GOVERNMENT public health spending is returning to pre-COVID levels after surging during the pandemic, according to a new report published today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
The report - Government expenditure on public health activities in Australia 2023-24 - looks at funding by the Australian Government and state and territory governments over the decade starting 2013.
Total government expenditure on public health activities in 2023-24 was $5.4 billion, or around $200 per person, down 30% or $2.3 billion from 2022-23.
It accounted for 2.9% of total government health spending, similar to pre-pandemic levels and well below the 5% target envisaged in the National Preventive Health Strategy.
"Public health spending grew modestly during the pre-pandemic period, rising 2.5% each year on average," said AIHW spokesperson Geoff Callaghan.
"This growth accelerated significantly during COVID, peaking in 2020--21, before returning to pre-pandemic levels," he explained.
Of the $5.4 billion spent in 2023-24, the federal government funded $3.4 billion, while state and territory governments contributed $2.0 billion.
Organised immunisation and communicable disease control continued to account for the highest levels of expenditure, at $2.4b and $0.9b respectively.
Around $442 million was spent on activities aimed at reducing the overuse or abuse of alcohol, tobacco, e-cigarettes/vaping, illicit and other drugs of dependence.
Communicable disease control saw a large spending spike in 2020-21, driven by government spending on the COVID response.
Read the AIHW report HERE.
Meanwhile, in a new peer-reviewed commentary on preventative health spending, Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin, CEO of the Public Health Association of Australia, pointed out that our current health budget is unsustainable, and that lifting investment in prevention "would be good for the economy, good for communities, and good for our overstretched healthcare system".
"We want more Australians to live long, healthy and productive lives," said Prof Slevin.
"By being healthier for longer, we can make more Australian lives better, Australian families stronger and achieve more of what is important to us all - all by spending money more wisely."
"Surely that should be a key government priority."
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