Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza

3.3 How are changes in phase decided in Australia

The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) maintains international surveillance of the pandemic risk by monitoring the overseas emergence of influenza viruses with pandemic potential in humans. When concern arises that the Australian phase should be changed, the following will take place:

• The Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer (CMO) convenes a meeting of the Chief Medical Officer’s Expert Advisory Group on Pandemic Influenza (EAG)—(see Part 3, Section A for more details) who advise the CMO as to whether they feel a change in phase is appropriate.
• The CMO will consider this advice as well as information from other sources (e.g. WHO). If a change in phase is recommended, the CMO will then provide advice to the:
  • Australian Government Minister for Health and Ageing
  • Australian Health Protection Committee (AHPC) (which includes Chief Health Officers)
  • Chief Executive Officers (CEO) of state and territory heath departments.
• The Australian Government Minister for Health and Ageing will advise the Prime Minister, state and territory health ministers and other appropriate Australian Government ministers.
• The Prime Minister will inform the state Premiers, territory Chief Ministers, and the Governor-General.
• The Prime Minister will then make a formal announcement of the change in phase.

The process for changing the pandemic phase is not covered by legislation. The legal framework, including details of proclamation of an epidemic under the Quarantine Act 1908, are provided in Part 1, Section B5.

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This information is current for 03 September, 2010
This information was issued on 05 December, 2008