Australia is about to get a centre for disease control. How will it tackle public health challenges? | Allen Cheng for the Conversation

Immediate issues for the agency will include bird flu, immunisation and misinformation, as well as the challenges of cancer, diabetes and heart disease. But there's a lot we don't know yet - and can we ensure it's apolitical?

Australia is a step closer to having its own national agency to inform and coordinate public health responses - a permanent Australian Centre for Disease Control.

Long-awaited draft legislation was tabled in parliament last week to create this permanent CDC, which is to start from 1 January 2026.

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Epidemiologist Prof Bob Douglas asks in the Medical Journal of Australia Does Australia need a centre for disease control?