ACT, to deliver the grant.

Grant funding of $0.7 million in 2025-26 to the ACT PHN aims to support Karralika to deliver a non-residential withdrawal program designed to help individuals safely reduce or cease their AOD use from the comfort of their own home. Supported by registered nurses, the service provides in-person, phone, or web-based support, including daily monitoring, education on withdrawal symptoms and medication, and coordinated treatment planning, and aims to restore participants’ health and well-being in the short term, often serving as a crucial step before transitioning into residential rehabilitation, day programs, or ongoing counselling.

The grant will be established as part of the department’s Drug and Alcohol Program (DAP), which aims to improve health and social outcomes for individuals, families and communities at risk of, or currently affected by, substance misuse in Australia. More specifically, the DAP aims to support:

AOD treatment services across Australia to reduce the impact of substance use on individuals, families, carers and communities;
prevention and early intervention activities and promote evidence-based information about AOD through education;
the development of AOD data to support evidence-based treatment services, national policy and service delivery; and
service linkages between AOD treatment services and mental health services, as well as with social, educational, and vocational long-term support services.

The service objectives of the grant are as follows:

facilitating the reduction or cessation of AOD use to promote short-term improvements in health and wellbeing;
providing a flexible response for individuals requiring withdrawal support and/or stabilisation, including linkage to bed-based withdrawal services where appropriate; and
contributing to an integrated and coordinated care pathway by connecting individuals with ongoing AOD aftercare and broader community health and wellbeing services.

Since 2001, the Government has funded the ACT PHN to support the delivery of a community withdrawal support service which aims to fill a critical gap in the ACT, offering flexible and accessible care for individuals unable to access inpatient services. The service is evidence-based, professionally governed and enhances system efficiency by reducing pressure on inpatient services and supporting treatment pathways. Between January and December 2024, the service delivered strong outcomes, including an 87 per cent engagement rate and a 77 per cent completion rate, significant reductions in substance use, e.g. alcohol use reduced from 20.8 to 8.3 days per month, and improved physical and psychological wellbeing.

The intended outcome of the grant is to increase access to AOD services including support for underlying mental health issues. These services directly support the goals of the National Drug Strategy 2017-2026 (National Drug Strategy) (www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files

/national-drug-strategy-2017-2026.pdf).

Funding amount and arrangements, merits review and consultation

Funding of $0.7 million in 2025-26 for the item will come from Program 1.5: Preventive Health and Chronic Disease Support, which is part of Outcome 1. Details are set out in the Portfolio Budget Statements 2025-26, Budget Related Paper No. 1.9, Health and Aged Care Portfolio at page 51.

An invitation only, closed, non-competitive grant process was undertaken in 2025-26 to fund Capital Health Network Ltd (ref: GO7757). Capital Health Network Ltd is eligible for this grant opportunity as it has been assessed by the department to have:

capability to deliver the specified stream project activities;
existing infrastructure and relationships to support the activities; and
knowledge of and capability to deliver the objectives and outcomes.

The grant will be administered in accordance with the Commonwealth resource management framework, including the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act), the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014
(PGPA Rule) and the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Principles 2024 (CGRPs). Consistent with the CGRPs, the department has developed grant opportunity guidelines and will have regard to the nine key principles in administering the grant.

The grant opportunity guidelines and information about the grant is available on the GrantConnect website (www.grants.gov.au), and the grant will be administered by the Community Grants Hub, part of the Department of Social Services (DSS). A delegate of the Secretary of the department under the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997 (FFSP Act) will be responsible for approving Commonwealth funding provided to eligible organisations. The delegate will be at the Senior Executive Service (SES) Band 1 level and have appropriate experience and knowledge to exercise this function.

The provision of funds for the ACT PHN is not considered suitable for independent merits review because the funding will be delivered through a non-competitive grant to an organisation the department has assessed as suitable. The ACT PHN has the necessary existing infrastructure and stakeholder relationships to ensure the provision of AOD support and medical treatment services for affected individuals.

Funding decisions made in connection with the grant are not considered suitable for independent merits review, as they are decisions relating to the allocation of a finite resource, from which all potential claims for a share of the resource cannot be met. In addition, the benefit of the grant is not directed towards the circumstances of particular persons, but rather applies generally to the community, and is therefore considered to be unsuitable for review. The grant, by its nature, is unlikely to affect the interests of a sole individual. Decisions relating to the allocation of a finite resource, from which all potential claims for a share of the resource cannot be met, have generally been considered by the Administrative Review Council (ARC) to be inappropriate for merits review. The ARC has recognised that it is justifiable to exclude merits review in relation to decisions of this nature (see paragraphs 4.11 to 4.19 of the guide, What decisions should be subject to merit review? (ARC guide)).

The review and audit process undertaken by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) provides a mechanism to review Australian Government spending decisions and report any concerns to the Parliament. These requirements and mechanisms help to ensure the proper use of Commonwealth resources and appropriate transparency around decisions relating to making, varying or administering arrangements to spend relevant money.

In any case, the right to review under section 75(v) of the Constitution and review under section 39B of the Judiciary Act 1903 may be available. Persons affected by spending decisions would also have recourse to the Commonwealth Ombudsman where appropriate.

PHNs are required to undertake extensive planning and consultation to ensure the right services are being provided in the right locations, to maximise the benefits of the Government’s investment. The ACT PHN directly consulted with Karralika in 2021 and more broadly as part of the ACT PHN needs assessment and commissioning process which is undertaken on a yearly basis to ensure they commission a range of treatment types targeted to differing client needs and allow for a service mix more reflective of their region’s treatment need, and in line with existing services.

In 2024-25, the department undertook consultation with the Department of Finance, the ACT PHN, ACT Government and DSS, to inform the design, development and implementation of the grant opportunity. In addition, an independent evaluation of the Karralika Non-residential Withdrawal Support Service, commissioned by the ACT PHN to support future funding decisions, included consultation with nurses, referrers to the service (e.g. self-referrals or clients and medical practitioners) and Karralika management. The evaluation concluded that the grant program caters to a diverse service user base including a higher representation of females and First Nations people than national AOD service provision averages. It also noted that the grant program is highly responsive to referrals, particularly self-referrals, and offers flexible and accessible service delivery.

Consultation with these entities and the ACT PHN consultations with the community, will continue throughout the life of the grant agreement.

Constitutional considerations

Noting that it is not a comprehensive statement of relevant constitutional considerations, the purpose of the item references the following powers of the Constitution:

the external affairs power (section 51(xxix)); and
the territories power (section 122).

External affairs power

Section 51(xxix) of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to make laws with respect to ‘external affairs’.

The treaty implementation aspect of the external affairs power supports legislation implementing Australia’s international obligations under treaties to which it is a party.

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)

Australia is a party to the ICESCR [1976] ATS 5. Article 2 provides the general obligation of States Parties to undertake steps, including the adoption of legislative measures, to achieve the full realisation of the rights recognised in the Covenant. Article 12(1) recognises the ‘right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health’. Article 12(2) further provides a non-exhaustive list of ‘steps’ to be taken by the Parties to achieve the full realisation of the right to health. Article 12(2)(c) refers to steps necessary for ‘the prevention, treatment and control of epidemic, endemic, occupational and other diseases’.

The grant aims to reduce the impact of substance abuse in individuals and communities through supporting the provision of information and education about AOD withdrawal.

Convention on Psychotropic Substances

The Convention on Psychotropic Substances requires parties to take all practicable measures for the prevention of abuse of psychotropic substances and subsequent treatment and rehabilitation (Article 20(1)). Parties are also required to assist persons whose work requires an understanding of the problems of abuse of psychotropic substances and its prevention to promote an understanding among the general public if there is a risk that abuse of such substances will become widespread (Article 20(2) and (3)).

The grant involves funding a service to support persons to cease or reduce drugs and/or alcohol, including providing them with information and education about withdrawal symptoms as well as available community AOD services.

Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

Australia is a party to the CRC [1991] ATS 4. Article 4 of the CRC provides the general obligation that States Parties shall undertake all appropriate legislative, administrative, and other measures for the implementation of all rights recognised in the Covenant. Article 24(2) and 24(2)(c) requires States Parties to ensure the rights of children to the highest attainable standard of health and to take appropriate measures to combat disease and malnutrition, provide access to health education and develop preventive health care.

The grant includes the delivery of health-related education and other services to children.

Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs

Article 4 of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs provides the general obligation of States Parties to give effect to and carry out the provisions of the Convention within their own territories (Article 4(a), co-operate with other States in the execution of the provisions of the Convention (Article 4(b)); and subject to the provisions of the Convention, limit exclusively to medical and scientific purposes the production, manufacture, export, import, distribution of, trade in, use and possession of drugs (Article 4(c)).

The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs requires Australia to ‘assist persons whose work requires to gain an understanding of the problems of abuse of drugs and of its prevention, and ... promote such understanding among the general public if there is a risk that abuse of drugs will become widespread’ (pursuant to Article 38(3)), and ‘give special attention to and take all practicable measures for the prevention of abuse of drugs and for the early identification, treatment, education, after-care, rehabilitation and social reintegration of the persons involved’ (pursuant to Article 38(1)).

The grant involves funding a service to support persons to cease or reduce drugs and/or alcohol, including providing them with information and education about withdrawal symptoms.

United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances

The United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances governs the regulation of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. Under Article 14(4), Australia and other parties must ‘adopt appropriate measures aimed at eliminating or reducing illicit demand for narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.’

Territories power

Section 122 of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to ‘make laws for the government of any territory’.

The grant delivers services to individuals within the ACT.

Table item 99 – Grant to Wentworth Healthcare Limited

New table item 99 establishes legislative authority for the Government to provide a grant to Wentworth Healthcare Limited (Wentworth) to support a comprehensive community-based addiction services program (the grant).

Wentworth is the provider of the Nepean Blue Mountains (NBM) PHN. PHNs play a key role in supporting general practice and other health service providers to improve the integration of health services at the local level. Grant funding of $1.1 million in 2025-26 will support the following two streams of activity that the NBM PHN will commission to deliver as part of its comprehensive community-based addiction services program:

The Street University Katoomba (Street University)

The Street University, a program run by the Ted Noffs Foundation Limited, was established in 2023 to provide community-based early interventions for young people aged 12 to 25 years impacted by AOD and mental health issues.

The Street University provides a safe space for youth engagement activities such as street art and music, alongside AOD education, life skills development, mentoring, and therapeutic interventions including clinical assessment, treatment planning, and psychosocial interventions such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy. The Street University aims to act as an early intervention service, preventing more serious issues from arising and supporting young people to reduce substance use, improve mental health, and reintegrate into education or vocational pathways. Between June 2023 and September 2024, it assisted 803 clients and provided 5,626 occasions of service.

Dianella Cottage

Dianella Cottage, located in Katoomba and Lithgow, is a non-residential day program delivered by Lives Lived Well Limited. It was established in 2017 to provide support for adults aged 18 years and older with AOD dependency, including those with co-occurring mental health issues like post-traumatic stress disorder and complex trauma. This includes people on opioid treatment programs and those interacting, or who have interacted with the criminal justice, child protection and mental health systems.

Dianella Cottage operates AOD treatment programs five days per week, and an AOD relapse prevention program. Operating under a harm minimisation framework, Dianella Cottage offers comprehensive assessment, care planning, individual counselling, case management, and various group programs, including SMART Recovery (an evidence-informed approach to overcoming addictive behaviours). Dianella Cottage provides a similar level of treatment to a residential setting without requiring overnight stays, focusing on relapse prevention and assisting individuals in their recovery journey through evidence-based therapeutic practices. Between July 2024 and March 2025, it supported 239 clients across 870 sessions (face-to-face or phone/video), with timely access and strong engagement through 101 new care plans and 113 new referrals.

The grant will be established as part of the department’s DAP, which aims to improve health and social outcomes for individuals, families and communities at risk of, or currently affected by, substance misuse in Australia. More specifically, the DAP aims to support:

AOD treatment services across Australia to reduce the impact of substance use on individuals, families, carers and communities;
prevention and early intervention activities and promote evidence-based information about AOD through education;
the development of AOD data to support evidence-based treatment services, national policy and service delivery; and
service linkages between AOD treatment services and mental health services, as well as with social, educational, and vocational long-term support services.

The service objectives of the grant are as follows:

people with alcohol and drug addiction challenges receive the support and treatment they need closer to where they live; and
education and early intervention enable people to make safe decisions around illicit and synthetic drug use.

The intended outcome of the grant is to increase access to AOD services including support for underlying mental health issues. These services directly support the goals of the National Drug Strategy.

Funding amount and arrangements, merits review and consultation

Funding of $1.1 million in 2025-26 for the item will come from Program 1.5: Preventive Health and Chronic Disease Support, which is part of Outcome 1. Details are set out in the Portfolio Budget Statements 2025-26, Budget Related Paper No. 1.9, Health and Aged Care Portfolio at page 51.

An invitation only, closed, non-competitive grant process was undertaken in 2025-26 to fund Wentworth (ref: GO7757). Wentworth is eligible for this grant opportunity as it has been assessed by the department to have:

capability to deliver the specified stream project activities;
existing infrastructure and relationships to support the activities; and
knowledge of and capability to deliver the objectives and outcomes.

With the current operation of the services fully vested with Wentworth as the provider of the NBM PHN, it would not be efficient or effective for other organisations to undertake the service. The organisation has the capacity and capability to quickly implement the extended service, ensuring continued staff employment and uninterrupted support for individuals seeking help with substance use in the regions.

The grant will be administered in accordance with the Commonwealth resource management framework, including the PGPA Act, the PGPA Rule and the CGRPs. Consistent with the CGRPs, the department has developed grant opportunity guidelines and will have regard to the nine key principles in administering the grant.

The grant opportunity guidelines and information about the grant is available on the GrantConnect website (www.grants.gov.au), and the grant will be administered by the Community Grants Hub, part of DSS. A delegate of the Secretary of the department under the FFSP Act will be responsible for approving Commonwealth funding provided to eligible organisations. The delegate will be at the SES Band 1 level and have appropriate experience and knowledge to exercise this function.

The provision of funds to Wentworth is not considered suitable for independent merits review because the funding will be delivered through a non-competitive grant to an organisation that the department has assessed as suitable.

The ARC does consider that administrative accountability in relation to such allocative decisions should be given greater emphasis, including ensuring that:

the processes of allocating funds are fair;
the criteria for funding are made clear; and
decisions are made objectively.

The review and audit process undertaken by the ANAO provides a mechanism to review Australian Government spending decisions and report any concerns to the Parliament. These requirements and mechanisms help to ensure the proper use of Commonwealth resources and appropriate transparency around decisions relating to making, varying or administering arrangements to spend relevant money.

In 2024-25, the department undertook consultation with the Department of Finance, the NBM PHN and DSS, to inform the design, development and implementation of the grant opportunity.

PHNs are required to undertake extensive planning and consultation to ensure the right services are being provided in the right locations, to maximise the benefits of the Government’s investment. The NBM PHN directly consulted with the Ted Noffs Foundation Limited and Lives Lived Well Limited in 2021 and more broadly as part of the NBM PHN needs assessment and commissioning process, which is undertaken on a yearly basis to ensure they commission a range of treatment types targeted to differing client needs and allow for a service mix more reflective of their region’s treatment need, and in line with existing services.

Consultation with these entities and the PHN consultation with the community, will continue throughout the life of the grant agreement.

Constitutional considerations

Noting that it is not a comprehensive statement of relevant constitutional considerations, the purpose of the item references the external affairs power (section 51(xxix)) of the Constitution.

External affairs power

Section 51(xxix) of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to make laws with respect to ‘external affairs’.

The treaty implementation aspect of the external affairs power supports legislation implementing Australia’s international obligations under treaties to which it is a party.

ICESCR

The grant involves funding a service that will provide persons with access to its therapeutic program to treat, prevent and reduce AOD abuse.

Convention on Psychotropic Substances

The grant involves funding a service that will involve treatment for individuals with AOD abuse related issues, including rehabilitation programs.

CRC

Australia is a party to the CRC [1991] ATS 4. Article 4 of the CRC provides the general obligation that States Parties shall undertake all appropriate legislative, administrative, and other measures for the implementation of all rights recognised in the Covenant. Article 24(1) requires States Parties to recognise the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health. States Parties shall strive to ensure access to such health care and medical assistance, and to take steps to combat disease and malnutrition.

The grant involves funding a service that will support early intervention for persons at risk of AOD abuse and/or mental health issues by offering educational programs to provide information and education about AOD abuse, and youth engagement activities to attract
at-risk youth in the service over the long-term.

Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs

The grant involves funding a service that will involve treatment for individuals with AOD abuse related issues, including rehabilitation programs.

United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances

The grant involves funding a service that will involve treatment for individuals with AOD abuse related issues, including rehabilitation programs.

Table item 100 – Grant to Launceston City Mission Inc

New table item 100 establishes legislative authority for the Government to provide a grant to Launceston City Mission Inc (City Mission) to support the continued operation of
10 short-stay residential beds at its Serenity House facility (the grant).

The City Mission has been providing care and assistance to people experiencing hardship and disadvantage in local communities across North and North West Tasmania for more than 170 years. Serenity House, operated by the City Mission, is a short-stay residential facility in Burnie, Tasmania, which has been delivering AOD services for over 10 years and provides a safe and supportive environment for individuals experiencing hardship and substance use challenges.

Serenity House offers individuals a voluntary short-stay residential rehabilitation service (typically 1 to 6 weeks) in a supportive, communal environment. It provides detox and rehabilitation activities for a break from substance misuse and for individuals to “refresh”. Serenity House also serves as a pathway for individuals transitioning from medical or other monitored detox programs to longer-term rehabilitation services or ongoing treatment in the community. It also provides an opportunity for participants to explore future service options, such as mental health, accommodation and employment support and offers referrals to
long-term rehabilitation services in Tasmania. Additionally, Serenity House accommodates the Place of Safety program (legislated under the Police Offences Act 1935), which provides a safe alternative to police detention for intoxicated individuals. Clients are monitored until sober and then offered support and referrals as required.

AOD treatment services across Australia to reduce the impact of substance use on individuals, families, carers and communities;
prevention and early intervention activities and promote evidence-based information about AOD through education;
the development of AOD data to support evidence-based treatment services, national policy and service delivery; and
service linkages between AOD treatment services and mental health services, as well as with social, educational, and vocational long-term support services.

