Our work Policy and Advocacy Our submissions Hepatitis Australia regularly lodges submissions to various government enquiries and other committees and groups who inform national policy. Once submitted and accepted we post our submissions so they are publicly accessible whenever possible. Below are our most recent submissions 2024 - 2025 Federal Pre-Budget Submission The 2024-2025 Federal Budget comes at a critical moment for the 1 in 75 people living with hepatitis B or hepatitis C (viral hepatitis) in Australia. The Fourth National Hepatitis B Strategy 2023-2030 and the Sixth National Hepatitis C Strategy 2023-2030 are set for public release this year. Critically, these strategies, which have undergone significant consultation over the past two years and are strongly supported by the community and the sector, take a person-centred approach, prioritising community leadership across planning, governance, implementation, and evaluation. Budget Submission - Implementing the National Hepatitis B Strategy 2023-2030 Budget Submission - Implementing the National Hepatitis C Strategy 2023-2030 2023 - 2024 Federal Pre-Budget Submission Hepatitis Australia lodged this submission in January 2023. Hepatitis Australia is calling on the Australian Government to invest in the following priorities in the 2023-2024 Federal budget: Continuing hepatitis C initiatives:1.1 Maintain Australiaâs flagship National Hepatitis C Finding 50,000 Project by continuing resourcing for the National Hepatitis Infoline and national hepatitis C campaigns in 2023- 2024 New hepatitis B initiatives:2.1 Establish a new National Hepatitis B Target Equity Project by providing initial funding to support implementation planning. 3.1 Maintain Implementation Funding for the Five National BBV and STI Strategies. Download a copy of our submission Summary Final Report: National Hepatitis B Strategy 2023-2030 & National Hepatitis C Strategy 2023-2030 Proposed Targets These consensus-based targets were developed and agreed through an extensive process of future-focused evidence-based workshops and related activities, undertaken in collaboration with experts with relevant lived experience and/or representing key partners in the national response. The process was community driven and embodied the National Strategiesâ Guiding Principles, notably partnership and the meaningful involvement of priority populations in all aspects of the response. The proposed targets balance ambition with feasibility, in pursuit of Australiaâs commitment to Elimination by 2030. This report was submitted to the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care in December 2022. Download the Report Submission to inform the Australian Cancer Plan 2023-2033 While cancer outcomes in Australia are generally among the best in the world, this is not the case for liver cancer that has defied this positive trend becoming Australiaâs fastest growing cause of cancer death. Hepatitis B and hepatitis C remain the primary risk factors for developing liver cancer, and liver cancer is largely preventable through sufficient action on hepatitis B and hepatitis C prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care. This yearâs World Cancer Day theme, observed on February 4, was âClose the Care Gap.â This theme highlights inequities in cancer responses and is consistent with Hepatitis Australia and the sectorâs advocacy to the redevelopment of the National Hepatitis B and National Hepatitis C Strategies; seeking to elevate the role of these strategies in averting thousands of preventable cancer deaths. Hepatitis Australia has also recently engaged in the public consultation to develop the Australian Cancer Plan. This 10 year plan will set a transformative agenda to accelerate world-class cancer outcomes and improve the lives of all Australians affected by cancer. With worsening outcomes for liver cancer front of mind, Hepatitis Australia is buoyed by intentions for the Australian Cancer Plan to be equity focused, striving for equitable cancer outcomes across all population groups. Within its submissions, Hepatitis Australia supported the inclusion of hepatis B, hepatitis C and liver cancer within the Australian Cancer Plan, in particular the cross referencing of National Strategies; the inclusion of hepatitis B and hepatitis C as modifiable risk factors for cancer; and the identification of liver cancer as a cancer type with relatively poor outcomes. Hepatitis Australia also sought to highlight liver cancer specific opportunities or resources that should inform the implementation of the Australian Cancer Plan including universal offer of testing for hepatitis B and liver cancer guideline development. Read Hepatitis Australiaâs December 2022 Submission to the Australian Cancer Plan Public Consultation.Read Hepatitis Australiaâs March 2022 Submission to the Australian Cancer Plan Public Consultation Phase One. More information on World Cancer Day here. Watch the All.Can World Cancer Day Event on Delivering accessible cancer care. Submission to the Primary Care 10 Year Plan Hepatitis Australia provided this submission to the consultation survey on the Primary Health Care 10 Year Plan. The submission includes advice to include communicable disease in the plan, and ensure the plan supports marginalised populations to achieve equitable health outcomes. Download a copy of our submission Submission to the MRFF Australian Medical Research and Innovation Strategy and Priorities consultation Hepatitis Australia coordinated the submission of multiple separate expert submissions from individual researchers, research centres, and community organisations for the prioritisation of viral hepatitis in the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) consultation and the elevation of our shared goal of viral hepatitis elimination by 2030. Attached is a copy of Hepatitis Australiaâs submission. Download a copy of our submission 2022 - 2023 Federal Pre-Budget Submission Hepatitis Australia lodged this submission in January 2022. Hepatitis Australia is calling on the Australian Government to invest in three priorities in the 2022-2023 Federal Budget: Continue to resource the implementation of the five National Blood Borne Virus and Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategies (including the National Hepatitis B and National Hepatitis C Strategy), consistent with Australian Government implementation expenditure to date. Maintain Australiaâs National Hepatitis Infoline to ensure 360,000 Australians have access to a single point of contact for timely, confidential and non-stigmatising hepatitis information, community-based support and referral. Establish an Australian hepatitis B-specific community workforce to âcatch-upâ to achieve the national elimination targets Download a copy of our submission Page updated: 28/6/23 Manage Cookie Preferences