This measure provides funding to a range of nationally significant public health areas whilst strengthening Australia’s medium to longer term public health capacity. From 1998-99 to 2001-02, total funding of $78.8 million will be allocated for the initiatives outlined below. All initiatives will be funded over four years with the exception of tobacco harm minimisation which will be funded from 1999-2000 to 2001-02.

Strategic investment: $14.4 million for new national strategies, which deliver on the Government’s previous commitments in several public health areas and will focus on the priority areas of environmental health, injury prevention, cancer control and men’s health.

Public health information evidence base: $12.4 million for the implementation of a national public health information model and work plan under the National Public Health Partnership will facilitate the coordination of existing public health information across jurisdictions.

Public Health funding in this measure, together with a number of other measures in the Health and Family Services portfolio and a commitment by the Commonwealth to provide an ongoing base level of funding for public health, brings the total Commonwealth contribution for public health programmes to around $295 million in 1998-99. This funding includes the Commonwealth’s contribution to State and Territory public health programmes which are funded through the Commonwealth-State Public Health Outcome Funding Agreements.