Grant funding of $0.8 million in 2025-26 will be provided to the City Mission to:

support the continued availability and operation of 10 short stay beds residential beds at Serenity House;
enable people with alcohol and drug addiction challenges to get rapid access to the support and treatment they need closer to where they live;
support for transition between a medical withdrawal facility and longer-term residential rehabilitation or in-home non-clinical mental health support; and
reduce harm caused to people and communities.

The intended outcome of the grant is to provide access to AOD services for individuals experiencing hardship and substance use challenges. These services directly support the goals of the National Drug Strategy.

Funding amount and arrangements, merits review and consultation

Funding of $0.8 million in 2025-26 for the item will come from Program 1.5: Preventive Health and Chronic Disease Support, which is part of Outcome 1. Details are set out in the Portfolio Budget Statements 2025-26, Budget Related Paper No. 1.9, Health and Aged Care Portfolio at page 51.

An invitation only, closed, non-competitive grant process was undertaken in 2025-26 to fund the City Mission (ref: GO7758). The purpose of the funding is to ensure continuity of services currently provided by the City Mission at Serenity House. The City Mission is eligible for this grant opportunity as it has been assessed by the department to have:

capability to deliver the specified stream project activities;
existing infrastructure and relationships to support the activities; and
knowledge of and capability to deliver the objectives and outcomes.

With the current operation of the services fully vested with the City Mission, it would not be efficient or effective for other organisations to undertake the service. As the current operator of Serenity House, the City Mission has a proven track record of service delivery, the capacity and capability to move quickly to implementation, ensuring continued staff employment and uninterrupted support for individuals seeking help with substance use in the regions. The decision to fund the City Mission will ensure support and medical treatment for affected individuals.

The grant opportunity guidelines and information about the grant is available on the GrantConnect website (www.grants.gov.au), and the grant will be administered by the Community Grants Hub, part of DSS. A delegate of the Secretary of the department under the FFSP Act will be responsible for approving Commonwealth funding provided to the eligible organisation. The delegate will be at the SES Band 1 level and have appropriate experience and knowledge to exercise this function.

The provision of funds to the City Mission is not considered suitable for independent merits review because the funding will be delivered through a closed, non-competitive grant to an organisation that the department has assessed as suitable.

In 2024-25, the department undertook consultation with the Department of Finance, DSS and the City Mission, to ensure the development and implementation of the grant opportunity is aligned with the objectives and intended outcomes of the grant.

The City Mission consults regularly with the AOD and social services sectors in Tasmania on an approximately monthly basis. In addition, assessment of Serenity House’s reporting and broader operations by the department has demonstrated that the City Mission has the capacity and capability to successfully continue operating the service and is best placed to continue to deliver these services.

Consultation with these entities and the City Mission’s consultation with the community, will continue throughout the life of the grant agreement.

Constitutional considerations

Noting that it is not a comprehensive statement of relevant constitutional considerations, the purpose of the item references the external affairs power (section 51(xxix)) of the Constitution.

External affairs power

Section 51(xxix) of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to make laws with respect to ‘external affairs’. The treaty implementation aspect of the external affairs power supports legislation implementing Australia’s international obligations under treaties to which it is a party.

Convention on Psychotropic Substances

Grant funding for rehabilitation beds and associated rehabilitation support at Serenity House aims to, among other things, help people with alcohol and drug addiction get treatment and transition into longer term rehabilitation services or treatment at home

ICESCR

AOD abuse is a significant contributor to disease burden. Grant funding for rehabilitation beds and associated rehabilitation support at Serenity House aims to help treat AOD addiction and prevent further AOD abuse (and diseases arising from that abuse).

Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs

United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances

Grant funding to the City Mission attempts to reduce illicit demand for narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances by providing rehabilitation services for affected individuals.

Table item 101 – Grant to the University of New South Wales for the National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs

New table item 101 establishes legislative authority for the Government to provide a grant to the University of New South Wales (UNSW) for the National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs (NCCRED) (the grant).

The establishment of a new Centre for Clinical Excellence for Emerging Drugs of Concern (subsequently known as the NCCRED) was announced by the then Prime Minister, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP, on 6 December 2015, as part of the Government’s response to the Final Report of the National Ice Taskforce 2015 (Final Report). Details of the announcement are available at: https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-40108.

The NCCRED, established in 2017, as part of the Government’s response to the recommendations of the Final Report, was intended to address the limitations of the alcohol and drug sector in delivering innovative and effective responses to emerging issues such as methamphetamine use.

The NCCRED was established as a consortium comprising the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (based at the UNSW), the National Drug Research Institute (based at Curtin University), the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (based at Flinders University), and St Vincent’s Health Australia. Consortium arrangements ensure a collaborative approach to detect and respond to trends focused on methamphetamine and emerging drugs of concern and to translate clinical research into best practice.

The NCCRED’s makeup is unique in combining leading AOD researchers and established practitioners. The structure of the NCCRED prioritises research with strong clinical applicability and facilitates evidence translation. UNSW is the lead agency and contract signatory for the NCCRED consortium.

The UNSW is funded for the NCCRED by the Commonwealth under the department’s DAP, which aims to improve health and social outcomes for individuals, families and communities at risk of, or currently affected by, substance misuse in Australia. More specifically, the DAP aims to support:

AOD treatment services across Australia to reduce the impact of substance use on individuals, families, carers and communities;
prevention and early intervention activities and promote evidence-based information about AOD through education;
the development of AOD data to support evidence-based treatment services, national policy and service delivery; and
service linkages between AOD treatment services and mental health services, as well as with social, educational, and vocational long-term support services.

Grant funding of $4.2 million over two years from 2025-26 will be provided to the UNSW for the NCCRED. The grant funding objectives, which align with the National Ice Action Strategy (NIAS), are:

improving treatment and health outcomes and effective, evidence-informed policy through the development, collection and/or evaluation of research activities relating to methamphetamine and new and emerging drugs;
opportunities to respond to new and emerging drugs by considering a range of data sources, including (but not limited to) population health data, treatment data, drug trends, ambulance data and emergency department data;
developing, implementing and disseminating innovative and effective evidence-based treatment interventions, including internet-based therapies, that can be applied to the use of methamphetamine and new and emerging drugs;
managing and enhancing the Prompt Response Network to support the surveillance, early detection and response to drugs of concern; and
building the capacity and knowledge base of the drug and alcohol workforce through developing and disseminating products for clinical practice and guidance and the promotion of evidence-based information and education.

Funding to date for NCCRED activities has supported the development of the Prompt Response Network to enable early warning and rapid response to emerging drugs of concern. Funding has also supported the NCCRED in becoming a global leader in innovative clinical research into the pharmacological treatment of methamphetamine use disorder and withdrawal. In addition, the Evaluation of the NIAS, conducted in the period from June 2020 to March 2021 (www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/evaluation-of-the-national-ice-action-strategy-nias?language=en), identified the following key strengths of NCCRED:

demonstrated commitment to a research agenda that focuses on clinical translation; and
a clear research agenda and robust transparency mechanisms for its activities, including numbers of publications, research impacts on policy, grants provided, and resources developed.

The grant to the UNSW will include a range of performance indicators, including to conduct research on methamphetamines and new and emerging drugs and to undertake evidence translation. These will be measured through annual activity work plans, performance reports, and financial acquittals, to ensure the requirements of the grant agreement have been met.

The intended outcome of the grant to the UNSW is to ensure the most current and up-to-date evidence is available to inform a range of stakeholders, including policy makers, researchers and the broader Australian community. Evidence-informed responses are a key principle of the National Drug Strategy and its sub-strategies. The grant to the UNSW continues government support for the NCCRED to develop clinical research and treatment interventions with a particular focus on methamphetamine and new and emerging drugs.

Funding amount and arrangements, merits review and consultation

Funding of $4.2 million over two years from 2025-26 (and $2.1 million per year ongoing from 2027-28) for the item will come from Program 1.5: Preventive Health and Chronic Disease Support, which is part of Outcome 1. Details are set out in the Portfolio Budget Statements 2025-26, Budget Related Paper No. 1.9, Health and Aged Care Portfolio at page 51, which shows funding for the program as part of a broader program.

Funding will be provided through a closed, non-competitive grant process to the UNSW. The purpose of the funding is to ensure continuity of the NCCRED which has been based at and funded through the UNSW since its inception in 2017. The UNSW has the capability and infrastructure to continue to support the NCCRED activities.

The grant will be administered in accordance with the Commonwealth resource management framework, including the PGPA Act, the PGPA Rule and the CGRPs. Consistent with the CGRPs, the department will develop grant opportunity guidelines and will have regard to the nine key principles in administering the grant.

New grant opportunity guidelines and information about the grant will be made available on the GrantConnect website (www.grants.gov.au), and the grant will be administered by the Community Grants Hub, part of DSS. A delegate of the Secretary of the department under the FFSP Act will be responsible for approving Commonwealth funding. The delegate will be at the SES Band 1 level and have appropriate experience and knowledge to exercise this function.

Funding decisions made in connection with the grant are not considered suitable for independent merits review, as they are decisions relating to the allocation of a finite resource, from which all potential claims for a share of the resource cannot be met. The benefit of the grant is not directed towards the circumstances of particular persons, but rather applies generally to the community, and is therefore considered to be unsuitable for review. In addition, any funding that has already been allocated would be affected if the original decision was overturned. The ARC has recognised that it is justifiable to exclude merits review in relation to decisions of this nature (See paragraphs 4.11 to 4.19 of the ARC guide).

The ARC does consider that administrative accountability in relation to such allocative decisions should be given greater emphasis, including ensuring that:

the processes of allocating funds are fair;
the criteria for funding are made clear; and
decisions are made objectively.

The review and audit process undertaken by the ANAO also provides a mechanism to review Australian Government spending decisions and report any concerns to the Parliament.

The ANAO also undertook an audit of the NIAS Rollout in 2019 to provide assurance that a key strategy to reduce the prevalence of crystal methamphetamine use and resulting harms across the Australian community is being implemented effectively and that progress on the delivery of the actions presented in the NIAS is transparent, available at: www.anao.gov.au/work/performance-audit/national-ice-action-strategy-rollout.

These requirements and mechanisms help to ensure the proper use of Commonwealth resources and appropriate transparency around decisions relating to making, varying or administering arrangements to spend relevant money. 

The department has consulted regularly with the NCCRED since its inception in 2017 with continuous funding provided to the UNSW for the NCCRED. Engagement occurs monthly through individual bilateral contract management meetings that include the Community Grants Hub, or regular presentations of the NCCRED’s current work.

In June 2025, the department invited the NCCRED to comment on a draft description of the NCCRED Research Program to ensure the development of and implementation of the NIAS is aligned with the objectives and intended outcomes of the grant opportunity. Overall, the NCCRED was strongly supportive of the Research Program, and the department will incorporate the feedback to ensure the development and implementation of the grant opportunity is aligned with the objectives and intended outcomes of the grant.

The department consults with the NCCRED and internal policy areas to ensure priorities are aligned ahead of each grant opportunity, the timing of which is a decision for government. Broader public consultation on the grant opportunity was not considered necessary as the purpose of the NCCRED remains unchanged. In addition, the NCCRED has a proven track record for delivering high-quality, innovative research outputs and interventions related to methamphetamine and emerging drugs. The NCCRED activities are also well-informed by internationally regarded researchers and an Advisory Board that comprises individuals with expertise across the sector, including clinicians, treatment, policy and lived/living experience representatives.

Consultation with the UNSW as lead agency and contract signatory for the NCCRED consortium, will continue throughout the life of the grant agreement. 

Constitutional considerations

Noting that it is not a comprehensive statement of relevant constitutional considerations, the purpose of the item references the following powers of the Constitution:

the external affairs power (section 51(xxix)); and
the communications power (section 51(v)).

External affairs power

Convention on Psychotropic Substances

Harmful drug and alcohol use is a significant contributor of disease burden. Grant funding will support research, clinical, educational and policy development activities relating to methamphetamine, narcotic drugs and new and emerging drugs.

ICESCR

Grant funding will support research (i.e. through randomised controlled trials, pilot studies, funding PhD scholarships and other like activities) to enable the improvement of treatment and overall health outcomes for methamphetamine and new and emerging drugs.

Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs

United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances

Communications power

Section 51(v) of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to make laws with respect to ‘postal, telegraphic, telephonic and other like services’.

Grant funding will support the creation of content for publication through the internet
(i.e. internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy, video content, NCCRED website and associated informational content) as well as the maintenance of a mobile application
(the S-Check app).

Table item 102 – Grant to Street Side Medics Limited

New table item 102 establishes legislative authority for the Government to provide a grant to Street Side Medics Limited (Street Side Medics) (the grant).

Grant funding of $2.6 million over four years from 2025-26 will be provided to Street Side Medics to support the provision of a General Practitioner (GP) led, mobile medical service that delivers free, high-quality healthcare to individuals experiencing homelessness and severe disadvantage in New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria. Street Side Medics collaborates with medical subspecialists and allied health professionals to provide services such as cardiology, infectious diseases, gastroenterology, physiotherapy, and podiatry. These services are bulk billed to prevent out-of-pocket costs for the service users where bulk billing is not possible, service users are individually assessed, and care is provided based on clinical need and available resources.

The grant will implement the 2025 Federal election commitments for primary care in line with Labor’s costed plan to Build Australia’s Future.

Since its inception in 2020, the service provided by Street Side Medics has expanded significantly from launching the first clinic in August 2020 in Woolloomooloo that saw 30 patients per month, to now operating hundreds of clinics each year across multiple locations in NSW and Victoria. These services reach thousands of patients facing substantial barriers to accessing mainstream healthcare. Since 2022–23, Street Side Medics has run over 900 clinics and delivered more than 5,000 GP consultations and had more than 11,780 patient interactions. This has not only validated the Street Side Medics model but enabled it to expand beyond NSW into Victoria.

This election commitment will provide Street Side Medics additional funding to continue delivering mobile medical services in NSW and Victoria across Woolloomooloo, Manly, Parramatta, Hornsby, Blacktown, Surry Hills, Marrickville, Wollongong, Melbourne central business district (CBD) and St Kilda.

Street Side Medics is largely funded through donations and is reliant on volunteers. Grant funding to Street Side Medics will directly support broader grant objectives by building on established infrastructure, help strengthen long-term partnerships, enhance the delivery of sustainable and scalable outcomes, and support improved planning and service continuity, ensuring lasting benefits for staff and service users. The grant funding will help maintain services in existing locations and support expansion, workforce development, and increased capacity to meet growing demand and aims to:

deliver mobile medical clinics providing culturally responsive primary care services targeted at people experiencing homelessness;
reduce cost barriers for people experiencing homelessness by providing services at no personal charge to the service users;
improve service users’ participation by partnering with relevant local services in areas with high prevalence of homelessness;
strengthen long-term partnerships with communities and stakeholders; and
deliver more sustainable and scalable impact, with improved planning and continuity for staff and service users.

The intended outcomes of the grant are to:

expand to new locations across Australia, increasing national reach and accessibility;
strengthen existing services in NSW and Victoria to meet rising demand;
invest in workforce development to support growing clinical and operational teams;
enhance data systems for improved reporting, evaluation, and continuous service improvement;
improve coordination of care for patients at risk of poor health outcomes through efficient and effective health care services; and
support provision of culturally responsive primary care services to people experiencing homelessness where there is no general practice or other specialist support available.

Funding amount and arrangements, merits review and consultation

Funding of $2.6 million over four years from 2025-26 for the Street Side Medics will be included in the 2025-26 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook and the Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements for the Health, Disability and Ageing portfolio. Funding for the item will come from Program 1.6: Primary Health Care Quality and Coordination, which is part of Outcome 1.

An invitation only, closed, non-competitive grant process was opened in early 2025-26 to fund Street Side Medics (ref: GO7877). The purpose of the funding is to ensure continuity of the existing GP-led mobile medical service provided by Street Side Medics to people experiencing homelessness and to expand the reach of the services.

Street Side Medics is the eligible recipient for the grant opportunity as it is well-positioned to build on its momentum and meet the growing demand for its services across Australia. Street Side Medics has advised the department that it receives regular inquiries from communities seeking access to the service which highlights the increasing need for the free, high-quality healthcare services delivered by Street Side Medics as cost-of-living pressures and homelessness continue to rise.

The grant will be administered in accordance with the Commonwealth resource management framework, including the PGPA Act, the PGPA Rule and the CGRPs. Consistent with the CGRPs, the department has developed draft grant opportunity guidelines and will have regard to the nine key principles in administering the grant.

Grant opportunity guidelines and information about the grant is available on the GrantConnect website (www.grants.gov.au), and the grant will be administered by the Community Grants Hub, part of DSS. A delegate of the Secretary of the department under the FFSP Act will be responsible for approving Commonwealth funding provided to eligible organisations. The delegate will be at the SES Band 1 level and have appropriate experience and knowledge to exercise this function.

Since 2023, the department has been monitoring and assessing reports provided by Street Side Medics on a quarterly basis that demonstrate increased service levels and growth of the program with increased patient numbers of 1,200 annually. The department has consulted with Street Side Medics since April 2025 to inform the design and development of the grant opportunity guidelines.

Consultation with Street Side Medics and the Community Grants Hub will continue throughout the life of the grant agreement.

Constitutional considerations

Noting that it is not a comprehensive statement of relevant constitutional considerations, the purpose of the item references the following powers of the Constitution:

the social welfare power (section 51(xxiiiA)); and
the external affairs power (section 51(xxix)).

Social welfare power

The social welfare power in section 51(xxiiiA) of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to make laws with respect to the provision of certain social welfare benefits, including medical services (but not as to authorise any form of civil conscription).

Street Side Medics will provide medical services to people experiencing homelessness, which will reduce barriers for access to health care. Partnering with other local services will improve the quality of medical services provided to patients.

External affairs power

ICESCR

Article 12(1) of the ICESCR recognises the ‘right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health’.

The provision of medical services by Street Side Medics to people experiencing homelessness, ensures that this cohort has access to primary healthcare. As the service is at no personal charge to users, the financial and geographical barriers associated with accessing health care are mitigated. This will support the creation of conditions of better access to medical services and the prevention, treatment and control of diseases for people experiencing homelessness.

