Minister for Health and Ageing (Australia)
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The Minister for Health and Ageing is a portfolio in the Government of Australia with the responsibility for national health policy.
[edit] History
Under Section 51(xi) of the Australian Constitution, the Commonwealth Parliament had the power to "make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Commonwealth with respect to Quarantine." This was the only area of public health in which the Commonwealth had authority at the time of Federation. The Commonwealth did not use this power until the proclamation of the Quarantine Act 1908. The control of the administration of quarantine was under the administration of the Minister for Trade and Customs from 1908 until 1921. This Minister's responsibilities in health matters increased as the Commonwealth Government took a greater role in the provision of public health services during the early twentieth century and in particular after the First World War.
A separate Department of Health was established on 10 March 1921, and the position of Minister of Health was then formally created. The role of the Department of Health has continued to expand and further Commonwealth responsibility for health was authorised by the passage, at referendum, of a constitutional amendment in 1946.
Section 51 (xxiiiA) of the Constitution now states the Commonwealth Parliament has the power to
make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Commonwealth with respect to the provision of maternity allowances, widows' pensions, child endowment, unemployment, pharmaceutical, sickness and hospital benefits, medical and dental services (but not so as to authorise any form of civil conscription), benefits to students and family allowances.
As a result of this amendment the Commonwealth Government now has a key role in financing and providing medical services through entities such as Medicare, Medibank and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
