Sophie Scamps asks Mark Butler:

The former Director-General of the American centre for disease control, testified she was illegally sacked from the role by US secretary for health for refusing to fire top scientists at the agency or to preapprove changes to vaccine advice without evaluating the evidence. In her place the health secretary’s own deputy has been inserted into the role. Minister, will the Australian CDC be safeguarded from political interference by ensuring that Director-General must be appointed by a short list by an independent panel?

Butler:

Thank you to the member for her question.

Her engagement about this really important reform. As the member knows, as many in this House know, the lack of a single trusted source of advice and data was one of the very significant restrictions we had in our preparedness and our pandemic response.

That was the view of many public health organisations, it was the first conclusion of the independent COVID inquiry. That is why we’re currently debating legislation to introduce an independent CDC. It’s supported by all state and territory governments, supported by every public health organisation I’m aware of, supported by many members in this House. I’m not sure whether it’s supported by the opposition, they indicated at the last election they would not proceed with this, but it’s an important debate for this Parliament to continue to have.

The CDC will be an independent agency that operates separately from the Department of Health. The Director-General of the CDC is a very important role and many of its arrangements, its powers and functions, are set out in the bill that’s currently being debated by the House. It’s very important that the Director-General perform his or her functions at arm’s length from the Government. They will not be subject to direction from the secretary of my department or from the Minister or anyone else for that matter.

There are also importantly to the member’s question very limited provisions allowing the termination of the Director-General of the CDC and they are for misbehaviour or an inability to perform their duties due to physical or mental incapacity. Importantly, that person cannot be terminated for providing advice that the Government of the day does not agree with.

As to the appointment, the Minister for Health, in this case, must be satisfy that the Director-General holds appropriate expertise, qualifications or experience in public health matters prior to their appointment and the process of appointment will reflect the Government’s well-understood merit and transparency policy.

And that involves a selection being put together which in this case will probably involve the secretary of my department along with a nominee of the Public Service Commission and other potential representatives. They would undertake an interview process after advertisement, they would then provide a short list with a report on every short-listed candidate to the Minister for the Minister’s consideration and then the decision of the Government in the usual way.

I’m very confident that that provides a level of independence and assurance for the community that this person occupying a very important role in this new agency will have the appropriate qualifications and experience and the appropriate protections and independence from political interference. … All Australian children.