Controversies in Public Health. Public Lecture Series 2009
Speakers

Professor Les Irwig
The Hon. Tony Abbott MP
Professor Mike Daube
Dr Alex Wodak
Professor Wayne Hall
Professor Ron Trent
Dr Rosemary Stanton OAM
Dr Derek Yach
Professor Mary Chiarella

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Professor Les Irwig

Les Irwig holds a Personal Chair as Professor in Epidemiology at the School of Public Health, University of Sydney. He has a medical degree and a PhD in Epidemiology. He has over 200 publications, most of which are peer-reviewed original research articles, and has authored several books, including the popular book, “Smart Health Choices: How to Make Informed Health Decisions”. His major interests are in epidemiological methods as they apply to decision-making in the clinical and public health context. His major current research interest is in the evaluation of screening and diagnostic tests, including systematic reviews, primary studies and development of methods. He was the founding chair of the Cochrane Screening and Diagnostic Tests Methods Group, a co-author of the STARD statement (Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy), and is one of the Chief Investigators of the Screening and Test Evaluation Program, which received a 5-year NHMRC Program Grant from 2002-2006 and a further funding from 2006-2010.

Smart Health Choices (2nd edition)
Irwig L, Irwig J, Trevena L, Sweet M.

Evidence-based Medical Monitoring; From Principles to Practice
Glasziou P, Irwig L, Aronson JK, (eds).

The Hon. Tony Abbott MP

Tony Abbott was elected Member for Warringah at a by-election in March 1994. Prior to entering Parliament he was Executive Director of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy from 1993-94. From 1990-93 he was press secretary and political advisor to the Leader of the Opposition, Dr John Hewson. His previous career was in journalism, where he wrote as a feature writer for 'The Bulletin' and 'The Australian'.

Tony was appointed Minister for Health and Ageing on the 7 October 2003.

After the Federal election in 2007 Tony became Shadow Minister for Families, Community Services, Indigenous Affairs & the Voluntary Sector.
Tony was appointed Minister for Health and Ageing on the 7 October 2003.

After the Federal election in 2007 Tony became Shadow Minister for Families, Community Services, Indigenous Affairs & the Voluntary Sector.

He lives in Forestville with wife Margaret and three daughters.

Professor Mike Daube

Professor Mike Daube is Professor of Health Policy at Curtin University of Technology and Director of the Public Health Advocacy Institute of WA.

He was Western Australia’s Director General of Health from 2001–05 and Chair of the National Public Health Partnership. He is currently Deputy Chair of the National Preventative Health Taskforce, President of the Public Health Association of Australia, the Australian Council on Smoking and Health and the WA Heart Foundation, and Chair of the WA Alcohol and Drug Authority. He has played a leading role in tobacco control, alcohol and other public health issues nationally and internationally for many years, and has advised governments and NGOs in some thirty countries. He has received awards for his work from organisations including the World Health Organization, the Public Health Association, the Australian Medical Association, Healthway, the Heart Foundation, Curtin University, ACOSH and the Australian Red Cross.

Dr Alex Wodak

Dr Alex Wodak has been the Director of the Alcohol and Drug Service, St. Vincent's Hospital, Darlinghurst, since 1982. Responsibilities include clinical care, administration, teaching, research and public health advocacy. Interests include improving the prevention and treatment of alcohol and drug dependence in the community and prisons, advancing public health, harm reduction and drug law reform.

Professor Wayne Hall

Wayne Hall is an NHMRC Australia Fellow and Professor of Public Health Policy in the School of Population Health, University of Queensland. He was formerly Director of the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at UNSW (1994-2001) and Professor and Director of the Office of Public Policy and Ethics at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the University of Queensland. He has been an expert adviser to the World Health Organization on drug dependence since 1993 and was a member of the Australian National Council on Drugs (1998-2001). In 2003 he was identified by the Institute for Scientific Analysis as a “Highly Cited Author” in the last two decades” in the “social sciences general”.