Table item 103 – Grant to Capital Health Network Ltd–Access to Bulk Billing General Practitioners

New table item 103 establishes legislative authority for the Government to provide a grant to Capital Health Network Ltd to maintain and increase access to bulk billing GPs in the ACT (the grant).

Capital Health Network Ltd is the ACT’s PHN. PHNs play a key role in supporting general practice and other health service providers to improve the integration of health services at the local level.

The grant will implement the 2025 Federal election commitments for primary care in line with Labor’s costed plan to Build Australia’s Future.

General Practice in the ACT has the second lowest per capita GP workforce and the lowest bulk-billing rate in Australia (at 52 per cent). The purpose of the grant is to provide people living in the ACT with more bulk billed primary care services. The benefits of this extend beyond short-term intervention outcomes and would go towards improving long-term health outcomes. Having accessible care in the community means people can access care earlier and more conveniently.

Grant funding of $14.3 million over three years from 2025-26 to the ACT PHN will support two separate bulk billing activity streams.

Bulk Billing Initiative

The ACT PHN will be commissioned to conduct a competitive funding process to identify one or more private provider(s) to deliver three new bulk billing services in the ACT. It will be the responsibility of the general practice and eligible providers to ensure Medicare billing is compliant with the Health Insurance Act 1973.

The service objectives of this activity stream are as follows:

establish three new bulk billing general practices in the ACT in three of the following five GP catchment areas: Belconnen, Gungahlin, Molonglo, Tuggeranong, Weston Creek;
increase health services including bulk billing targets;
attract, relocate and upskill approximately 10 GPs per general practice (approximately 30 GPs across the three practices);
improve health equity, access and outcomes by promoting earlier intervention, continuity of care; and
attract and maintain a local health workforce, including encouraging individual GPs to move to and work in Canberra.

The intended outcomes of this activity stream are as follows:

three fully operational bulk billing general practices are launched in the selected catchment area in 2025-26;
increased primary care coverage in underserviced regions, reducing patient travel time and waitlists;
improved affordability and access for low-income and vulnerable people;
recruitment and onboarding of up to 30 GPs in 2026-27; and
85 per cent retention of recruited GPs after two years.

Interchange Health Co-op (the Co-op)

The ACT PHN will commission a private provider to undertake ongoing management of the Co-op, located in Tuggeranong ACT, and maintain its fully bulk billed model. The Co-op supports approximately 5,000 patients in South Canberra, which includes patients with complex health needs, including opioid, alcohol and other drug addiction, severe mental health conditions (such as schizophrenia), homeless patients, and a significant proportion of First Nations people. Funding will support continuity of care for existing and new patients of the Co-op, as well as comprehensive wraparound primary care to patients with complex health needs.

The service objectives of this activity stream are as follows:

attract and retain GPs, nurses, and allied health professionals with relevant skills and expertise;
support ongoing professional development to enable quality and targeted care for patients with complex care needs such as alcohol and other drug care and the continuation of the prescribing of Opioid Maintenance Therapy medications;
enhance wraparound care services through employment of non-clinical staff, for example: care coordinators, social workers, youth workers and counsellors, as well as ensuring the practice has an appropriate space to deliver these additional wraparound services;
complete minor upgrades to the existing site (e.g. signage and medical equipment) and support expansion to the adjacent tenancy; and
provide financial relief for expansion to the adjacent tenancy through rent relief and lease contributions to support the expansion in future years.

The intended outcomes of this activity stream are as follows:

increased availability of health professionals with expertise in complex care;
reduced waiting times and improved continuity of care;
improved clinical outcomes through evidence-based care;
patients receive coordinated care addressing both clinical and social determinants of health;
increased patient engagement and satisfaction;
enhanced ability to deliver multidisciplinary care, and
long-term viability of the Co-op model through infrastructure and workforce investment.

Funding amount and arrangements, merits review and consultation

Funding of $14.3 million over three years from 2025-26 for the ACT PHN will be included in the 2025-26 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook and the Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements 2025-26 for the Health, Disability and Ageing portfolio. Funding for the item will come from Program 1.6: Primary Health Care Quality and Coordination, which is part of Outcome 1.

Funding will be provided through a closed, non-competitive grant process to the ACT PHN. The ACT PHN is eligible for this grant opportunity as it has been assessed by the department to have:

capability to deliver the specified stream project activities;
existing infrastructure and relationships to support the activities; and
knowledge of and capability to deliver the objectives and outcomes.

Grant opportunity guidelines and information about the grant will be available on the GrantConnect website (www.grants.gov.au), and the grant will be administered by the Community Grants Hub, part of DSS. A delegate of the Secretary of the department under the FFSP Act will be responsible for approving Commonwealth funding provided to the ACT PHN. The delegate will be at the SES Band 1 level and have appropriate experience and knowledge to exercise this function.

The provision of funds to the ACT PHN is not considered suitable for independent merits review because the funding will be delivered through a closed, non-competitive grant to an organisation that the department has assessed as suitable. The ACT PHN has the necessary capability, experience and knowledge to deliver the bulk billing services required for the ACT region.

The department has consulted with the ACT PHN on the implementation of the two bulk billing activity streams since April 2025 to inform the design and development of the grant opportunity guidelines including timing. In addition, the ACT PHN will conduct its own consultation with the service providers as part of the commissioning process. These service providers will be required to demonstrate how they will support the establishment of the bulk billing clinics and attraction of GPs to the ACT region, and remaining objectives of the grant. Consultation with the ACT PHN will continue throughout the life of the grant agreement.

Broader public consultation on the grant opportunity was not considered necessary as the Government’s Federal election commitment was targeted at the ACT PHN and the identified urgent need to maintain and increase access to bulk billing GPs in the ACT, thereby providing ACT residents more accessible, affordable healthcare.

Constitutional considerations

Noting that it is not a comprehensive statement of relevant constitutional considerations, the purpose of the item references the territories power (section 122) of the Constitution.

Territories power

Section 122 of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to ‘make laws for the government of any territory’.

The ACT PHN assists people to access bulk billed health care services within the ACT.

Item 2 – In the appropriate position in Part 4 of Schedule 1AB (table)

This item adds 7 new table items to Part 4 of Schedule 1AB.

Table item 752 – Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Research

New table item 752 establishes legislative authority for government spending on the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Research program (the program) to support research relating to alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) use in Australia.

The program will provide support to the following four ATOD research centres, with potential for additional organisations to be considered for future funding:

National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) - established in 1986 and based at the UNSW, NDARC focuses on epidemiology and emerging trends in AOD use and harms, prevention and early intervention, mental and physical comorbidities, treatment and harm reduction, drug policy, criminal justice system, priority populations, and big data and new technologies;
National Drug Research Institute (NDRI) - established in 1986 and based at Curtin University, NDRI engages with stakeholders to co-design, conduct and disseminate research that supports evidence-informed policy and practice to prevent and minimise AOD-related health, social, cultural and economic harms;
National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA) - established in 1992 and based at Flinders University, NCETA is an internationally recognised AOD research translation centre specialising in AOD workforce development and also has programs of research in preventive health through to AOD treatment; and
National Centre for Youth and Substance Use Research (NCYSUR) - established in 2008 and based at the University of Queensland, NCYSUR has a youth focus across harm, demand and supply reduction, including undertaking research to understand, prevent and enhance evidence-based strategies, programs and policies for youth substance use.

The Australian Government has a long history of providing funding support to ATOD research centres. The program funding objectives are to support and align with government priorities, focussing on:

data collection, analysis and evaluation activities on the emerging areas of local concern and the effectiveness of new technologies and methods for the full spectrum of care (from prevention through to treatment) for ATOD use;
effective and evidence-informed ATOD policy development, including in relation to harm reduction, demand reduction and supply reduction, and advice for a range of stakeholders including the department, through the development, collection and/or evaluation of national ATOD data and research that aligns with the priorities set out in the National Drug Strategy and its substrategies;
translating ATOD research into accessible alternative formats, including through (but not limited to) executive summaries, discussion papers, webinars and targeted communication, for ease of understanding by a diverse audience; and
promoting evidence-based information and education, including through (but not limited to) the development and dissemination of resources and materials and engagement with relevant stakeholders, including community groups to identify appropriate and relevant content.

The four ATOD research centres have demonstrated experience in driving short, medium and long-term research and evaluation activities that contribute to national and international policy priority evidence gaps within the health and other related sectors. For example, research conducted by the NDRI on the Take Home Naloxone (THN) Program provided evidence-based advice to support trials in the ACT and Western Australia and then as a national program. The THN Program has ensured wider availability of naloxone to prevent opioid overdose mortality and morbidity. The four ATOD research centres also have
well-established collaborative networks, administrative arrangements, experienced personnel and infrastructure to continue to deliver the activities efficiently.

The program is funded under the department’s DAP, which aims to improve health and social outcomes for individuals, families and communities at risk of, or currently affected by, substance misuse in Australia. Funding of $8.2 million in 2025-26 is provided for the program under the DAP for ATOD research, data and emerging priorities. A range of performance indicators will be used to ensure the requirements of the funding have been met including through annual activity work plans, performance reports, and financial acquittals.

The intended outcome of the program is to support the delivery of high-quality research on ATOD use which is triangulated, where appropriate to consider other available data that aligns with the following three pillars of the National Drug Strategy:

harm reduction strategies to reduce drug-related harm to individuals and communities;
demand reduction strategies to prevent the uptake of harmful drug use, including abstinence orientated strategies and treatment to reduce drug use; and
supply reduction strategies to disrupt the production and supply of illicit drugs, and the control and regulation of illicit substances.

Continued Commonwealth support for ATOD research directly supports efforts to increase the quality and quantity of research and data in Australia, ensures the most current research is available to inform evidence-based policy and contributes to the knowledge base.

Funding amount and arrangements, merits review and consultation

Funding of $8.2 million in 2025-26 (and $8.2 million per year ongoing from 2026-27) for the item will come from Program 1.5: Preventive Health and Chronic Disease Support, which is part of Outcome 1. Details are set out in the Portfolio Budget Statements 2025-26, Budget Related Paper No. 1.9, Health and Aged Care Portfolio at page 51, which shows funding for the program as part of a broader program.

Funding will be provided through grant opportunities to the four ATOD research organisations and will be administered in accordance with the Commonwealth resource management framework, including the PGPA Act, the PGPA Rule and the CGRPs. The department will determine the type of grant process to be used (i.e. open competitive, targeted or non-competitive processes) following the outcomes from an internal evaluation of the program expected to be finalised in late 2025.

Grant opportunity guidelines will be developed and information about the grant will be made available on the Grant Connect website (www.grants.gov.au), and the grant will be administered by the Community Grants Hub, part of DSS. A delegate of the Secretary of the department under the FFSP Act will be responsible for approving Commonwealth funding provided to the relevant providers. The delegate will be at the SES Band 1 level and have appropriate experience and knowledge to exercise this function.

Grant allocation decisions made in connection with the program are not considered suitable for independent merits review, as they are decisions relating to the allocation of a finite resource, from which all potential claims for a share of the resource cannot be met. The benefit of the program is not directed towards the circumstances of particular persons, but rather applies generally to the community, and is therefore considered to be unsuitable for review. The program, by its nature, is unlikely to affect the interests of a sole individual. In addition, any funding that has already been allocated would be affected if the original decision was overturned. The ARC has recognised that it is justifiable to exclude merits review in relation to decisions of this nature (see paragraphs 4.11 to 4.19 of the ARC guide).

The ARC does consider that administrative accountability in relation to such allocative decisions should be given greater emphasis, including ensuring that:

the processes of allocating funds are fair;
the criteria for funding are made clear; and
decisions are made objectively.

The review and audit process undertaken by the ANAO also provides a mechanism to review Australian Government spending decisions and report any concerns to the Parliament. These requirements and mechanisms help to ensure the proper use of Commonwealth resources and appropriate transparency around decisions relating to making, varying or administering arrangements to spend relevant money.

The department has regularly consulted with the four ATOD research centres since they each became funded, some since 1985 (e.g. NDARC and NDRI). Regular engagement occurs through individual bilateral contract management meetings, as well as meetings that include the Community Grants Hub, and regular meetings with other research centres, including the NCCRED.

In June 2025, the department invited the Directors of the four ATOD research centres to inform the design and development of the grant opportunity guidelines and ensure the research focuses that the sector sees as important were broadly covered.

Consultation with the four ATOD research centres will continue throughout the life of the grant agreements.

Constitutional considerations

Noting that it is not a comprehensive statement of relevant constitutional considerations, the objective of the item references the external affairs power (section 51(xxix)) of the Constitution.

External affairs power

Convention on Psychotropic Substances

The program is designed to identify issues associated with misuse of psychotropic drugs and consequently prevent abuse of or reduce demand for psychotropic drugs.

ICESCR

Research related to AOD use and treatment, and the provision of information and education to the public aims to reduce harmful drug and alcohol use, which is a significant contributor to disease burden.

Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs

The program is designed to support the delivery of high-quality research on ATOD to inform strategies for harm, demand and supply reduction.

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)

Article 5 of the FCTC provides the general obligation of States Parties under the Convention. Article 20(1)(a) of the FCTC requires parties to ‘initiate ... the conduct of research and scientific assessments, and in so doing promote and encourage research that addresses the determinants and consequences of tobacco consumption.’ While Article 20(1)(b) requires parties to ‘promote and strengthen ... training and support for all those engaged in tobacco control activities, including research, implementation and evaluation’.

The program activities in relation to tobacco, include funding and communicating research to support stakeholders involved in tobacco control activities, and translating research into clinical practice. These activities promote an understanding of the problems with tobacco abuse and its prevention.

Table item 753 – General Practice Training

New table item 753 establishes legislative authority for government spending on the General Practice Training program (the program) to support the training of GPs across Australia.

Funding of $514.1 million over four years from 2025-26 will support the delivery of GP training, education, incentives and training support services, with the objective of encouraging more junior doctors to pursue GP training, to support GP registrars to work in areas of need and achieve general practice specialisation to meet the needs of Australian communities. This support includes direct payments to participating GP registrars, supervisors and training practices.

The overall objectives of the program are to:

create and support vocational training places across all metropolitan, regional, rural and remote locations through the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Ltd (RACGP), the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine Ltd (ACRRM) and the Remote Vocational Training Scheme Ltd (RVTS Ltd) to enable medical practitioners to specialise as GPs;
administer the National Consistent Payments Framework (the NCP Framework) to deliver payments to GP registrars, supervisors and general practices, including through salary support;
enable the Indigenous General Practice Trainee Network (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation) (IGPTN) to provide culturally appropriate and tailored support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander GP registrars;
support professional development activities for cultural educators and mentors;
support General Practice Registrars Australia Limited (GPRA) and GPTA Ltd (GPTA) to provide GP registrars and supervisors with professional support and peer networks, advocate for the interests of GP registrars and supervisors, promote general practice to medical students and junior doctors including by supporting the General Practice Students Network (GPSN), and deliver the National Terms and Conditions for the Employment of Registrars; and
support research, data collection and consultation related to key issues in GP training and supervision, to build an evidence base for policy and advocacy on general practice issues.

The intended outcome of the program is to support and grow the GP workforce, address challenges faced by the GP sector and increase population access to primary healthcare. The program encompasses the following streams of activity:

Australian General Practice Training program (AGPT program)

On 1 February 2023, the administration and delivery of training under the AGPT program transitioned from the network of nine Regional Training Organisations to the two GP training colleges, the RACGP and ACRRM.

The GP training colleges provide three to four years of full-time (or part-time equivalent) training for registrars to obtain fellowship and gain specialist GP registration, with a current minimum target of 50 per cent of training to occur in areas outside major cities (Modified Monash [MM] 2-7 locations). The NCP Framework delivers support payments to GP registrars, supervisors and general practices, with additional incentive payments to be delivered through the NCP Framework from 2026. Between 2026 and 2028, this training capacity will increase from the current cap of 1,500 places.

An in-house evaluation of the AGPT program and consultations with AGPT program stakeholders were conducted in 2024 to determine the achievement of objectives and to inform future grant opportunities. Stakeholders consulted include: the RACGP, ACRRM, the General Practice Training Advisory Committee (GPTAC), GPRA, GPTA, IGPTN, Cultural Educators and Cultural Mentors Network (CECMN), Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) and the Office of the National Rural Health Commissioner (NRHC). Key findings from the evaluation and consultations included:

the transition to a national, GP college-led training model has been a success and should be maintained as it has improved national consistency in training;
better value for money could be achieved through longer grant arrangements centred on an outcomes-based performance framework;
system complexity should be reduced, including by consolidating the AGPT program and the Rural Generalist Training Scheme into a single training program;
arrangements that target hard-to-fill places would drive greater value for money outcomes and incentivise improvements in training capacity where it is most needed; and
over the longer term, outcomes arising from the Working Better for Medicare Review (www.health.gov.au/our-work/working-better-for-medicare-review) and the work of the department’s Primary Care and Workforce Reviews Taskforce should inform the shift towards more impactful distribution mechanisms that are based on community need.

Training under the next tranche of the AGPT program will be delivered from January 2026 to December 2030, with progressive increases to training capacity. Decisions around training place allocations and associated funding for 2027 and beyond will be informed by data and evidence of training capacity and community need.

Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS)

The RVTS is a three or four-year GP training and workforce retention program that delivers structured distance education and supervision to doctors to attain GP fellowship while they continue to provide services in rural, remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The RVTS allows registrars to train towards fellowship with the RACGP or the ACRRM and distributes their registrars with a focus on rural, remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through the Remote (MM4-7 locations) and Aboriginal Medical Service (MM2-7 locations) training streams. The RVTS currently offers 32 commencing training places a year, of which 10 are to be situated in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services. RVTS training places will increase between 2025 and 2028, which will be informed by community need.

An independent evaluation of the RVTS was conducted from September 2023 to March 2024 by the University of Queensland. Key findings from the evaluation included:

the RVTS is a high performing program due to its range of benefits and beneficiaries and its cost-effectiveness;
RVTS registrars report satisfaction from being able to stay in a community where they are settled whilst achieving fellowship;
rural and remote communities and Aboriginal Medical Services benefit from the retention model, which provides place-based solutions to workforce continuity issues through access to care with the same doctor over an average of 5.2 years;
RVTS registrars have been found to contribute to the upskilling of local staff; and
the RVTS has been assessed as delivering best practice in supporting International Medical Graduates on a national scale to address their productivity, quality and safety as a workforce of significant national dependence (with International Medical Graduates making up around 50 per cent of the national GP workforce).

