President’s Update: Women’s health focus, tackling tobacco myths, childhood immunisation, IMG report, and a new CDC
04 Sep 2025
AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen has shared the latest updates on a busy week for health in Australia.
One of the biggest announcements was the introduction of legislation to formally establish the Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC), which will open on 1 January 2026. The AMA has been calling for this since 2017. Dr McMullen said the pandemic highlighted how unprepared Australia was, and the CDC will help ensure the country is ready for future health challenges.
This week also marked Women’s Health Week. Dr McMullen spoke at the Women’s Health & Wellbeing Summit about the dangers of misinformation on social media, which can undermine decades of medical advice and push people toward unsafe or unnecessary treatments.
The AMA also pushed back strongly against calls to reduce tobacco excise, which some have argued would help fight the illegal tobacco trade. Dr McMullen stressed that smoking remains a major public health issue, while illegal tobacco is a crime problem — and cutting taxes would only harm health progress. Instead, she called for stronger enforcement of illicit sales.
On vaccination, the AMA raised concerns about falling immunisation rates during a major whooping cough outbreak. The college released an updated Position Statement on Immunisation, reminding Australians that GPs are the best place to ask vaccine questions and urging the government to better support GPs to deliver vaccination programs.
Another key focus this week was support for International Medical Graduates (IMGs). A new AMA report highlights the systemic barriers IMGs face, despite making up more than half of rural doctors, half of GPs, and a third of non-GP specialists. Dr McMullen said urgent reforms are needed to ensure IMGs have safe and rewarding careers in Australia.
Finally, the AMA’s mental health committee met to discuss priorities for strengthening care, from mild to complex mental illness, and addressing the impacts of private mental health hospital closures.
Dr McMullen ended her message by wishing everyone a great weekend and a Happy Father’s Day to all dads, while acknowledging the day may be difficult for some.
Source: AMA