Professor Ron Trent

Professor Trent is a medical and molecular geneticist. He is a medical graduate from the University of Sydney and has a PhD from the University of Oxford. His interests are in the genetic basis for complex genetic disorders particularly to understand the gene - environment interactions. In his hospital work, he is the head of a DNA diagnostic laboratory.

Dr Rosemary Stanton OAM

Dr Rosemary Stanton OAM is Australia's best-known nutritionist with a Science Degree in Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, post-graduate qualifications in Nutrition and Dietetics and a Graduate Diploma in Administration. In 1998, she was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for her services to community health through education in nutrition and dietetics and she has been nominated as one of Australia's top women in agriculture. In 2000, Rosemary's published works earned her an Honorary Doctorate.

Rosemary is a member of many professional associations and advisory groups and committees, including the National Health and Medical Research Council's Dietary Guidelines Working Committee. She is also the author of many scientiific papers, 32 books on food and nutrition, including several nutrition textbooks as well as books for the general public and several practical recipe books. Rosemary has also written over 3200 articles for magazines and newspapers throughout Australia and New Zealand, averages 10 radio interviews a week and has taken part in many television programs including a regular spot on one of Australia's top-rating TV programs for over 10 years. She has been a Visiting Fellow in the School of Medical Sciences at the University of New South Wales since 1997 and continues to lecture to medical students, doctors, teachers, sporting groups and to the general public. She remains independent and is not beholden to any one interest group.

Rosemary's major aim is to change Australians' poor eating habits so that people have healthier diets, and eat more enjoyable foods which create minimal environmental damage. To this end she maintains equal interests in the twin areas of food and nutrition.

Dr Derek Yach

Derek Yach MBChB (Cape Town) MPH (Johns Hopkins) DSC (Honoris Causa, Georgetown)

Derek Yach is Senior Vice President of Global Health Policy at PepsiCo. Previously he has headed global health at the Rockefeller Foundation, been Professor of Public Health and head of the Division of Global Health at Yale University, and is a former Executive Director of the World Health Organization (WHO). At the WHO he served as cabinet director under Director-General Gro Harlem Brundtland. He placed tobacco control, nutrition and chronic diseases prominently on the agenda of governments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector. Dr. Yach previously established the Centre for Epidemiological Research at the South African Medical Research Council. He serves on several advisory boards including those of the Clinton Global Initiative, PAHEF Foundation, the Oxford Health Alliance and Vitality USA.

Professor Mary Chiarella

Mary’s career spans over 30 years both in the United Kingdom and Australia across a variety of nursing services.

Mary has recently taken up the post of Professor of Nursing at the University of Sydney. In 2003/04 she was the Chief Nursing Officer, NSW Health Department and prior to that was the Foundation Professor of Nursing in Corrections Health, with the University of Technology, Sydney.

Mary has provided her professional expertise to health services, organisations and governments over the years. Examples include a review of professional practice and boundary issues for Justice Health, membership of the NSW Law Reform Commission Division Working Group on minor’s consent to medical treatment. She was a founding member of the Australian Bioethics Association and the Australian Institute for Health, Law and Ethics and is currently a member of the Clinical Ethics Advisory Panel for NSW Health and the newly formed Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.

Mary’s particular research interests focus on legal, policy and ethical issues in nursing and health care delivery. Examples of her research include an international review of nursing regulation, an examination of the legal and professional status of nurses, reviews and analyses of disciplinary decisions of professional Tribunals, and an international review of policy in end-of-life care. She has recently completed a state-wide review of advanced practice roles for the Nursing and Midwifery Office of the NSW Health Department, a second review of the disciplinary decisions of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Board and a review of the implementation of nurse practitioners in South Australia. In 2008 she undertook a global review of nurse-led models of primary health care for the Chief Scientific Officer, Nursing and Midwifery of the World Health Organisation and this year has worked in Geneva with WHO on policy strategies to address MDG5.