Leading Australian health and welfare groups has called for both the current government and the opposition to commit to forming a Child Health Taskforce if successful at this year’s federal election.

In the joint statement, they also called for the Child Health Taskforce, if established, to initially report to the new government within six months on priority initiatives to improve the social determinants of child health, that is, non-medical factors which influence health outcomes.

These included:

  • Poverty
  • Housing
  • Nutrition, food security and sugary drinks
  • Climate change

They also said income support payments should be set at a level that supports individuals and families to live with dignity and meet their basic needs.

Signatories of the joint statement include the Australian Medical Association (AMA), the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), the Academy of Child and Adolescent Health, the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth and the Royal Australasian College of Physicians,

 

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