General Practice Training Support Activities program (GP Training Support Activities program)

The AGPT program encompasses other subprogram, grant and payment activities which include, but are not limited to, the GP Training Support Activities program which funds ancillary activities and professional support services for GPs, registrars and supervisors. These activities support independent representation of the interests of registrars and supervisors involved in Commonwealth-funded vocational GP training programs. They also provide targeted support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander registrars and for community-based cultural educators and mentors.

The GP Training Support Activities program will be delivered from 2026 to 2030 by the following organisations:

GPRA;
GPSA;
IGPTN; and
CECMN (via an auspice agreement).

The GP Training Support Activities program will fund a range of activities including:

professional development for cultural educators and mentors, and administration of the CECMN;
workshops, study sessions and other targeted supports to assist First Nations GP registrars to progress toward fellowship achievement;
workshops and other events to reach out to medical students and prevocational doctors to educate them on careers in general practice;
dispute resolution and impartial advisory services to GP registrars, supervisors and practices;
negotiation of National Terms and Conditions for the Employment of Registrars; and
professional development resources and networking events.

Evaluations of the GP Training Support Activities program to date, completed in-house by the department, have demonstrated value for money and achievement of program objectives. Going forward, a comprehensive evaluation of the GP Training Support Activities program will be completed to inform the development and implementation of future grant opportunities and in line with requirements under the Commonwealth resource management framework including the CGRPs.

NCP Framework

In 2023, the NCP Framework was established to provide direct payments to support participating GP registrars, supervisors and training practices, including through salary support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health training facilities.

The NCP Framework supports GP training practices and supervisors to provide training in accordance with relevant accreditation standards, as well as efforts to attract registrars to regional, rural and remote areas. As a part of the NCP Framework, salary support aims to expand training capacity in Aboriginal Health training facilities and increase opportunities for GP registrars to gain experience working with First Nations communities. The NCP Framework was introduced to reduce red tape and improve transparency and accountability for GP training support payments.

Commencing in Semester 1 of 2026, the NCP Framework will provide specific incentive payments to all Commonwealth-funded GP training pathway participants, including registrars participating in the RVTS and the AGPT program. The purpose and objectives of the new incentive payments are to attract more doctors to careers in general practice and improve work-life balance by improving employment entitlements to more closely align with those available to doctors training in hospital-based specialties.

The new incentive payments will be provided to support GP registrars to take time away from work and training to prepare for exams and attend professional development activities. Incentive payments will also be provided to support GP registrars to undertake primary and secondary caring responsibilities after the birth, adoption or fostering of a child. This includes salary incentives in the first term of community-based training, which will be provided to attract more doctors to consider a career in general practice and bridge the salary gap between hospital-based training and community-based training during the early period when they are learning how to bill Medicare. The NCP Framework will be updated, and, where relevant, new supporting documents published, to account for the new specific incentive payments from 2026.

For NCP payments to AGPT program participants, the parties involved in payment processing are the two GP colleges, the RACGP and ACRRM, and Services Australia. The department sets the payment structure and eligibility criteria under the NCP Framework and supporting documents. NCP Framework funds are also provided directly to the RACGP and ACRRM through their respective AGPT grant agreements to administer as a flexible pool to address specific needs to build capacity and support training in areas of workforce need.

For AGPT participants, the NCP payments are calculated and assessed by the GP colleges based on the requirements under the NCP framework and supporting documents. The GP colleges communicate payment requests to Services Australia to process and deliver payments to eligible AGPT program participants. Services Australia uses its Provider Payment System to deliver NCP payments to practices, supervisors and GP registrars on behalf of the department in accordance with the FFSP Act and the PGPA Act.

Both the GP colleges and Services Australia report on payments administered through the NCP Framework to the department for monitoring and evaluation. Satisfaction with the new incentive payments will be collected through the National Registrar Survey, an annual survey of GP registrars in Commonwealth-funded training programs.

For the incentive payments to RVTS participants, the disbursement of payments under the NCP Framework will occur through the grant agreement with RVTS Ltd. Payments to participants will be calculated and assessed by RVTS Ltd, based on the requirements under the NCP Framework and supporting documents, who will distribute payments directly to eligible RVTS registrars. Further streamlining of the disbursement of payments to eligible RVTS registrars may be considered in the future, including the possible expansion of payment eligibility and options to disburse through Services Australia’s Provider Payment System.

Funding amount and arrangements, merits review and consultation

Funding of $514.1 million was included in the 2025-26 Budget under the measure ‘Strengthening Medicare - Health Workforce’ for a period of four years commencing in 2025-26 (and $178.4 million per year ongoing). Details are set out in Budget 2025-26, Budget Measures, Budget Paper No. 2 at pages 56-57.

Funding for this item will come from Program 1.4: Health Workforce, which is part of Outcome 1. Details are set out in the Portfolio Budget Statements 2025-26, Budget Related Paper No. 1.9, Health and Aged Care Portfolio at page 51.

Invitation only, closed, non-competitive grant processes were undertaken in 2025-26 for the continued delivery of the AGPT program, including the delivery of college-led GP training through RACGP and ACRRM, and the delivery of the GP Training Support Activities program. A grant process for the RVTS will be undertaken prior to the end of 2026.

The RACGP and the ACRRM are eligible for the AGPT program College-led GP training grant opportunity as they have been assessed by the department to have:

the capability to deliver the specified stream project activities – they are the only organisations currently accredited by the Australian Medical Council to provide training for medical professionals wishing to obtain general practice specialty registration under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law;
have existing infrastructure and relationships to support the activities – they are currently delivering GP training to several thousand GP registrars; and
knowledge of and capability to deliver the objectives and outcomes – they are accredited to assess knowledge, clinical skills and professional attributes and award GP fellowship qualifications and have established the infrastructure and specialist knowledge required to undertake the grant activities.

The following four organisations, GPRA, GPTA Ltd, IGPTN and the CECMN, are eligible for the GP Training Support Activities program grant opportunity as the organisations have been assessed by the department to have:

capability to deliver the specified stream project activities;
existing infrastructure and relationships to support the activities;
knowledge of and capability to deliver the objectives and outcomes including specialist expertise in developing and delivering GP training supports; and
a proven track record of service delivery as evidenced from internal evaluation and data from the National Registrar Survey.

The RVTS Ltd is eligible for the RVTS grant opportunity as they have been assessed by the department to have:

capability to deliver the specified stream project activities – they are a
well-established organisation whose primary purpose is to administer the RVTS;
have existing infrastructure and relationships to undertake the grant activities; and
knowledge of and capability to deliver the objectives and outcomes.

Funding will be administered in accordance with the Commonwealth resource management framework, including the PGPA Act, the PGPA Rule and the CGRPs.

Grant opportunity guidelines for the AGPT program (ref: GO7756) and the GP Training Support Activities program (ref: GO7771) have been developed and published on GrantConnect under the relevant references.

A new RVTS grant opportunity will be developed and will be made available on GrantConnect following approval. Information on all grants will also be available on the GrantConnect website (www.grants.gov.au).

Consistent with the CGRPs, the department will have regard to the nine key principles in administering the grants together with the Community Grants Hub, part of DSS.

A delegate of the Secretary of the department under the FFSP Act will be responsible for approving Commonwealth funding provided to the relevant organisations to administer their respective programs. The decision maker for the grants will be at the SES Band 1 level or higher and the delegate for funding approval will be at an appropriate level for the total amount of the relevant grant in accordance with the department’s Accountable Authority Instructions and Financial Delegations. All delegates will have the experience and knowledge to exercise this function.

In determining eligibility for NCP Framework payments, as per the department’s NCP Framework and supporting documents, the RACGP, ACRRM and RVTS Ltd are acting in accordance with the requirements of their respective grant agreements with the Commonwealth. Decisions on the commitment of these funds under these arrangements are made consistent with the directions of a delegate of the Secretary of the department, who will perform their powers consistent with the PGPA Act and the FFSP Act. The delegate will be at the SES Band 1 level or higher and have appropriate experience and knowledge to exercise this function.

In delivering the NCP Framework payments, Services Australia are acting in accordance with a Service Agreement between itself and the department. Services Australia have provisions to deliver support payments for the department under the FFSP Act and the PGPA Act.

Grant allocation decisions made in connection with the program are not considered suitable for independent merits review as the benefit of the program is not directed towards the circumstances of particular persons, but rather applies generally to the community, and is therefore considered to be unsuitable for review. The program, by its nature, is unlikely to affect the interests of a sole individual. In addition, any funding that has already been allocated would be affected if the original decision was overturned. The ARC has recognised that it is justifiable to exclude merits review in relation to decisions of this nature (see paragraphs 4.11 to 4.19 of the ARC guide).

The ARC does consider that administrative accountability in relation to such allocative decisions should be given greater emphasis, including ensuring that:

the processes of allocating funds are fair;
the criteria for funding are made clear; and
decisions are made objectively.

In late 2023, the department consulted with a range of key stakeholders, including the members of the GPTAC, and the Medical Workforce Reform Advisory Committee (now the Medical Workforce Advisory Collaboration (MWAC)) which oversaw the development of the National Medical Workforce Strategy and provided advice to the Australian Government and state and territory health ministers on medical workforce reform priorities, including on work to improve attraction to the GP profession. This consultation informed the development of initiatives to grow the GP workforce as part of the 2025-26 Budget.

Consultation also occurred with the GP training sector from April to September 2024 for the mid-term review of the current AGPT program. There was general support for increasing the number of training places and prioritising training in regional, rural and remote areas, and other high priority service settings. In addition, extensive consultation and workshops to inform the delivery of the new incentive payments occurred between May and June 2025. This consultation informed the development of initiatives to grow the GP workforce.

The department regularly consults with the GP training sector, formally at least twice a year through the GPTAC, whose primary role is to provide advice to the Government on how to maintain and improve outcomes of GP training, as well as other direct and ad hoc engagements with other key stakeholders including the two GP colleges, RACGP and ACRRM, RVTS Ltd, GPRA, GPTA, GPSN, IGPTN, CECMN, Rural Doctors Association of Australia, the Office of the National Rural Health Commissioner and the Australian Medical Association. The most recent sector consultation was a meeting of the GPTAC in July 2025.

The department holds Joint GP College meetings 3-4 times per year and consults with broader health workforce stakeholders and states and territories on an as needed basis through mechanisms such as the MWAC, Health Workforce Taskforce, and the National Rural Generalist Pathway Jurisdictional Implementation Forum. The department will continue to engage closely with the GP training sector, including through the GPTAC, on the implementation and monitoring of GP training activities. An update on the implementation of this measure will be provided at the GPTAC’s next meeting in late 2025.

The department undertook significant research and sought relevant internal advice on the development and implementation of the new incentives. External expertise from DSS and the Australian Taxation Office will ensure that the policies align with and complement existing government initiatives e.g. in relation to the existing Parental Leave Pay and taxation law. The department will continue to coordinate with Services Australia to implement these new incentive payments for AGPT participants, expanding on the existing NCP Framework payment system.

Ongoing consultation within the sector is a key part of the program monitoring and governance mechanisms. The department will continue to engage closely with the GP training sector, including through the GPTAC, on the implementation and monitoring of the program.

Constitutional considerations

Noting that it is not a comprehensive statement of relevant constitutional considerations, the objective of the item references the following powers of the Constitution:

the social welfare power (section 51(xxiiiA));
the race power (section 51(xxvi)); and
the external affairs power (section 51(xxix)).

Social welfare power

The program is ultimately directed at improving the cultural competency of Commonwealth-funded medical services by supporting the delivery of GP education, incentives and training support services.

Race power

Section 51(xxvi) of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to make laws with respect to ‘the people of any race for whom it is deemed necessary to make special laws’.

The program seeks to improve the cultural safety of the GP registrar workforce with respect to First Nations people, support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander GP registrars undertaking the AGPT program and improve the cultural competency of the healthcare services that First Nations persons will receive from GP registrars.

External affairs power

Section 51(xxix) of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to make laws with respect to ‘external affairs’. The external affairs power supports legislation implementing Australia’s international obligations under treaties to which it is a party.

ICESCR

The delivery of the program will fund activities to bolster the GP workforce by ensuring adequate support resources for training, encouraging GP specialisation among students, improving the capacity of supervisors to provide training and by improving working conditions for all GPs. Increasing the GP workforce and supporting the professional development of GPs at all levels will improve the quality and availability of medical services and medical attention to those who are sick.

Table item 754 – Peer Workforce Association

New table item 754 establishes legislative authority for government spending on the establishment and operation of a Peer Workforce Association.

Funding of $4.3 million over three years from 2025-26 will support the establishment and operation of a Peer Workforce Association to represent and support peer workers across mental health and suicide prevention, AOD and psychosocial disability support service systems, including for First Nations peer workers.

Peer workers are people with a lived experience of mental ill-health and/or suicide (or their carers) who provide emotional and social support to others with a common experience, through a range of mediums (such as phone calls, face-to-face sessions and participating in multidisciplinary teams).

The type of support, and the role of peer workers, may vary according to the setting in which they are working. For example, the scope and breadth of peer worker roles may include (but is not limited to) providing care to individuals presenting to a mental health and/or suicide prevention service, as well as organisational leadership roles such as supervisory and/or executive governance positions, which facilitate the provision of peer worker services by an organisation and its staff. Unlike other mental health professions, peer workers’ personal experience, not training, is the core basis of their value and competency – although many have or are acquiring formal mental health qualifications. They are often employed in hospital settings, community mental health services, aged care, disability, and suicide prevention services.

The Peer Workforce Association aligns with the Government’s strategic priorities and commitments, including:

the National Mental Health Workforce Strategy 2022-2032 (www.health.gov.au/sites
/default/files/2023-10/national-mental-health-workforce-strategy-2022-2032.pdf) to address workforce capacity, composition and distribution issues to support service models that complement existing clinical offerings, including the new service model being delivered under Better Access Reform, which aims to shift away from a
one-size-fits-all approach in the mental health system and relieve pressure on the Better Access initiative;
the Better Access Evaluation (www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-12/main-report-evaluation-of-the-better-access-initiative.pdf), specifically in response to recommendations two and three, through considering opportunities to address workforce capacity, and composition issues in the context of complementary service delivery models to Better Access. These recommendations note that improved tailoring of care would likely reduce overall demand and allow consumers’ needs to be better matched to providers’ training, levels of experience and scopes of practice;
the Productivity Commission Inquiry Report into Mental Health (PC Inquiry) (https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/mental-health/report), released in 2020, which highlighted peer workers as a valuable but under-utilised part of the mental health workforce. The PC Inquiry noted several challenges that have hindered the development and effectiveness of a peer workforce, including insufficient recognition of the value of peer workers; inadequate supervision and support, poor professional development and career advancement, and the absence of a representative professional body, specifically Action 16.5, which recommends “the Australian Government should provide once-off seed funding to create a professional association for peer workers”; and
joint commitments of the Commonwealth, state and territory governments, under the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement (https://federalfinancialrelations.gov.au/agreements/mental-health-suicide-prevention-agreement) (Clause 159(e)) to support the lived experience (peer) workforce, as well as broader National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) reform, including establishment of Foundational Supports for those with a psychosocial disability outside of the NDIS (Actions 1.11, 7.5 and 7.6 of the Independent NDIS Review).

The Peer Workforce Association will be a critical step to strengthening the mental health and suicide prevention peer workforce and access to mental health and suicide prevention services that this workforce will provide. The Peer Workforce Association will also promote the creation of specialised peer worker roles and support upskilling of the broader mental health workforce on the role of peer workers, enhancing workplace culture to support peer workers and their beneficial role within multidisciplinary teams. While the Peer Workforce Association will focus on the mental health and suicide prevention peer workforce, it will provide a blueprint for supporting this workforce across broader, inter-connected settings e.g. AOD. The Peer Workforce Association will build capacity within the mental health and suicide prevention peer workforce, including for First Nations peer workers.

The Peer Workforce Association will support the development of a recognised, professional and sustainable mental health workforce, beyond the traditional clinical professions, to assist with meeting demand.

The intended outcomes of the Peer Workforce Association are: 

developing the role definitions for peer workers considering specific roles for mental health consumer and carer peer workers and suicide prevention peer workers;
developing a national supervision framework for peer workers;
defining career pathways for peer workers including pathways towards leadership and representative roles; 
developing national training pathways with multiple entry points including for youth;
developing workplace safety standards (including considerations for psychological safety);
increasing the awareness of the peer worker roles amongst health professionals and community care sector, including the reduction of stigma; and
supporting the implementation of best practice in training and supervising peer workers and their integration into multidisciplinary teams.

Funding amount and arrangements, merits review and consultation

Funding of $4.6 million was included in the 2024-25 Budget under the measure ‘Mental Health’ for a period of four years commencing in 2024-25. Details are set out in Budget 2024-25, Budget Measures, Budget Paper No. 2 at pages 116-117.

Funding of $4.3 million for this item will come from Program 1.2: Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, which is part of Outcome 1. Details are set out in the Portfolio Budget Statements 2025-26, Budget Related Paper No. 1.9, Health and Aged Care Portfolio at page 50 which shows funding for the program as part of a broader program.

Funding will be provided through an open competitive grant process which will be undertaken in 2025-26 and will be administered in accordance with the Commonwealth resource management framework, including the PGPA Act, the PGPA Rule and the CGRPs.

Consistent with the CGRPs, the department will develop grant opportunity guidelines and will have regard to the nine key principles in administering the grant.

Grant opportunity guidelines and information about the grant will be made available on the GrantConnect website (www.grants.gov.au), and the grant will be administered by the Community Grants Hub, part of DSS. A delegate of the Secretary of the department under the FFSP Act will be responsible for approving Commonwealth funding provided to the relevant providers. The delegate will be at the SES Band 2 level and will have appropriate experience and knowledge to exercise this function.

The ARC does consider that administrative accountability in relation to such allocative decisions should be given greater emphasis, including ensuring that:

the processes of allocating funds are fair;
the criteria for funding are made clear; and
decisions are made objectively.

Further, the right to review under section 75(v) of the Constitution and review under section 39B of the Judiciary Act 1903 may be available. Persons affected by spending decisions would also have recourse to the Commonwealth Ombudsman where appropriate.

Between May 2024 and September 2025, the department undertook consultations in relation to the establishment of a Peer Workforce Association. A standalone 2025 iteration of the 2019 Towards Professionalisation Report (commissioned by the National Mental Health Commission), undertaken by Lived Experience Australia Ltd, has been provided to the department and is intended to be published as a final report in late 2025. The final report was informed by consultations with the mental health and suicide prevention peer workforce sector and outlines several recommendations, including that the establishment of a Peer Workforce Association must be lived experience-led, self-determining and autonomous, and ensure integrity to the values and principles of lived experience (peer) work.

The department will continue to consider the final report and its recommendations, including how these recommendations can be adopted in the establishment of the Peer Workforce Association. In addition, the department’s complementary survey to the Peer Workforce sector closed on 28 July 2025, and findings will directly inform the design and implementation of the grant opportunity to establish the new Peer Workforce Association.

Ongoing consultation with the mental health and suicide prevention sector, including the National Mental Health Consumer Alliance and Mental Health Carers Australia, and government peer workforce contacts across all jurisdictions will continue throughout the Association establishment process to ensure inclusive engagement and informed decision-making and throughout the life of the grant agreement.

Constitutional considerations

Noting that it is not a comprehensive statement of relevant constitutional considerations, the objective of the item references the external affairs power (section 51(xxix)) of the Constitution.

External affairs power

ICESCR

The establishment of the Peer Workforce Association aims to drive a culture of professionalisation and build capacity within the peer workforce who work across the mental health and suicide prevention, AOD, and psychosocial disability support service systems. This will strengthen access to mental health services and support a multi-disciplinary response.

Table item 755 – Precision Medicine and Rare Cancers Program

New table item 755 establishes legislative authority for government spending on the Precision Medicine and Rare Cancers Program (the program).

Although there has been improvement in survival rates for cancer over recent decades, these improvements have not been equal across all cancer types. For example, in 2024, more than 40,000 Australians were diagnosed with rare or less common cancers, making up 24 per cent of all cancer diagnoses in Australia, which constitutes 33 per cent of all cancer mortality in Australia.

There are significant disparities in access to precision guided treatment options for children and adolescents with ‘paediatric-type’ or relapsed childhood cancers (which are rare and less common in the 19-25 year old age group), partially due to patients with rare and less common cancers often exhibiting vague and non-specific signs and symptoms, leading to delays in diagnosis and referral, and reducing the number of more likely effective treatment options available.

The objective of the program is to ensure that Australians affected by cancer can benefit from the latest in scientific and clinical understanding by improving access to genomic profiling and equipping both patients and medical practitioners with accurate and timely information about diagnosis and treatment.

Funding of $150.2 million over four years from 2025-26 will support the continuation of the following precision oncology initiatives that have proven successful in increasing access to diagnosis and treatment options for patients with rare and less common cancers.

Precision Oncology Screening Platform Enabling Clinical Trials (PrOSPeCT program)

Funding of $30.8 million will support the continuation of the PrOSPeCT program from
2025-26. The PrOSPeCT program, led by the Australian Genomic Cancer Medicine Centre Ltd (known as Omico), provides comprehensive genomic profiling of cancers to Australians with advanced, incurable or poor prognosis cancers from across Australia, including those residing in rural and remote communities. Based on the genomic profile, eligible patients can access clinical trials that investigate biomarker-dependent cancer treatments and other therapies.

Omico is a not-for-profit organisation that brings together a network of research and cancer treatment centres that facilitate, support and promote genomic cancer medicine. To date, Omico has created over 164 direct jobs and over 820 indirect jobs. Omico predicts that continuation of the program will continue to grow jobs in the sector and help attract clinical trials to Australia.

Zero Childhood Cancer Precision Medicine Program (ZERO)

Funding of $91.6 million will support the continuation of ZERO, from 2025-26. ZERO, led by the Children’s Cancer Institute Australia, delivers a comprehensive precision medicine platform for children and adolescents (aged up to 18 years old) with cancer, irrespective of cancer type or stage. ZERO analyses the driver genes in cancers for children who have exhausted other treatment options and have less than 30 per cent chance of survival. Drugs are matched to the driver genes, including drugs not normally matched to the type of cancer.

Continuing ZERO ensures precision-guided care continues to be available to children and adolescents up to the age of 18 in Australia with cancer.

Zero Childhood Cancer Precision Medicine Program Expansion to 19-25 year olds (ZERO expansion)

Funding of $21.0 million will support the ZERO expansion from 2025-26 which will support patients aged 19-25 with ‘paediatric type’ cancers to access ZERO. The ZERO expansion will positively impact individuals aged between 19 and 25 with rare and less common cancers by enabling access to genomic profiling and precision medicine treatment options.

Australian Rare Cancer Portal (ARCP)

Funding of $6.7 million will support the continuation of the ARCP, which connects patients and treating medical practitioners with subspecialists on genomic profiling and precision medicine. The ARCP, led by BioGrid Australia, provides users requiring support for a rare cancer with access to a network of experts, guidelines and research. The ARCP will enhance equity by providing patients with access to specialist rare cancer care outside of metropolitan areas, reducing the need for unnecessary travel to tertiary or specialist cancer centres in capital cities.

The continuation of the ARCP will support individuals with rare and less common cancers and medical practitioners to access guidance on genomic profiling, and expert advice, regardless of where they live. The funding will also support an outreach trial in Queensland through a partnership with Cancer Alliance Queensland.

On 14 June 2023, the Senate referred the issue of equitable access to diagnosis and treatment for individuals with rare and less common cancers, including neuroendocrine cancer, to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee (the Senate Committee) for inquiry and report (the Senate Inquiry). The purpose of the Senate Inquiry was to explore the factors contributing to the inequitable diagnosis, treatment, research, and support for those affected by rare and less common cancers. The Senate Inquiry received 149 public submissions from organisations and individuals and held five days of public hearings between 31 January 2024 to 9 April 2024 where both the department and Cancer Australia appeared.

On 16 May 2024, the Senate Committee handed down its Report into equitable access to diagnosis and treatment for individuals with rare and less common cancers, including neuroendocrine cancers (the Report), available at: www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_
Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Cancerdiagnosis/Report. The Report made 41 recommendations. The program addresses the following four Report recommendations:

Recommendation 7: the committee recommends that the Australian Government investigate opportunities to increase equitable uptake and access to genomic screening and profiling for Australians;
Recommendation 9: the committee recommends that the Australian Government, through the Medical Research Future Fund, extend funding for the ZERO Childhood Cancer Program beyond June 2025;
Recommendation 34: the committee recommends that the Australian Government ensure continued funding for rare and less common cancer projects to reduce existing research and clinical trial disparities; and
Recommendation 36: the committee recommends that the Australian Government explore options to provide incentives to expand genomic research in Australia.

The following public announcements on the program components were made by the Government in early 2025:

26 February 2025 – funding of $6.7 million to expand the ARCP, announced by the former Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Ged Kearney MP. Details of the announcement are available at: www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-ged-kearney-mp/media/funding-to-expand-australian-rare-cancer-portal; and
6 March 2025 – funding of $143.4 million to extend the PrOSPeCT program and the Zero Program, announced by the Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon Mark Butler MP. Details of the announcement are available at: www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-mark-butler-mp/media/securing-the-future-of-precision-medicine-for-a-cancer-free-future.

The overall intended program outcomes are to continue and expand existing initiatives to improve equitable access to genomic profiling and precision medicine for Australians with advanced, incurable or paediatric-type cancers, including those in rural and remote areas. The test results can help increase survival rates by informing which treatments and drugs are most likely to be effective based on the genetic make-up of the particular tumour. The program aligns with the Australian Cancer Plan (www.australiancancerplan.gov.au) and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cancer Plan.

Funding amount and arrangements, merits review and consultation

Funding of $150.3 million for the Program was included in the 2025-26 Budget under the measure ‘Medical Research and Clinical Trials’ for a period of five years commencing in 2024-25. Details are set out in Budget 2025-26, Budget Measures, Budget Paper No. 2 at page 50.

Funding of $150.2 million over four years from 2025-26 for this item will come from Program 1.5 – Preventive Health and Chronic Disease Support, which is part of Outcome 1. Details are set out in the Portfolio Budget Statements 2025-26, Budget Related Paper No. 1.9, Health and Aged Care Portfolio at page 51.

Multiple invitation only, closed, non-competitive grant processes were undertaken in
2025-26. Omico, the Children’s Cancer Institute Australia and BioGrid Australia are eligible for the grant opportunities as they have been assessed by the department to have:

capability to deliver the specified stream project activities;
existing infrastructure and relationships to support the activities; and
knowledge of and capability to deliver the objectives and outcomes.

The decision to fund Omico, the Children’s Cancer Institute Australia and BioGrid Australia is to ensure the continuity of precision oncology initiatives that are successful in increasing access to diagnosis and treatment options for patients with rare and less common and will ensure access to support and medical treatment for affected individuals.

The grants will be administered in accordance with the Commonwealth resource management framework, including the PGPA Act, the PGPA Rule and the CGRPs.

Consistent with the CGRPs, the department has developed grant opportunity guidelines and will have regard to the nine key principles in administering the grants. Grant opportunity guidelines (ref: GO7786, GO7703 and GO7704) and information about the grants are available on the GrantConnect website (www.grants.gov.au), and the grants will be administered by the Community Grants Hub, part of DSS.

A delegate of the Secretary of the department under the FFSP Act will be responsible for approving Commonwealth funding provided to the eligible organisations. The delegate will be at the SES Band 1, SES Band 2 and/or SES Band 3 level and have appropriate experience and knowledge to exercise this function.

On 16 May 2024, the Senate Committee handed down its Report. The Government response to the Senate Committee Report was tabled on 28 August 2025. Continuation of the program’s funding activities is partly in response to the Report recommendations.

The decision for continuation of the program stemmed from the public consultation in 2024 in response to the Report through public hearings and written submissions, and close consultation undertaken with relevant internal teams of the department which provided valuable guidance regarding the proposals scope and funding mechanisms. Feedback from these consultations was supportive and was incorporated into the design and implementation of the grant opportunity guidelines.

Constitutional considerations

Noting that it is not a comprehensive statement of relevant constitutional considerations, the objective of the item references the following powers of the Constitution:

the communications power (section 51(v)); and
the social welfare power (section 51(xxiiiA)).

Communications power

Section 51(v) of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to make laws with respect to ‘postal, telegraphic, telephonic and other like services’.

The ARCP is an internet resource which provides treating medical practitioners with advice from Australian and international rare cancer subspecialists, guidance on genomic profiling and possible treatment options. This resource is accessible by practitioners, researchers and patients.

Social welfare power

PrOSPeCT and ZERO provide medical services to affected patients, in particular, the genomic profiling of, and delivering of personalised treatment to, specific patients.

Table item 756 – Strategic Agreement on Pharmacist Professional Practice

New table item 756 establishes legislative authority for government spending on the Strategic Agreement for Pharmacist Professional Practice (the Strategic Agreement) for the updating of Australia’s pharmacist practice standards and guidelines.

The Strategic Agreement commenced on 1 July 2024 and will expire on 30 June 2029. The Strategic Agreement recognises the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Limited (PSA) as the national peak body for pharmacists working in Australia. Under the terms of the Strategic Agreement, the Commonwealth has recognised a joint commitment with the PSA to support the highest standard of professionalism in the pharmacy sector and supports the central pillars of the National Medicines Policy 2022 (National Medicines Policy) (www.health.gov.au/
sites/default/files/2022-12/national-medicines-policy.pdf) which includes:

equitable, timely, safe and reliable access to medicines and medicines-related services, at a cost that individuals and the community can afford;
medicines meet the required standards of quality, safety and efficacy; and
quality use of medicines and medicines safety.

Funding for the Strategic Agreement also aligns with the 10th National Health Priority Area ‘Quality use of medicines and medicines safety’, recognised by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Health Council in 2019.

Funding of $1.0 million in 2025-26 will be provided to the PSA with the objective of further promoting the standards of professionalism in the pharmacy profession, and will encompass the following actions:

further development of the Code of Ethics for Pharmacists, including reviewing the structure with respect to content and scope, ease of use and understanding by pharmacists in guiding their professional practice and the process needed to achieve excellence in the practice of pharmacy and where appropriate complementary materials developed to support expected standards and ethical behaviour of pharmacists and their professional practice;
- The final revised Code of Ethics will be made digitally accessible with the PSA being required to host the revised Code of Ethics via its own website, including the undertaking of all maintenance required to maintain optimal user access and experience during the availability period, being the period from the delivery of the revised Code of Ethics until it is reviewed and updated at a future date.
maintenance, review, update and development of the Professional Practice Standards and practice guidelines for pharmacy programs. This work will be aimed at providing pharmacists with practice information and guidance to support the safe and quality use of medicines and increasing accountability, measurability and assessment of pharmacist practice, including performance measures, to assist delivery of best practice at an individual, provider and industry level;
maintenance of the National Competency Standards Framework for Pharmacists in Australia (Competency Standards). This work will include the development of implementation tools for any updates to the Competency Standards, to enable pharmacists to fulfill their scope of practice to meet the current and future healthcare needs of the Australian community;
further development of the Clinical Governance Principles for Pharmacy Services. This work will ensure that those principles are consistent with the aims of the National Medicines Policy and reflect international contemporary best practice in the delivery of pharmacy services and will include supporting pharmacists with implementing the requirements to improve the quality of patient care delivered though pharmacy services; and
analysis of pharmacy credentialling and accreditation processes. This work will ensure that the continuous quality improvement and recognition systems available to pharmacists represent latest international best practice.

Funding amount and arrangements, merits review and consultation

Funding of $1.0 million in 2025-26 was included in the 2025-26 Budget under the measure ‘Improving Access to Medicines and Pharmacy Programs’, to support implementation of the Strategic Agreement. Details are set out in Budget 2025-26, Budget Measures, Budget Paper No. 2 at pages 49–50.

Funding for this item will come from Program 2.3: Pharmaceutical Benefits, which is part of Outcome 2. Details are set out in the Portfolio Budget Statements 2025-26, Budget Related Paper No. 1.9 Health and Aged Care Portfolio at page 76.

A select, limited procurement process was undertaken in 2025 to engage the PSA, as the national peak body for pharmacists working in all practice settings across Australia, as
co-signatory to the Strategic Agreement. Information about the resultant contract is available on AusTender at www.tenders.gov.au (ref: CN4137244).

Funding will be administered in accordance with the Commonwealth resource management framework, including the PGPA Act, the PGPA Rule and the Commonwealth Procurement Rules (CPRs). A delegate of the Secretary of the department under the FFSP Act will be responsible for approving Commonwealth funding. The delegate will be at the SES Band 1 level and have appropriate experience and knowledge to exercise this function.

Procurement decisions will be based on value for money, including capability and capacity to deliver, and price and risk considerations. The department will manage the contract and make the required payments based on the contract. 

Procurement decisions made in relation to the PSA are not considered suitable for independent merits review, as they are decisions relating to the allocation of a finite resource, from which all potential claims for a share of the resource cannot be met. In addition, any funding that has already been allocated would be affected if the original decision was overturned. As the national peak body for pharmacists working in all practice settings across Australia, the PSA is the recognised custodian of the following:

Code of Ethics for Pharmacists;
National Competency Standards Framework;
Professional Practice Standards;
Clinical Governance Framework for Pharmacy Services; and
guidelines related to the above documents describing performance measures.

The ARC has recognised that it is justifiable to exclude merits review in relation to decisions of this nature (see paragraphs 4.11 to 4.19 of the ARC guide).

The remaking of a procurement decision after entry into a contractual arrangement with a successful provider is legally complex, impractical, and could result in delays to providing services to platform users. The Government Procurement (Judicial Review) Act 2018 enables suppliers to challenge some procurement processes for alleged breaches of certain procurement rules. This legislation might provide an additional avenue of redress (compensation or injunction) for dissatisfied providers or potential providers, depending on the circumstances.

The Strategic Agreement made between the Commonwealth and the PSA, arose out of negotiations of the Eighth Community Pharmacy Agreement (8CPA). Negotiation of the 8CPA involved extensive consultations between August 2023 and May 2024, with over 100 meetings being held with over 20 organisations, including the PSA, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and the Consumers Health Forum of Australia. Consultations involved discussions on a broad range of issues relating to pharmacy remuneration, service delivery, practice standards and guidelines, as well as medicines access and pricing issues for patients. The outcomes of these discussions highlighted that existing pharmacy practice standards, guidelines and reference documents would require review and further development.

At the culmination of negotiations of the 8CPA it was agreed that, in recognition of PSA’s role as co-signatory to Part II of the previous (Seventh) Community Pharmacy Agreement, which specifically dealt with the professional practice of pharmacists in Australia, a separate Strategic Agreement would be entered into between the Commonwealth and the PSA. This agreement would separately address the required reviews and further development of standards, guidelines and reference documents as outlined above, over the term of the 8CPA.

Constitutional considerations

Noting that it is not a comprehensive statement of relevant constitutional considerations, the objective of the item references the external affairs power (section 51(xxix)) of the Constitution.

External affairs power

ICESCR

Each of the activities to be undertaken by the PSA under the Strategic Agreement will support professionalism in the pharmacy sector and this, in turn, will contribute to the prevention, treatment and control of disease and the creation of conditions which would assure to all medical service and attention in the event of sickness.

Table item 757 – Translation and Interpretation Services for Primary Health Networks

New table item 757 establishes legislative authority for government spending on the Translation and Interpretation Services (TIS) for Primary Health Networks (PHN) program (the TIS program).

TIS National helps people with limited English proficiency to communicate with agencies and businesses Australia wide. TIS National also delivers the Free Translating Service and the Free Interpreting Service on behalf of the Australian Government. Home Affairs delivers the TIS program as a free service, which is not means tested, and aims to remove language barriers for CALD Australians. TIS National provides the following interpreter services to CALD Australians when accessing PHN mental health services:

telephone interpreting, including client initiated, automated and pre-booked interpreting services;
on site, face-to-face interpreting at a specified location; and.
video remote interpreting service by video conferencing.

The objective of the TIS Program is to ensure that individuals with no, or limited proficiency in the English language have access to interpreting services when accessing PHN mental health services and removes barriers to mental health services for CALD Australians.

Since implementation in February 2023, the TIS program has been accessed over 11,000 times by PHN commissioned mental health services. This figure continues to rise, with average monthly usage of 700 interpreting sessions. To date, the top three languages are Farsi, Arabic and Dari.

In 2024, the department engaged Nous Group Pty Ltd (Nous Group) to undertake an independent evaluation of the TIS program for the purpose of informing future policy and funding. The ‘Evaluation of translating and interpreting services for Primary Health Network funded mental health services’ (the Evaluation) (www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-04/evaluation-of-translating-and-interpreting-services-for-primary-health-network-funded-mental-health-services.pdf) considered the implementation, appropriateness, effectiveness, and efficiency of the TIS program, and provided the following insights:

interpreting services are essential for individuals who require mental health support and do not speak English proficiently - while other approaches may complement interpreting services, alternate services cannot fully replace the need for professional interpreters;
people from CALD backgrounds have unique mental health needs and cultural factors and past experiences impact people’s experience of mental health and mental health services;
mental health can be understood and experienced differently across cultures;
PHN funded mental health service contacts involving an interpreter increased from 1.4 per cent in 2022-23 to 2.5 per cent in 2023-24;
PHN funded mental health services are using interpreting services around 400 times per month, however, there is a significant number of unmet requests for TIS, with the primary barrier being the limited availability of qualified interpreters;
there is a lack of awareness about the availability of free TIS among both service providers and consumers;
70 per cent of mental health service staff and consumers were satisfied with the TIS program; and
the increased usage of the TIS program indicates that the TIS program is reducing the language barriers to mental health services.

The intended outcome of the TIS program is to remove language barriers so people from CALD backgrounds can access mental health support. This outcome supports effective communication between clients and practitioners, leading to safe, inclusive and equitable care. The TIS program also ensures that mental health services funded by PHNs are culturally responsive and aligned with broader government policies and priorities including the Government’s Multicultural Access and Equity Policy (www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about-us/our-portfolios/multicultural-affairs/about-multicultural-affairs/access-and-equity) and the Australian Government Language Service Guidelines (https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/

settlement-services-subsite/files/language-services-guidelines.pdf).

Funding amount and arrangements, merits review and consultation

Funding of $3.3 million in 2025-26 for the item will come from Program 1.2: Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, which is part of Outcome 1. Details are set out in the Portfolio Budget Statements 2025-26, Budget Related Paper No.1.9, Health and Aged Care Portfolio at page 50.

The department funds the TIS program for the use of interpreter and translation services by PHNs providing mental health services to CALD individuals. The department is responsible for the policy intention, design, services offered and eligibility for the TIS program. The TIS program is administered by Home Affairs on behalf of the department.

Funding for the TIS program will be administered in accordance with the Commonwealth resource management framework, including the PGPA Act, the PGPA Rule and the CPRs.

A delegate of the Secretary of the department will make decisions in accordance with the applicable legislative requirements under the PGPA Act and the FFSP Act and will be responsible for approving Commonwealth funding. The delegate will be at the SES Band 1 level and have appropriate experience and knowledge to exercise this function.

Decisions made in connection with the TIS program are not considered suitable for independent merits review, as they are decisions relating to the allocation of a finite resource, from which all potential claims for a share of the resource cannot be met. In addition, any funding that has already been allocated would be affected if the original decision was overturned. The ARC has recognised that it is justifiable to exclude merits review in relation to decisions of this nature (see paragraphs 4.11 to 4.19 of the ARC guide).

The remaking of a procurement decision after entry into a contractual arrangement with a successful provider is legally complex, impractical, and could result in delays to providing services to users. The Government Procurement (Judicial Review) Act 2018 enables suppliers to challenge some procurement processes for alleged breaches of certain procurement rules. This legislation might provide an additional avenue of redress (compensation or injunction) for dissatisfied providers or potential providers, depending on the circumstances.

The department consults with all 31 PHNs bi-monthly through PHN-led multicultural meetings and on an as needed basis, guided by the TIS program priorities and operational requirements. As key partners in the delivery of the TIS program, PHNs are engaged through training sessions and regular updates on various aspects of the TIS program, including funding, service usage, and evaluation. Feedback has ranged from improvements on a standard operating procedure, updates for a website and how to advertise the service more appropriately. Valuable input has been provided into how the TIS program operates, including identifying areas of improvement which the department implements where appropriate.

A client facing inbox has been developed which is managed by the department and allows PHNs and mental health services the opportunity to contact the department with feedback. Feedback is provided directly to Home Affairs who have a client relations and complaints resolution team. Reports are provided to PHNs by the department, using the data gathered to advise the frequency of usage of the TIS program. The department also consults PHNs every six months to update the list of mental health services they commission which is then provided to Home Affairs to support the verification of services as PHN funded, enabling access to the TIS program upon registration. Usage of TIS to access PHN funded mental health services, continues to grow with trust and awareness of the TIS program.

As part of the independent evaluation of the TIS program conducted by Nous Group, stakeholder engagement activities were undertaken with a broad range of stakeholders including the following:

engagement with 67 carers and consumers, interpreters, Government agencies and TIS National;
meetings with 44 mental health services;
considered 82 responses to service provider surveys;
interviews with 16 PHNs and 9 CALD consumers and/or carers; and
interviews with 16 peak, advocacy and representative bodies including:
- Embrace Multicultural Mental Health;
- Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network;
- Settlement Council of Australia;
- Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia;
- Victorian Transcultural Mental Health;
- Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health;
- Australian Multicultural Health Collaborative;
- Australian LGBTIQ Multicultural Council Inc;
- Centre for Culture, Ethnicity and Health;
- Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma;
- Foundation House;
- NSW Transcultural Mental Health Service;
- Multicultural Services Centre of Western Australia;
- Association for Services to Torture and Trauma Survivors;
- PHN Cooperative; and
- World Wellness Group.

Feedback gathered from the stakeholder engagement activities has been generally supportive of the TIS program.

Constitutional considerations

Noting that it is not a comprehensive statement of relevant constitutional considerations, the objective of the item references the external affairs power (section 51(xxix)) of the Constitution.

External affairs power

ICESCR

Providing TIS services through PHN commissioned mental health services will assist CALD individuals to access and make use of mental health services.

Table item 758 – Primary Health Care–Infrastructure Grants

New table item 758 establishes legislative authority for government spending on the Primary Health Care – Infrastructure Grants program (the program) to support an integrated community service hub approach to enhanced patient care through the establishment of four new health centres.

The program, which includes capital works and construction, will establish local health service infrastructure, and improve health equity, access and outcomes for people in these areas, by creating more early intervention, prevention and wraparound care opportunities. Once the infrastructure works have been completed, the new facilities will attract and maintain a local health workforce, as well as introduce new training sites for multidisciplinary professions. This would build a local health workforce, critical to a stronger Medicare, delivering high quality care to all Australians.

The program will implement the 2025 Federal election commitments for primary care in line with Labor’s costed plan to Build Australia’s Future.  

Funding of $178.1 million over four years from 2025-26 will support capital works and construction of the following four new health centres:

Burnie Health Hub, Tasmania (Burnie Hub)

Funding will be provided for capital works for the fit-out and refurbishment of the University of Tasmania (UTAS) campus facility to provide a new primary health care hub located in Burnie, Tasmania. Once the infrastructure works are complete, the facility will host a wide range of health services including a general practice, pharmacy, women’s health, imaging, and pathology. The Burnie Hub will allow operational flexibility to meet the health service needs of the local community.

The funding objectives of the Burnie Hub are to:

fit out and refurbish the existing UTAS facility to establish a primary health care hub in Burnie, Tasmania;
provide co-located primary health care services for patients, healthcare providers and the community in general; and
improve access and health outcomes for people in Northwest Tasmania once the primary health care hub is operational.

Smithton Health Hub Tasmania (Smithton Hub)

Funding will be provided for a new primary health care hub in Smithton, Tasmania. The purpose-built facility will co-locate general practice and allied health services. This will increase consulting capacity, improve access to chronic disease management, and attract and maintain medical professionals for the local region.

The Smithton Hub will support the relocation of Ochre Health services from the current premises into one that can accommodate a larger, more comprehensive health service. The Smithton Hub will allow operational flexibility to meet the health service needs of the local community and not stipulate pre-defined services to be provided.

The funding objectives of the Smithton Hub are to:

build a new modern, purpose-built medical facility in Smithton, Tasmania;
provide improved access to health care services due to additional GP consulting rooms, allied health and chronic disease management rooms;
provide additional space for the care of chronic conditions to allow for more effective carrying out of chronic disease management services;
provide access to private ambulance access for patient transfers;
improve facilities to attract more medical professionals and reduce GP turnover; and
provide long-term security of a general practice in Circular Head, Tasmania, ensuring consistent and quality healthcare for the region.

West Brisbane Health and Housing Clinic, Queensland (the West End Clinic)

Funding will be provided for a new Health and Housing Clinic in Brisbane’s West End, Queensland. The purpose-built facility will provide free primary health care to people with complex wraparound service needs.

The West End Clinic will host a wide range of health services including a general practice, free dental services, nurse-led care, allied health services including podiatry, wellness therapies and women’s health services and will allow operational flexibility to meet the health service needs of the local community.

The funding objectives of the West End Clinic are to:

build a new Health and Housing Clinic in Brisbane’s West End;
provide free integrated and wraparound care to women and children, tenants in social housing, people living with disabilities and people experiencing disadvantage, social isolation and homelessness in Brisbane’s West End; and
reduce reliance on hospitals and emergency departments for unnecessary presentations with the aim of reducing the rates of hospitalisations and readmissions in Brisbane’s West End.

Flinders HealthCARE Centre, South Australia

Funding will be provided for the construction of the new Flinders HealthCARE Centre on the Flinders campus in Adelaide.

The capital investment will support the construction of a 10-storey building that will be used entirely for university-led clinical primary healthcare services, university teaching and research purposes. The building will include three floors of public facing clinical space. The remaining floors will be used exclusively for university purposes, specifically to house the teaching and research activities associated with the nursing and allied health disciplines.

The Flinders HealthCARE Centre aims to provide an estimated 10,000 additional nursing and allied health appointments annually, and up to 1,300 additional work-ready health care graduates each year, helping to address workforce shortages.

The funding objectives of the Flinders HealthCARE Centre are to:

construct a new healthcare facility on the Flinders campus;
deliver a future focussed response to Australia’s Long Term National Health Plan (www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/australia-s-long-term-national-health-plan_0.pdf) by advancing all four of its strategic pillars through a university-led model of integrated care, training and research; and
embed mental health within general practice, nursing and allied health placements into the Flinders HealthCARE Centre to strengthen the future workforce capacity to respond to rising mental health needs.

The overall intended outcomes of the program are to:

improve patient outcomes with the co-location of primary health care services, allied and oral health services, to allow for better communication between different healthcare providers, resulting in more cohesive and coordinated care for patients;
simplify patient experience by providing comprehensive care in one place, making it easier to manage appointments and follow-up visits;
increase the number of patients receiving care and reduce waiting times;
provide essential acute services by managing conditions in the community that would otherwise lead to emergency presentations or admissions;
increase access to Allied Health professionals reducing the need to travel long distances for essential care;
provide student training opportunities with the aim of building the local workforce;
provide education and wellness programs through community programs, workshops, and health education that support overall wellbeing and patient empowerment including the delivery of preventative health services oriented toward managing chronic conditions and promoting health lifestyles and addressing social determinants of health; and
meet the practical completion requirements and open the new health centres in Smithton, Tasmania and in West Brisbane, Queensland, for service delivery before
30 June 2027.

Funding amount and arrangements, merits review and consultation

Funding of $178.1 million over four years from 2025-26 for the program will be included in the 2025-26 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook and the Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements 2025-26 for the Health, Disability and Ageing portfolio. This includes funding of $150.0 million over four years from 2025-26 for the Flinders HealthCARE Centre which was published in the Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Outlook 2025 on pages 25-28.

Funding for the item will come from Program 1.6: Primary Health Care Quality and Coordination which is part of Outcome 1.

Invitation only, closed, non-competitive grant processes were opened by the department in early 2025-26 for the Burnie Hub and the Flinders HealthCARE Centre. Invitation only,
non-competitive grant processes will be undertaken by the department in 2025-26 for the Smithton Health Hub (via Circular Head Council) and the West End Clinic (via Micah Projects Ltd).

These four organisations are eligible for the grant opportunities, consistent with the 2025 election commitments, and through the grant processes will be assessed by the department for the following criteria:

demonstrated experience and knowledge to deliver the specified infrastructure projects;
existing infrastructure and relationships to support the initiatives/activities including strong community support from local health practitioners, health organisations and government;
capability to deliver the specified stream project activities; and
the knowledge, specialist experience and capability to deliver the objectives and outcomes of the program.

The grants will be administered in accordance with the Commonwealth resource management framework, including the PGPA Act, the PGPA Rule and the CGRPs. Consistent with the CGRPs, the department has developed grant opportunity guidelines and will have regard to the nine key principles in administering the grants.

Grant opportunity guidelines (ref: GO7915 and ref: GO7922) and information about the grants are available on the GrantConnect website (www.grants.gov.au), and the grants will be administered by the Community Grants Hub, part of DSS.

A delegate of the Secretary of the department under the FFSP Act will be responsible for approving Commonwealth funding. For grants, except for the Flinders HealthCARE Centre, the delegate will be at the SES Band 1 level as they have the appropriate experience and knowledge to exercise this function. The delegate for the Flinders HealthCARE Centre will be at the SES Band 2 level as they have appropriate delegations, experience and knowledge to exercise this function.

Funding decisions made in connection with the program are not considered suitable for independent merits review because the funding will be delivered through multiple closed non-competitive grant processes to organisations that the department has assessed as suitable. The benefits of the program are not directed towards the circumstances of particular persons, but rather apply generally to the community, and are therefore considered to be unsuitable for review. The program by its nature is unlikely to affect the interests of a sole individual. The ARC has recognised that it is justifiable to exclude merits review in relation to decisions of this nature (see paragraphs 4.11 to 4.19 of the ARC guide).

Since April 2025, the department has consulted with each of the entities that would support the establishment of the four new health centres and will continue to consult with these entities to inform the design and development of the grant opportunity guidelines and the implementation of the capital works and construction initiatives under the program.

In addition, the department has consulted with the Community Grants Hub and the Department of Finance throughout the design and development of the grant opportunities. Where required, the department has also consulted with state departments, local councils, PHNs and Local Heath Networks to ensure the grant recipients have the skills, resources and support to deliver the new infrastructure grants. Consultation would be ongoing throughout the life of the grant agreements.

Constitutional considerations

Noting that it is not a comprehensive statement of relevant constitutional considerations, the objective of the item references the external affairs power (section 51(xxix)) of the Constitution.

External affairs power

ICESCR

The program will support the construction of health service facilities which ensures that Australians are provided access to a wide range of medical services. This will support the prevention and treatment of mental and physical illnesses and create better conditions of access to such services.

Attachment B

Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights

Prepared in accordance with Part 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011

Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Health, Disability and Ageing Measures No. 3) Regulations 2025

This disallowable legislative instrument is compatible with the human rights and freedoms recognised or declared in the international instruments listed in section 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011.

Overview of the legislative instrument

Section 32B of the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997 (the FFSP Act) authorises the Commonwealth to make, vary and administer arrangements and grants specified in the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Regulations 1997 (the Principal Regulations) and to make, vary and administer arrangements and grants for the purposes of programs specified in the Regulations. Schedule 1AA and Schedule 1AB to the Principal Regulations specify the arrangements, grants and programs. The powers in the FFSP Act to make, vary or administer arrangements or grants may be exercised on behalf of the Commonwealth by Ministers and the accountable authorities of non‑corporate Commonwealth entities, as defined under section 12 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.

This disallowable legislative instrument makes the following amendments to Part 3 of Schedule 1AB:

adds table item 98 ‘Grant to Capital Health Network Ltd–Alcohol and Other Drugs’;
adds table item 99 ‘Grant to Wentworth Healthcare Limited’;
adds table item 100 ‘Grant to Launceston City Mission Inc’;
adds table item 101 ‘Grant to the University of New South Wales for the National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs’;
adds table item 102 ‘Grant to Street Side Medics Limited’;
adds table item 103 ‘Grant to Capital Health Network Ltd–Access to Bulk Billing General Practitioners’;

and the following amendments to Part 4 of Schedule 1AB:

adds table item 752 ‘Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Research’;
adds table item 753 ‘General Practice Training’;
adds table item 754 ‘Peer Workforce Association’;
adds table item 755 ‘Precision Medicine and Rare Cancers Program’;
adds table item 756 ‘Strategic Agreement on Pharmacist Professional Practice’;
adds table item 757 ‘Translation and Interpretation Services for Primary Health Networks’; and
adds table item 758 ‘Primary Health Care–Infrastructure Grants’.

Table item 98 – Grant to Capital Health Network Ltd – Alcohol and Other Drugs

New table item 98 establishes legislative authority for the Government to provide a grant to Capital Health Network Ltd to support a Community Withdrawal Support Service in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) (the grant).

Capital Health Network Ltd is the ACT’s Primary Health Network (PHN). The ACT PHN will commission Karralika Programs Inc (Karralika), a not-for-profit organisation specialising in alcohol and other drugs (AOD) services within the ACT, to deliver a non-residential withdrawal program designed to help individuals safely reduce or cease their AOD use from the comfort of their own home.

Funding of $0.7 million in 2025-26 to the ACT PHN will aim to:

facilitate the reduction or cessation of AOD use to promote short-term improvements in health and wellbeing;
provide a flexible response for individuals requiring withdrawal support and/or stabilisation, including linkage to bed-based withdrawal services where appropriate; and
contribute to an integrated and coordinated care pathway by connecting individuals with ongoing AOD aftercare and broader community health and wellbeing services.

Human rights implications

Table item 98 engages the following rights:

the right to health – Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), read with Article 2;
the rights of people with disability – Articles 3 and 25 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), read with Article 4; and
the rights of the child – Article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), read with Article 4.

Right to health 

Article 2(1) of the ICESCR requires each State Party to ‘take steps… to the maximum of its available resources, with a view to achieving progressively the full realization’ of the rights recognised in the ICESCR ‘by all appropriate means, including particularly the adoption of legislative measures’.

