Senate Inquiry

The Senate Inquiry

On August 22, 2012, the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs established an Inquiry into Australia's domestic response to the World Health Organization's (WHO) Commission on Social Determinants of Health report Closing the gap within a generation. For many years, a number of organisations had been calling for such an Inquiry to be established.

The terms of reference for the Inquiry were as follows:

Australia's domestic response to the World Health Organization's (WHO) Commission on Social Determinants of Health report "Closing the gap within a generation", including the:

(a) Government's response to other relevant WHO reports and declarations;
(b) impacts of the Government's response;
(c) extent to which the Commonwealth is adopting a social determinants of health approach through:
        (i) relevant Commonwealth programs and services,
        (ii) the structures and activities of national health agencies, and
        (iii) appropriate Commonwealth data gathering and analysis; and
(d) scope for improving awareness of social determinants of health:
        (i) in the community,
        (ii) within government programs, and
        (iii) amongst health and community service providers.

On March 20, 2013, the Senate Committee released its report following the Inquiry. Click here to read the Social Determinants of Health Alliance's media release responding to the report.

Since March 2013, the Alliance has been involved in advocacy work to the Standing Committee of Health and State and Territory Governments. Click here for responses in relation this advocacy work.

Click on the name of the individual or organisation below to download their submission: