Health experts behind the Rethink Sugary Drink Alliance are calling for mandatory displays of teaspoons of sugar on sugary drink labels to improve transparency and health, with new research showing the majority of Australians back the policy.

New results from Cancer Council Victoria’s Shape of Australia survey 2024, which surveyed almost 2,000 people, show 80% of Australians are in favour of the Federal Government requiring sugary drinks to display the number of teaspoons of added sugar on the front of the bottle. 

Head of Prevention at Cancer Council Victoria, Craig Sinclair, said there is also evidence to show front of pack nutrition labels improve knowledge and encourage food companies to produce healthier products.

“We do know that placing teaspoons of sugar on labels can result in increased awareness of the amount of sugar in drinks and importantly shift people to healthier beverages,”  Mr Sinclair said.

“The latest research supports other studies which show that Australian consumers found that front-of-pack label designs that quantify sugar content in drinks using teaspoons of sugar are consistently high performers, so now we need to build this into our policies to help decrease overconsumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.”

ConcerNingly, the recent Shape of Australia survey also found many Australians don’t know the full spectrum of products which constitute a sugary drink. Only 1 in 4 responding believed that a sports drink was a sugary drink and 1 in 3 didn’t realise a fruit drink fell into this category. Yet these products can often contain up to 9-10 teaspoons of sugar per bottle.

“Understanding how many teaspoons of sugar are actually in your energy drink or fruit juice will help educate communities that these products are sugary in nature, helping more Australians to rethink sugary drink and switch to water to improve their health,” Mr Sinclair said.

Source: excerpt from RSD Media Release 13 May 2025. 

READ THE FULL RSD MEDIA RELEASE

Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA) congratulates the Albanese-Labor Government on their recent Federal election victory, with the Australian people electing the Government for a second term, in a landslide result.

Kamilaroi woman Ms Nicole Turner, Chairperson of IAHA, said “we congratulate the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, as well as Mark Butler MP and Senator Malarndirri McCarthy for their re- appointments in the Health and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs portfolios respectively. We also thank and acknowledge the outgoing Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health, Ged Kearney MP, for her support and leadership during her time in the role and congratulate the incoming Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health Rebecca White MP for her appointment”.

Ms Turner continued that “IAHA welcome the opportunity to grow meaningful relationships, in supporting the important work we do to grow, strengthen and empower a skilled, and culturally responsive Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander allied health workforce. This is a workforce who demonstrate daily leadership across broad portfolio areas, delivering positive Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, wellbeing, cultural and social outcomes, but who could be further enabled to achieve more”.

Source: excerpt from IAHA Media Release 14 May 2025.

READ THE FULL IAHA MEDIA RELEASE

DOWNLOAD THE IAHA MEDIA RELEASE

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) invites you to have your say on the proposed Protection from Harmful Radiation Regulation 2025.

The proposed Regulation includes changes to ensure it remains effective and reflects current best practice to protect people and the environment from unnecessary exposure to radiation, while enabling safe and beneficial uses.

Have Your Say by 5pm Tuesday 10 June 2025.

Visit https://yoursay.epa.nsw.gov.au to:

1. Download and read the proposed Regulation and Regulatory Impact Statement
2. Provide your feedback by completing the guided submission questions on the website page or by making a written submission and sending it to the NSW EPA via email radiation.reform@epa.nsw.gov.au  

Proposed key changes 

The proposed Regulation has been developed to replace the current Protection from Harmful Radiation Regulation 2013 in line with requirements to periodically review NSW regulations.

The proposed Regulation:

• Amends the scope of licensing exemptions to ensure that licensing is targeted, reducing regulatory burden while strengthening safety requirements.
• Formalises that the EPA may approve training courses for obtaining a licence or exemption and charge a course assessment fee.
• Requires all radiation management licensees to prepare or adopt a radiation management plan within 12 months of the commencement of the new Regulation. Templates to develop a plan will be available for lower risk practices.
• Requires radiation users exempt from licensing to comply with safety obligation and applicable national codes of practice and standards.
• Improves radiation incident reporting requirements to ensure that reporting captures significant incidents, and reports provide accurate and timely information.
• Clarifies dose limits and requirements for personal radiation dose monitoring, including prescribing the process for the approval of personal monitoring devices and the power for the EPA to impose conditions on approvals.
• Establishes a clearer more enforceable ban on commercial UV tanning services.
• Updates references to mining legislation and clarifies the current delegations.
• Requires the EPA Financial Assurance Policy and Guideline on Estimating Financial Assurances to be observed.
• Adjusts fees to enable the EPA to recover more of the costs of administering the legislation and protecting the community and environment from harmful radiation.
• Updates maximum penalties and penalty notice amounts for offences to deter non-compliance.

Online information session

Find out about the proposed changes at the online information session where you will receive an overview of the proposed Regulation and can ask any questions.

When: 11am-12pm Thursday 22 May 2025

Register by clicking this link to attend 

If you have any questions or would like to meet with NSW EPA to discuss the changes, please contact radiation.reform@epa.nsw.gov.au.

Source: NSW EPA email 13 May 2025.

MEDIA RELEASE 5 MAY 2025 - The OHAA Appoints Inaugural CEO Mr Nathan Clarke The Oral Health Association of Australia (OHAA) Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Nathan Clarke as the inaugural CEO of the association. The OHAA will commence operations from 1 July 2025 as the peak association representing Oral Health Practitioners (Dental Hygienists, Dental Therapists and Oral Health Therapists) in Australia, taking over from the Australian Dental and Oral Health Therapists’ Association (ADOHTA) and the Dental Hygienists Association of Australia (DHAA). Mr Clarke is an accomplished executive and not-for-profit leader with over 30 years of experience driving innovation, strategic growth, and organisational success. As the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Rehabilitation Providers Association (ARPA) since 2016, Nathan has spearheaded a remarkable turnaround, significantly increasing membership and value for the workplace rehabilitation industry. His career highlights also include being the founding CEO of the Personal Injury Education Foundation (PIEF), establishing it as Australia's foremost provider of education and capability development for the personal injury and disability insurance sectors. With academic credentials including a Master of Public Policy and a Bachelor of Business (Economics), he brings a strong blend of business acumen, policy expertise, and stakeholder engagement to the OHAA. The OHAA Board is very fortunate to have someone of Mr Clarke’s calibre and experience to lead and build our new association.  We look forward to working with him to grow and develop the OHAA as a truly member-focused peak body serving its members and the profession. Mr Clarke will commence the role on 2 June 2025. --ENDS-- Media Contact:

Cheryl Dey OHAA President admin@ohaa.com.au

About ADOHTA: The Australian Dental & Oral Health Therapists’ Association Ltd. (ADOHTA) is the leading professional association representing dental hygienists, dental therapists and oral health therapists in Australia. ADOHTA is dedicated to advancing the profession and improving the oral health of all Australians through advocacy, education, and research.    About DHAA: The Dental Hygienists Association of Australia Ltd. (DHAA) is the peak professional body representing dental hygienists, dental therapists and oral health therapists in Australia. The mission of the Association is to support the continuing development of the oral health professions and preventive models of care.

The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) has today opened the second Elder Care Support National Yarning Circle in Adelaide, bringing together frontline workers, health leaders, and policymakers to lead a culturally grounded and community-driven reform of aged care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

Hosted on Kaurna Country, this year’s Yarning Circle builds on the success of the inaugural 2024 event, celebrating the growing national Elder Care Support workforce and their critical role in reimagining care for older First Nations peoples.

Source: NACCHO Media Release email 29/4/25

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The Health Workforce Scholarship Program (HWSP) is an Australian Government Department of Health & Aged Care initiative, administered by the various Rural Workforce Agencies across the nation. 

The scholarship program offers financial assistance to successful applicants providing primary health care in the ACCHS sector, non-government organisations and private practice for training and upskilling purposes, within the following fields:

• medical
• nursing
• midwifery
• allied health
• dental
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals

To find out further details, visit your local Rural Workforce Agency: 

NSW - Rural Doctors Network

NT - Rural Workforce Agency NT

QLD - Health Workforce QLD

SA - Rural Doctors Workforce Agency Inc

TAS - The People Project Tasmania

VIC - Rural Workforce Agency Victoria

WA - Rural Health West

Congratulations to our past president Tan Nguyen on being a finalist at the Value-Based Health Care Congress 2025 for his poster “Retrospective Analysis of a New Model of Victorian Public Oral Healthcare Integrating Artificial Intelligence Technology”.

Value-Based Health Care Congress 2025 People's Choice Poster Prize Voting

The Australian Centre for Value-Based Health Care Awards Program recognises achievements in transforming the Australian system for VBHC, highlighting initiatives that redefine healthcare around the outcomes that matter to people and communities for the cost of achieving those outcomes.

Join the VBHC movement by voting for the deserving finalists to win the People's Choice Poster Prize VBHC Congress Award!

VIEW THE POSTERS IN FULL HERE

CAST YOUR VOTE HERE

The Public Health Association Australia Health Promotion Special Interest Group (PHAA HP SIG) is once again offering a fantastic opportunity to recognise achievements in health promotion.  In 2025, they are proud to offer a travel scholarship and several awards to honor outstanding contributions in research and practice.

The scholarship is for the PHAA HP SIG Travel Award, which will provide support to attend the PHAA Preventive Health Conference in 2025.  You can read about the experience of last year's awardee here.

Awards available are:

Australian Public Health Conference Travel Award: made to  outstanding PHAA members who have made significant contributions to the advancement of health promotion at national, state or community levels.

The Early Career Award (Practice): one award to an outstanding PHAA member who has contributed significantly to the advancement of health promotion practice and who is in the first 10 years of their career (or has been involved in health promotion for more than 10 years but has completed a PhD within the last 5 years).

The Early Career Award (Research): one award to an outstanding PHAA member who has contributed significantly to the advancement of health promotion research and who is in the first 10 years of their career (or has been involved in health promotion for more than 10 years but has completed a PhD within the last 5 years).

The Individual Award for Service (Practice): one award to an outstanding PHAA member who has contributed significantly to the advancement of health promotion practice over a long period of time (minimum 10 years).

The Individual Award for Service (Research): one award to an outstanding PHAA member who has contributed significantly to the advancement of health promotion research over a long period of time (minimum 10 years).

Nominees for each award must provide a:

• Completed nomination form (linked below) 
• A brief Curriculum Vitae
• One nominator’s report (500 words maximum)

The closing date for award applications has been extended to 21 February 2025. Winners will then be announced by late March. For more information please refer to the guidelines provided in the nomination forms.

250205 - HP SIG - Conference Travel Award 2025.pdf

250205 - HP SIG - Award for Service (Research) Award 2025.pdf

250205 - HP SIG - Award for Service (Practice) Award 2025.pdf

250205 - HP SIG - Early Career (Practice) Award 2025.pdf

Source: PHAA email 6 February 2025

MEDIA RELEASE 17 DECEMBER 2024

Members of the Australian Dental and Oral Health Therapists’ Association Ltd (ADOHTA) and Dental Hygienists Association of Australia Limited (DHAA) overwhelmingly supported and passed the special resolution to establish a new peak professional association to represent and support Oral Health Practitioners (OHPs), including Dental Hygienists, Dental Therapists and Oral Health Therapists, in Australia.

The new association will be called Oral Health Association of Australia Ltd (OHAA).  It is anticipated that the OHAA will take over full operation from ADOHTA and DHAA on 1 July 2025.  It will offer streamlined and fit-for-purpose services, high-quality CPD, and significantly enhanced representation for OHPs in Australia.

More importantly, the OHAA unifies OHPs under one umbrella and strengthens the profession's capacity to support excellence in innovative models of care that improve oral health in the community. The new OHAA leadership combines the talents of two highly regarded peak bodies, now better equipped to drive meaningful change. This change will focus on addressing the longstanding neglect of oral health needs in the community. Through coordinated efforts in advocacy, workforce training, and public education, the OHAA is well-positioned to make a lasting impact to improve the oral health outcomes of all Australians.

The ADOHTA and DHAA would like to express our heartfelt thanks to our fellow board directors, the project team Towards One Professional Association (TOPA) Working Group, external stakeholders and the many members of both associations who provided their advice and support over the past five years leading to this momentous milestone for the profession.

--ENDS--

Media Contact: 

ADOHTA: Michell Weekes executive@adohta.net.au  M: 0409 210 104

DHAA:  Bill Suen bill.suen@dhaa.info M: 0412 831 669

Access the PDF of this Media Release here.

The International Federation of Dental Hygienists (IFDH) is currently seeking responses for their tenth global survey (sponsored by Oral-B) "Prevention: What's Best for the Patient?" to assist their understanding of global practices and beliefs around preventive care. 

As with previous surveys, no personal information is collected and a summary of the findings will be published on the IFDH website. 

Complete the survey by Friday 13 December 2024.

COMPLETE THE IFDH SURVEY