Article 12(1) of the ICESCR recognises the ‘right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health’.

Articles 12(2)(c) and 12(2)(d) of the ICESCR requires Australia to take steps necessary for ‘the prevention, treatment and control of epidemic, endemic, occupational and other diseases’ and ‘the creation of conditions which would assure to all medical service and medical attention in the event of sickness’. 

The services/activities provided under the grant including AOD withdrawal and support services promote access to timely, voluntary, and evidence-based care and reduce the health impacts of substance use for individuals and communities.

Right of people with disability

Article 4 of the CRPD provides that States Parties undertake to ensure and promote the full realisation of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all persons with disabilities without discrimination of any kind on the basis of disability. 

Article 4(d) of the CRPD requires States Parties to undertake to ‘refrain from engaging in any act or practice that is inconsistent with the present Convention and to ensure that public authorities and institutions act in conformity with the present Convention’. 

Article 3 of the CRPD outlines principles including respect for dignity, autonomy, and non-discrimination.

Article 25 of the CRPD provides that States Parties recognise that persons with disabilities have the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health without discrimination on the basis of disability.

AOD services provided under the grant are designed to be inclusive of people with disabilities, including those with co-occurring mental health conditions. Services promote informed decision-making, bodily autonomy, and access to coordinated flexible support tailored to individual needs.

Rights of the child 

Article 4 of the CRC requires that States Parties to the CRC shall undertake all appropriate legislative, administrative, and other measures for the implementation of all rights under the CRC.   

Article 24(1) of the CRC requires that ‘States Parties recognize the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health. States Parties shall strive to ensure that no child is deprived of his or her right of access to such health care services’.  

The service involves registered ‘Non-Residential Withdrawal’ nurses providing support to persons over the age of 12 years in the ACT region to cease or reduce alcohol and/or other drugs safely, specifically those who experience mild to moderate withdrawals.

Table item 98 is compatible with human rights because it promotes the protection of human rights.

Table item 99 – Grant to Wentworth Healthcare Limited

New table item 99 establishes legislative authority for the Government to provide a grant to Wentworth Healthcare Limited to support a comprehensive community-based addiction services program (the grant).

Grant funding of $1.1 million in 2025-26 will be provided to Wentworth Healthcare Limited (Wentworth) as the provider of the Nepean Blue Mountains (NBM) PHN, to increase access to AOD services including support for underlying mental health issues.

The grant funding will support the following two streams of activity that the NBM PHN will commission to deliver as part of its comprehensive community-based addiction services program:

The Street University Katoomba (Street University) - delivered by Ted Noffs Foundation Limited, is a non-residential, free, drop-in program for young people aged 12 to 25 years who are at risk of alcohol and other drug (AOD) and/or mental health issues. It provides a safe space for youth engagement activities such as street art and music, alongside AOD education, life skills development, mentoring, and therapeutic interventions including clinical assessment, treatment planning, and psychosocial interventions.
Dianella Cottage (in Katoomba and Lithgow) - delivered by Lives Lived Well Limited, is a non-residential day program providing support for adults aged 18 years and older with AOD dependency, including those with co-occurring mental health issues like post-traumatic stress disorder and complex trauma. It offers comprehensive assessment, care planning, individual counselling, case management, and various group programs, including SMART Recovery (an evidence-informed approach to overcoming addictive behaviours).

Human rights implications

Table item 99 engages the following rights:

the right to health – Article 12 of the ICESCR, read with Article 2;
the rights of the child – Articles 24 and 33 of the CRC, read with Article 4;
the rights of people with disability – Article 5 of the CRPD, read with Article 4; and
the right to self–determination – Article 1 of the ICESCR, and Article 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), read with Article 2.

Right to health

Article 12(1) of the ICESCR recognises the ‘right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health’.

The services provided under the grant promote access to timely, voluntary, and evidence-based care and reduce the health impacts of substance use for individuals and communities.

Rights of the child

Article 4 of the CRC requires that States Parties to the CRC shall undertake all appropriate legislative, administrative, and other measures for the implementation of all rights under the CRC.

Article 24 of the CRC obliges each State Party to ensure the rights of children to the highest attainable standard of health. This includes measures to combat disease and malnutrition, provide access to health education and develop preventive health care. Sport and physical activity have recognised physical and mental health benefits and can aid in the prevention of an array of diseases.

Article 33 of the CRC requires States Parties to take all appropriate measures to protect children from the illicit use of narcotic drugs and prevent their involvement in drug production or trafficking.

The grant will support the Street University stream of activity, which delivers programs targeting youth (such as AOD early intervention services and education programs), and supports these human rights by promoting harm reduction, therapeutic care, and social reintegration, helping reduce the long-term impact of substance use on young people.

Right of people with disability 

Article 5(3) of the CRPD provides that in order to promote equality and eliminate discrimination, States Parties shall take all appropriate steps to ensure that reasonable accommodation is provided.

Right to self-determination

Article 1 of the ICESCR and Article 1 of the ICCPR – requires that each State party recognise that “all peoples have the right of self-determination” and “by virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development”. All peoples may, for their own ends, freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligations arising out of international economic co-operation, based upon the principle of mutual benefit, and international law. In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of subsistence. And that each State Party shall promote the realisation of the right of self-determination, and shall respect that right, in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.

Article 2(2) of the ICCPR requires that each State Party ‘undertakes to take the necessary steps… to adopt such legislative or other measures as may be necessary to give effect to the rights’ recognised in the ICCPR.

The following grant activities will support the right to self-determination:

individual counselling;
case management and support; and
non-residential day rehabilitation group programs (including SMART recovery groups).

Table item 99 is compatible with human rights because it promotes the protection of human rights.

Table item 100 – Grant to Launceston City Mission Inc

New table item 100 establishes legislative authority for the Government to provide a grant to Launceston City Mission Inc (City Mission) to support the continued operation of the Serenity House facility (the grant).

The City Mission has been providing care and assistance to people experiencing hardship and disadvantage in the local community for more than 170 years. Serenity House, operated by the City Mission for over 10 years, is a short-stay residential facility in Burnie, Tasmania, which provides a safe and supportive environment for individuals experiencing hardship and substance use challenges. The facility also serves as a pathway for individuals transitioning from medical or other monitored detox programs to longer-term rehabilitation services or ongoing treatment in the community. Clients are supported to establish stability in a relaxed, home-like setting, with access to counselling, follow-up support, and referrals.

Grant funding of $0.8 million in 2025-26 to the City Mission aims to:

support the continued availability and operation of 10 short stay (typically 1-6 weeks) beds;
enable people with alcohol and drug addiction challenges to get rapid access to the support and treatment they need closer to where they live;
support for transition between a medical withdrawal facility and longer-term residential rehabilitation or in-home non-clinical mental health support; and
reduce harm caused to people and communities.

Human rights implications

Table item 100 engages the right to health – Article 12 of the ICESCR, read with Article 2.

Right to health

Article 12(1) of the ICESCR recognises the ‘right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health’.

Grant funding for rehabilitation beds and associated rehabilitation support at Serenity House is considered a measure to treat AOD misuse and related harms and reduce the health impacts of substance use for individuals and communities.

Table item 100 is compatible with human rights because it promotes the protection of human rights.

Table item 101 – Grant to the University of New South Wales for the National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs

New table item 101 establishes legislative authority for the Government to provide a grant to the University of New South Wales (UNSW) to support the National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs (NCCRED).

The NCCRED was established in March 2017 as part of the Government’s response to the recommendations of the Final Report of the National Ice Taskforce 2015 to establish better research evidence and guidelines on ice and other emerging drugs of concern. The NCCRED is a consortium comprising the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, the National Drug Research Institute, the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction and St Vincent’s Health Australia. The UNSW is the lead agency and contract signatory for the NCCRED consortium.  

Grant funding of $4.2 million over two years from 2025-26 will support the NCCRED through the UNSW to:

improve treatment and health outcomes and effective, evidence informed policy through the development, collection and/or evaluation of research activities relating to methamphetamine and new and emerging drugs;
respond to new and emerging drugs by considering a range of data sources, including (but not limited to) population health data, treatment data, drug trends, ambulance data and emergency department data;
develop, implement and disseminate innovative and effective evidence-based treatment interventions, including internet-based therapies, that can be applied to the use of methamphetamine and new and emerging drugs;
manage and enhance the Prompt Response Network to support the surveillance, early detection and response to drugs of concern; and
build the capacity and knowledge base of the drug and alcohol workforce through developing and disseminating products for clinical practice and guidance and the promotion of evidence-based information and education.

Human rights implications

Table item 101 engages the following rights:

the right to health – Article 12 of the ICESCR, read with Article 2; and
the right to self-determination – Article 1 of the ICESCR and Article 1 of the ICCPR, read with Article 2.

Right to health

Article 12(1) of the ICESCR recognises the ‘right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health’.

The grant activities (e.g. research through randomised controlled trials, pilot studies, funding PhD scholarships) will enable the improvement of treatment and overall health outcomes for the harmful effects of methamphetamine and new and emerging drugs on individuals and communities.

Right to self-determination

The following grant activities will support the right to self-determination through:

developing and disseminating clinical practice and clinical guidance products by maintaining, supporting and disseminating a smartphone application (the SCheck App), hosting symposiums, creating informational materials (including videos), hosting webinars, and maintaining the NCCRED website; and
supporting information-sharing networks, including by supporting and enhancing the Prompt Response Network digital platform and the NCCRED National Clinic Research Network.

Table item 101 is compatible with human rights because it promotes the protection of human rights.

Table item 102 – Grant to Street Side Medics Limited

New table item 102 establishes legislative authority for the Government to provide a grant to Street Side Medics Limited (Street Side Medics) (the grant).

Street Side Medics provide a General Practitioner (GP) led, mobile medical service that delivers free, high-quality healthcare to individuals experiencing homelessness and severe disadvantage in New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria. These services reach thousands of patients facing substantial barriers to accessing mainstream healthcare. Since 2022-23, Street Side Medics has run over 900 clinics and delivered more than 5,000 GP consultations and had more than 11,780 patient interactions.

Street Side Medics collaborates with medical subspecialists and allied health professionals to provide services such as cardiology, infectious diseases, gastroenterology, physiotherapy, and podiatry. These services are bulk billed to prevent out-of-pocket costs for the service users; where bulk billing is not possible, service users are individually assessed, and care is provided based on clinical need and available resources.

Grant funding of $2.6 million over four years from 2025-26 to Street Side Medics will help maintain services in existing locations and support expansion, workforce development, and increased capacity to meet growing demand and aims to:

deliver mobile medical clinics providing culturally responsive primary care services targeted at people experiencing homelessness;
reduce cost barriers for people experiencing homelessness by providing services at no personal charge to the service users;
improve service users’ participation by partnering with relevant local services in areas with high prevalence of homelessness;
strengthen long-term partnerships with communities and stakeholders; and
deliver more sustainable and scalable impact, with improved planning and continuity for staff and service users.

Human rights implications

Table item 102 engages the following rights:

the right to health – Article 12 of the ICESCR, read with Article 2;
the rights of people with disability – Article 9 of the CRPD, read with Article 4;
the right to work – Article 6 of the ICESCR, and Articles 1 to 4 of the International Labour Organization Convention concerning Vocational Guidance and Vocational Training in the Development of Human Resources (ILO Convention 142); and
the right to self-determination – Article 1 of the ICESCR and Article 1 of the ICCPR, read with Article 2.

Right to health 

Article 12(1) of the ICESCR recognises the ‘right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health’.

The grant will extend and strengthen Street Side Medics’ existing services in NSW and Victoria to meet rising demand and assist in creating conditions to ensure the people located in the regions will receive improved and increased access to required medical and allied health services. The objective is to improve primary health services and reduce chronic disease health conditions.

Right of people with disability

Article 9 of the CRPD – to enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life, parties to the CRPD shall take appropriate measures to ensure to persons with disabilities access, on an equal basis with others, to the physical environment, to transportation, to information and communications, including information and communications technologies and systems, and to other facilities and services open or provided to the public, both in urban and in rural areas.

The grant will provide people with disabilities improved access to appropriate services where they reside and improve their access to medical and allied health services in the regions of NSW and Victoria.

Right to work

Further, Articles 1 to 4 of the ILO Convention 142 relate to the adoption and development of comprehensive and coordinated policies and programs of vocational guidance and training, including providing broadest possible information and guidance, which are closely linked with employment for all people.

The grant will provide opportunities to increase employment opportunities. An increased workforce will be required to operate the expansion of the services that may include additional administrative staff, medical staff and allied health professionals, and the community will benefit from this additional workforce in providing improved access to medical and allied health services in NSW and into Victoria.

Right to self-determination

The grant will provide people in NSW and Victoria with more options and choice regarding their health and wellbeing. Individuals will have more opportunities to make informed decisions about their bodies and lives.

Table item 102 is compatible with human rights because it promotes the protection of human rights.

Table item 103 – Grant to Capital Health Network Ltd—Access to Bulk Billing General Practitioners

New table item 103 establishes legislative authority for the Government to provide a grant to Capital Health Network Ltd to maintain and increase access to bulk billing GPs in the ACT (the grant). Capital Health Network Ltd is the ACT’s PHN.

Grant funding of $14.3 million over three years from 2025-26 to the ACT PHN will support two separate bulk billing activity streams:

Bulk Billing Initiative - the ACT PHN will conduct a competitive funding process to provide three new bulk billing services for the ACT. The service objectives of this activity stream are as follows:
- establish three new bulk billing general practices in the ACT;
- increase health services including bulk billing targets;
- attract, relocate and upskill approximately 10 GPs per general practice (approximately 30 GPs across the three practices);
- improve health equity, access and outcomes by promoting earlier intervention, continuity of care; and
- attract and maintain a local health workforce.
Interchange Health Co-op (the Co-op) - the ACT PHN will commission a private provider to undertake ongoing management of the Co-op, located in Tuggeranong ACT, and maintain its fully bulk billed model. The service objectives of this activity stream are as follows:
- attract and retain GPs, nurses, and allied health professionals with relevant expertise;
- support ongoing professional development in areas such as alcohol and other drug care;
- enhance wraparound care services through employment of non-clinical staff for example care coordinators, social workers, youth workers, counsellors;
- complete minor upgrades to the existing site (e.g. signage, medical equipment); and
- provide financial relief for expansion through rent relief and lease contributions to support tenancy expansion in future years.

Human rights implications

Table item 103 engages the following rights:

the right to health – Article 12 of the ICESCR, read with Article 2; and
the rights of people with disability – Article 9 of the CRPD, read with Article 4;
the right to work – Article 6 of the ICESCR, and Articles 1 to 4 of the ILO Convention 142; and
the right to self-determination – Article 1 of the ICESCR and Article 1 of the ICCPR, read with Article 2.

Right to health 

Article 12(1) of the ICESCR recognises the ‘right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health’.

Article 12(2)(d) of the ICESCR requires Australia to take steps necessary for ‘the creation of conditions which would assure to all medical service and medical attention in the event of sickness’. 

The grant will assist in creating conditions to ensure the people living in Canberra will receive more affordable improved medical services through attracting, relocating and upskilling GPs across the three new practices, and aims to improve health equity, access and outcomes by promoting earlier intervention and continuity of care.

Right of people with disability

Article 9 of the CPRD – to enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life, parties to the CPRD shall take appropriate measures to ensure to persons with disabilities access, on an equal basis with others, to the physical environment, to transportation, to information and communications, including information and communications technologies and systems, and to other facilities and services open or provided to the public, both in urban and in rural areas.

The grant will enable people in Canberra with disabilities to have more affordable and timely access to appropriate services where they reside.

Right to work

Once the new bulk billing services are established, the grant will provide opportunities to increase employment opportunities. An increased workforce will be required for the new facilities that may include additional administrative staff, medical staff and allied health professionals. The Canberra community will benefit from this additional workforce in providing improved access to medical services.

Right to self-determination

Once the grant is established, people residing in the ACT will have more options and choice regarding their health and wellbeing, and people with complex health care needs will have more opportunities to make informed decisions about their bodies and lives with the offer of affordable and more accessible health services.

Table item 103 is compatible with human rights because it promotes the protection of human rights.

Table item 752 – Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Research

New table item 752 establishes legislative authority for government spending on the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug (ATOD) Research program (the program) to support research relating to ATOD use in Australia.

Funding of $8.2 million in 2025-26 for the program will support the following four ATOD research centres: 

the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre;
the National Drug Research Institute;
the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction; and 
the National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research.

The objectives of the program are to support ATOD research which aligns with government priorities, focussing on:

data collection, analysis and evaluation activities on the emerging areas of local concern and the effectiveness of new technologies and methods for the full spectrum of care (from prevention through to treatment) for ATOD use;
effective and evidence-informed ATOD policy development, including in relation to harm reduction, demand reduction and supply reduction, and advice for a range of stakeholders including the department, through the development, collection and/or evaluation of national ATOD data and research that aligns with the priorities set out in the National Drug Strategy and its substrategies;
translating ATOD research into accessible alternative formats, including through (but not limited to) executive summaries, discussion papers, webinars and targeted communication, for ease of understanding by a diverse audience; and
promoting evidence-based information and education, including through (but not limited to) the development and dissemination of resources and materials and engagement with relevant stakeholders, including community groups to identify appropriate and relevant content.

The intended outcome of the program is to support the delivery of high-quality research on ATOD use. The program will directly support the goals of the National Drug Strategy and the department’s drug and alcohol program, which aims to improve health and social outcomes for individuals, families and communities at risk of, or currently affected by, substance misuse in Australia. 

Human rights implications

Table item 752 engages the following rights:

the right to health – Article 12 of the ICESCR, read with Article 2;
the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications – Article 15 of the ICESCR; and
the rights of the child – Article 24 of the CRC, read with Article 4.

Right to health 

Article 12(1) of the ICESCR recognises the ‘right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health’.

Research conducted through the program will enable evidence-informed policy and prevention, improved treatment for ATOD use and improved health outcomes.

Right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications

Article 15(1) of the ICESCR recognises the right of everyone to take part in cultural life, to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications and to benefit from the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.

The following activities to be funded under the program support the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications:

research of new technologies, methods and developments of community concern consistent with government priorities on ATOD;
development of approaches to translate evidence on ATOD into practice and policy (e.g. executive summaries, webinars and targeted communication); and
delivery of innovative projects for transitioning evidence-based ATOD use treatment methods into clinical practice through education, training and clinical placements.

