Australia is the only OECD country without a CDC-equivalent. The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) is the current peak expert committee for health emergency management in Australia.
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed weaknesses in Australia’s pandemic preparation and response processes. Inconsistent messaging and differing state/territory expert advice led the Australian Government to circumvent existing arrangements to establish a National Cabinet comprising state, territory and federal leaders. While National Cabinet proved an effective tool to respond to urgent public need, its processes were not transparent.