Rights of the child

Article 4 of the CRC requires that States Parties to the CRC shall undertake all appropriate legislative, administrative, and other measures for the implementation of all rights under the CRC. 

Research conducted through the program will focus on priority populations affected by AOD, including young people.

Table item 752 is compatible with human rights because it promotes the protection of human rights.

Table item 753 – General Practice Training

New table item 753 establishes legislative authority for government spending on the General Practice Training program (the program).

The overall objectives of the program are to: 

create and support vocational training places across all metropolitan, regional, rural and remote locations at the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Ltd, the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine Ltd and the Remote Vocational Training Scheme Ltd to enable medical practitioners to specialise as GPs;
administer the National Consistent Payments Framework (the NCP Framework) to deliver payments to GP registrars, supervisors and general practices, including through salary support;
enable the Indigenous General Practice Trainee Network (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation) to provide culturally appropriate and tailored support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander GP registrars;
support professional development activities for cultural educators and mentors;
support General Practice Registrars Australia Limited and GPTA Ltd to provide GP registrars and supervisors with professional support and peer networks, advocate for the interests of GP registrars and supervisors, promote general practice to medical students and junior doctors including by supporting the General Practice Students Network, and deliver the National Terms and Conditions for the Employment of Registrars; and
support research, data collection and consultation related to key issues in general practice training and supervision, to build an evidence base for policy and advocacy on general practice issues.

The intended outcome of the program is to support and grow the GP workforce, address the challenges faced by the general practice sector and increase access to primary care.

Human rights implications

Table item 753 engages the following rights:

the right to work – Article 6 of the ICESCR, read with Article 2 and Articles 1 to 4 of the ILO Convention 142;
the right to health – Article 12 of the ICESCR;
the right to education – Article 13 of the ICESCR; and
the right to self-determination – Article 1 of the ICESCR and Article 1 of the ICCPR, read with Article 2.

Right to work

Article 6 of the ICESCR recognises the right to work and provides that the States Parties will take appropriate steps to achieve the realisation of the right to work, including through technical and vocational training. Further, Articles 1 to 4 of the ILO Convention 142 relate to the adoption and development of comprehensive and coordinated policies and programs of vocational guidance and training, including providing broadest possible information and guidance, which are closely linked with employment for all people

The program’s activities represent comprehensive, coordinated national policies that link vocational training directly with employment, particularly in the health sector. The activities are tailored to Australia’s economic and social context and support the development of human resources by enabling doctors to pursue meaningful, skilled employment in general practice. The program offers flexible, lifelong learning pathways through formal and non-formal education systems and will provide registrars with access to vocational guidance, supervision, and structured training that includes information on employment opportunities, working conditions, and career progression. 

Right to health

Article 12(1) of the ICESCR recognises the ‘right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health’.

Article 12(2)(c) of the ICESCR recognises the ‘prevention, treatment and control of epidemic, endemic, occupational and other diseases’. Article 12(2)(d) of the ICESCR, outlines steps necessary for ‘the creation of conditions which would assure to all medical service and medical attention in the event of sickness’.

The program’s activities are directed towards meeting demand for primary health care services. This in turn benefits Australian communities, as the program aims to produce skilled and qualified GPs to prevent and treat medical conditions.

Right to education

Article 13(1) of the ICESCR provides that the States Parties agree that education ‘…shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and the sense of dignity, and shall strengthen the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms’.

Article 13(2)(c) of the ICESCR relates to providing higher education equally to all, on the basis of capacity and by every appropriate means.

The program’s activities will support higher education for GPs with the objective to encourage more junior doctors to pursue GP training, to support GP registrars to work in areas of need and achieve general practice specialisation to meet the needs of Australian communities. Parts of the program will assist in providing higher education equally to all by providing funding for training, education, incentives and training support services, including in regional areas and remote communities which may otherwise generally not be at the level of metropolitan education environments. This in turn will assist in achieving the full development of the human personality and the sense of dignity for individuals undertaking education and training in the regional areas or remote communities.

Right to self-determination

Article 1 of the ICESCR and Article 1 of the ICCPR requires that each State Party recognise that “all peoples have the right of self-determination” and “by virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development”. All peoples may, for their own ends, freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligations arising out of international economic
co-operation, based upon the principle of mutual benefit, and international law. In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of subsistence. And that each State Party shall promote the realisation of the right of self-determination, and shall respect that right, in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.

The program promotes equitable access to vocational education, fair employment conditions, and improved social and economic outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical students and junior doctors. Targeted supports for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants, culturally safe training environments, and new incentives such as paid study and parental leave, aim to reduce barriers to participation in the medical workforce. Fair remuneration and additional supports under the NCP Framework prioritise workforce development in high-need Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Table item 753 is compatible with human rights because it promotes the protection of human rights.

Table item 754 – Peer Workforce Association

New table item 754 establishes legislative authority for government spending on the Peer Workforce Association.

Funding of $4.3 million over three years from 2025-26 would support the establishment and operation of a Peer Workforce Association to represent and support peer workers across mental health and suicide prevention, AOD and psychosocial disability support service systems, including for First Nations peer workers. Peer workers are people with a lived experience of mental ill-health and/or suicide (or carers of people with mental ill-health and/or suicidality) who provide emotional and social support to others with a common experience.

The intended outcomes of the Peer Workforce Association are: 

developing the role definitions for peer workers considering specific roles for mental health consumer and carer peer workers and suicide prevention peer workers;  
developing a national supervision framework for peer workers;
defining career pathways for peer workers including pathways towards leadership and representative roles; 
developing national training pathways with multiple entry points including for youth;
developing workplace safety standards (including considerations for psychological safety);
increasing the awareness of the peer worker roles amongst health professionals and community care sector, including the reduction of stigma, and
supporting the implementation of best practice in training and supervising peer workers and their integration into multidisciplinary teams.

Human rights implications

Table item 754 engages the following rights:

the right to health – Article 12 of the ICESCR, read with Article 2;
the right to work – Article 6 of the ICESCR and Articles 1 to 4 of the ILO Convention 142;
the right to education – Article 13 of the ICESCR; and
the right to self-determination – Article 1 of the ICESCR and Article 1 of the ICCPR, read with Article 2.

Right to health

Article 12(1) of the ICESCR recognises the ‘right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health’.

The Peer Workforce Association will contribute to an individual’s right to health as it is a critical step to strengthening the mental health and suicide prevention peer workforce. By strengthening this workforce, the Peer Workforce Association will contribute to improving individuals’ access to the mental health and suicide prevention services this workforce provides (including culturally safe First Nations-specific services), while relieving pressure on existing mental health services (such as psychology services delivered under the Better Access Initiative).

Right to work

The Peer Workforce Association will contribute to the right to work of mental health and suicide prevention peer workers, by promoting the creation of specialised peer worker roles and support upskilling of the broader mental health and suicide prevention workforce on the role of peer workers, enhancing workplace culture to support peer workers and their beneficial role within multidisciplinary teams.

Right to education

Article 13(2)(b) of the ICESCR relates to the general availability and accessibility of secondary education in its different forms to all.

The Peer Workforce Association will contribute to the right to education of mental health and suicide prevention peer workers.

Right to self-determination

Article 1 of the ICESCR and Article 1 of the ICCPR requires that each State party recognise that “all peoples have the right of self-determination” and “by virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development”. All peoples may, for their own ends, freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligations arising out of international economic
co-operation, based upon the principle of mutual benefit, and international law. In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of subsistence. And that each State Party shall promote the realisation of the right of self-determination, and shall respect that right, in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.

The Peer Workforce Association will contribute to the right to self-determination of mental health and suicide prevention peer workers, including for First Nations peer workers.

Table item 754 is compatible with human rights because it promotes the protection of human rights.

Table item 755 – Precision Medicine and Rare Cancers Program

New table item 755 establishes legislative authority for government spending on the Precision Medicine and Rare Cancers Program (the program).

Funding of $150.2 million over four years from 2025-26 will support the continuation of the following precision oncology initiatives that are successful in increasing access to diagnosis and treatment options for patients with rare and less common cancers:

Precision Oncology Screening Platform Enabling Clinical Trials (PrOSPeCT) – provides comprehensive genomic profiling free of charge to patients with advanced and incurable cancer from across Australia, including those residing in rural and remote communities;
Zero Childhood Cancer Precision Medicine Program (ZERO) – delivers a comprehensive precision medicine platform for children and adolescents (aged up to 18 years old) with cancer, irrespective of cancer type or stage;
Zero Childhood Cancer Precision Medicine Program Expansion (ZERO expansion) – supports a trial expansion to patients aged 19-25 with ‘paediatric-type’ cancers to access the program; and
the Australian Rare Cancer Portal (ARCP) – delivers a service connecting patients and treating medical practitioners with subspecialists on genomic profiling and precision medicine.

Human rights implications

Table item 755 engages the following rights:

the right to health – Article 12 of the ICESCR, read with Article 2; and
the rights of the child – Article 24 of the CRC, read with Article 4.

Right to health

Article 12(1) of the ICESCR recognises the ‘right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health’.

PrOSPeCT will provide comprehensive genomic profiling to patients with advanced and incurable cancers and where possible, matches patients to clinical trials and other therapy options.

The ARCP will provide treating medical practitioners with advice from Australian and international rare cancer subspecialists, guidance on genomic profiling and possible treatment options, for the benefit of patient diagnosis and treatment.

Rights of the child

Article 4 of the CRC requires that States Parties to the CRC shall undertake all appropriate legislative, administrative, and other measures for the implementation of all rights under the CRC.

ZERO will deliver a comprehensive precision medicine platform and personalised treatment options for children and adolescents (aged up to 18 years old) with cancer, irrespective of cancer type or stage.

Table item 755 is compatible with human rights because it promotes the protection of human rights.

Table item 756 – Strategic Agreement on Pharmacist Professional Practice

New table item 756 establishes legislative authority for government spending on the

Strategic Agreement on Pharmacist Professional Practice (the Strategic Agreement) for the updating of Australia’s pharmacist practice standards and guidelines.

The Strategic Agreement, which commenced on 1 July 2024 and will expire on 30 June 2029, recognises a joint commitment with the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) to support the highest standard of professionalism in the pharmacy sector and the achievement of outcomes aligned with the aims of the National Medicines Policy 2022 (National Medicines Policy).

Funding of $1.0 million in 2025-26 will be provided to the PSA to support the implementation of the Strategic Agreement to achieve the objective of further promoting the standards of professionalism in the pharmacy profession, which will encompass: 

reviewing the structure of the Code of Ethics;
maintenance, review, update and development of the Professional Practice Standards and practice guidelines for pharmacy programs;
maintenance of the National Competency Standards Framework for Pharmacists in Australia;
further development of Clinical Governance Principles for Pharmacy Services; and
analysis of pharmacy credentialling and accreditation processes:

Human rights implications

Table item 756 engages the following rights:

the right to work – Article 6 of the ICESCR, read with Article 2 and Articles 1 to 4 of the ILO Convention 142;
the right to health – Article 12 of the ICESCR; and
the right to education – Article 13 of the ICESCR.

Right to work

The Strategic Agreement will support the right to work by ensuring that the Code of Ethics for Pharmacists, National Competency Standards Framework, Professional Practice Standards, Clinical Governance Framework for Pharmacy Services and guidelines related to these documents describing performance measures, remain consistent with the aims of the National Medicines Policy in supporting delivery of the highest standards of professionalism and outcomes by pharmacists.

Right to health

Article 12(1) of the ICESCR recognises the ‘right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health’.

Reviewing and updating the Professional Practice Standards and practice guidelines for pharmacy programs, the Code of Ethics for Pharmacists, the National Competency Standards Framework for Pharmacists, the Clinical Governance Principles for Pharmacy Services, and pharmacy credentialling and accreditation processes will support professionalism in the pharmacy sector and this, in turn, will contribute to the prevention, treatment and control of disease and the creation of conditions that assure to all medical services and attention in the event of sickness, through supporting the process needed to achieve excellence in the practice of pharmacy.

Right to education

Reviewing and updating the Professional Practice Standards and practice guidelines for pharmacy programs, the Code of Ethics for Pharmacists, the National Competency Standards Framework for Pharmacists, the Clinical Governance Principles for Pharmacy Services, and pharmacy credentialling and accreditation processes will support the achievement of professionalism in the pharmacy sector and this, in turn, will contribute to the prevention, treatment and control of disease and the creation of conditions that assure to all medical services and attention in the event of sickness.

Table item 756 is compatible with human rights because it promotes the protection of human rights.

Table item 757 – Translation and Interpretation Services for Primary Health Networks

New table item 757 establishes legislative authority for government spending on the Translation and Interpretation Services (TIS) for PHN program (the TIS program).

The TIS program, established on 1 February 2023, is a consolidated program providing TIS services to support Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) people access mental health services delivered by PHNs. Interpreting services under the TIS program are delivered through a uniform, national translation service called TIS National which is a language service provided by the Department of Home Affairs. TIS National helps people with limited English proficiency to communicate with agencies and businesses Australia wide. TIS National also delivers the Free Translating Service and the Free Interpreting Service on behalf of the Australian Government.

Funding of $3.3 million in 2025-26 will enable TIS National to provide the following interpreter services to CALD Australians when accessing PHN mental health services:

telephone interpreting, including client initiated, automated and pre-booked interpreting services;
on site, face-to-face interpreting at a specified location; and
video remote interpreting service by video conferencing.

Human rights implications

Table item 757 engages the following rights:

the right to health – Article 12 of the ICESCR, read with Article 2;
the rights of persons with disabilities – Articles 5 and 25 of the CRPD, read with Article 4; and
the right to equality and non-discrimination – Article 26 of the ICCPR, read with Article 2.

Right to health

Article 12(1) of the ICESCR recognises the ‘right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health’.

The TIS program will ensure that individuals from CALD backgrounds have equitable access to mental health services. Language barriers are a significant barrier faced by people with limited English proficiency. By providing access to qualified interpreters, the TIS program works to remove these barriers and enables individuals to receive care in their preferred language. Without access to interpreting services, people from non-English speaking backgrounds may be at risk of receiving lower-quality care or face delays in accessing support. The TIS program will mitigate this by supporting quality of care, regardless of language spoken.

Right of people with disability

Article 4(1)(d) of the CRPD requires States Parties to undertake to ‘refrain from engaging in any act or practice that is inconsistent with the present Convention and to ensure that public authorities and institutions act in conformity with the present Convention’.

Article 5 of the CRPD provides that States Parties recognise the right to equality and non-discrimination for persons with disabilities.

Article 5(3) of the CRPD requires States Parties to take all appropriate steps in order to promote equality and discrimination, ‘…to ensure that reasonable accommodation is provided’. [Article 5 description was missing from the attachment to the letter – please review and confirm the appropriate CRPD article reference]

The objective of the TIS program is to work with CALD individuals to access and make use of mental health services, which benefits individuals’ access, and treatment to mental health services.

Right to equality and non-discrimination

Article 2 of the ICCPR requires that each State Party undertakes to respect and to ensure the rights recognised in the ICCPR, and to adopt laws or other measures to give effect to these rights, and ensure an effective remedy to any person whose rights recognised in the Covenant are violated.

Article 26 of the ICCPR recognises the right to equality and non discrimination on, among other grounds: race, sex, colour, language, national origin or ‘other status’.

Table item 757 is compatible with human rights because it promotes the protection of human rights.

Table item 758 – Primary Health Care—Infrastructure Grants

New table item 758 establishes legislative authority for government spending on the Primary Health Care–Infrastructure Grants program (the program) to support an integrated community service hub approach to enhanced patient care through the establishment of four new health centres.

The program would aim to establish local health service infrastructure, improve health equity, access and outcomes for people in these areas, by creating more early intervention, prevention and wraparound care opportunities. The expected outcomes of the new facilities would be to attract and maintain a local health workforce, as well as introduce new training sites for multidisciplinary professions.

Funding of $178.1 million over four years from 2025-26 will support capital works and construction of the:

Burnie Health Hub, Tasmania – for capital works for the fit-out and refurbishment of the University of Tasmania campus facility to provide a new primary health care hub located in Burnie, Tasmania;
Smithton Health Hub, Tasmania – to construct a new primary health care hub in Smithton, Tasmania. The purpose-built facility will co-locate general practice and allied health services;
West Brisbane Health and Housing Clinic, Queensland – to construct a new Health and Housing Clinic in Brisbane’s West End. The purpose-built facility will provide free primary health care to people with complex wraparound service needs; and
Flinders HealthCARE Centre, South Australia – to construct a new healthcare facility on the Flinders campus in Adelaide.

Human rights implications

Table item 758 engages the following rights:

the right to health – Article 12 of the ICESCR, read with Article 2;
the rights of persons with disabilities – Article 9 of the CRPD, read with Article 4;
the right to work – Article 6 of the ICESCR, and Articles 1 to 4 of the ILO Convention 142; and
the right to self-determination – Article 1 of the ICESCR and Article 1 of the ICCPR, read with Article 2.

Right to health

Article 12(1) of the ICESCR recognises the ‘right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health’.

Article 12(2)(d) of the ICESCR, outlines steps necessary for ‘the creation of conditions which would assure to all medical service and medical attention in the event of sickness’.

The program will assist in creating conditions to ensure the people located in the regions will receive improved and increased access to required medical and allied health services. The objective is to improve primary health services and reduce chronic disease health conditions.

Right of people with disability

The program will provide new medical facilities to people with disabilities and improve access to appropriate services where they reside. They will have improved access to medical and allied health services in the regions of Tasmania, Queensland and South Australia.

Right to work

The program will provide opportunities to increase employment opportunities. An increased workforce will be required for the new facilities that may include additional administrative staff, medical staff and allied health professionals. The community will benefit from this additional workforce in providing improved access to medical and allied health services in Tasmania, Queensland and South Australia.

Right to self-determination

The program will enable communities in Tasmania, Queensland and South Australia to have more options and choice regarding their health and wellbeing. Individuals will have more opportunities to make informed decisions about their bodies and lives.

Table item 758 is compatible with human rights because it promotes the protection of human rights.

Conclusion

This disallowable legislative instrument is compatible with human rights as it promotes the protection of human rights.

Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher

Minister for Finance

Administered by Department of Finance

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