Health minister Greg Hunt has announced the membership of the Council of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
The new council will serve a three-year term to June 2024 and will be chaired by Professor Caroline Homer AO.
The council’s role is to ensure that robust expert advice reflecting a wide range of perspectives is provided to the NHMRC CEO Professor Anne Kelso AO.
"Membership of the Council brings together expertise in biomedical science, clinical and public health, nursing, health care training and the medical profession, as well as business and consumer perspectives, and expertise in the health needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people," said Minister Hunt.
"Professor Homer is an internationally renowned midwifery researcher, scholar and leader in maternal and newborn health care and service delivery. With more than 25 years experience in clinical practice, research, education and international development, she is Co-Program Director of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health at the Burnet Institute and an Emeritus Professor of Midwifery at the University of Technology Sydney.
"Professor Homer is current Deputy Chair of the Australian Medical Research Advisory Board and Chair of the NHMRC’s Peer Review Analysis Committee. She was a member of the Council in 2018–2021 and has previously been a member of the NHMRC’s Research Committee and Chair of the NHMRC’s Women in Health Science Committee," he said.
"I would like to thank the former Chair of the NHMRC Council, Professor Bruce Robinson AC, and all members of the former Council for their contributions and commitment to supporting the work of the NHMRC throughout the previous triennium (2018–2021)."
ANDHealth CEO and Managing Director, Bronwyn Le Grice, has been appointed to the council.
“It is deeply humbling to receive this appointment,” said Ms Le Grice. “The NHMRC represents the highest level of leadership in the funding of health and medical research and training, in providing advice on improving health outcomes, through prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease and the provision of health care, and it is deeply flattering to be asked to play a small role in this very big purpose.”
NHMRC Council 2021–2024
| Appointees | Position | Expertise |
| Professor Caroline Homer AO | Chair | |
| Professor Steve Wesselingh | Member | Expertise in public health research |
| Professor Ingrid Winship AO | Member | Expertise in ethics |
| Professor Emily Banks AM | Member | Expertise in public health research |
| Professor Yvonne Cadet-James | Member | Expertise in indigenous health |
| Ms Ainslie Cahill AM | Member | Expertise in consumer issues |
| Ms Bronwyn Le Grice | Member | Expertise in business |
| Professor Ian Frazer AC | Member | Expertise in public health research |
| Professor Jane Gunn | Member | Expertise in health care training. |
| Professor Elizabeth Hartland | Member | Expertise in public health research |
| Professor Richard Murray | Member | Expertise in professional standards |
| Professor Carolyn Sue AM | Member | Expertise in rare diseases |
| Professor Nicholas Talley AC | Member | Expertise in public health research |
| Professor Debra Thoms | Member | Expertise in the nursing profession |
| Professor Alison Venn | Member | Expertise in public health |
| Professor Paul Kelly | Ex-officio Member | Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer |
| Dr Kerry Chant PSM | Ex-officio Member | Chief Health Officer, New South Wales |
| Dr Kerryn Coleman | Ex-officio Member | Chief Health Officer, ACT |
| Dr Michael Cusack | Ex-officio Member | Chief Medical Officer, South Australia |
| Dr Hugh Heggie PSM | Ex-officio Member | Chief Health Officer, Northern Territory |
| Professor Tony Lawler | Ex-officio Member | Chief Medical Officer, Tasmania |
| Dr Andrew Robertson | Ex-officio Member | Chief Health Officer, Western Australia |
| Professor Brett Sutton | Ex-officio Member | Chief Health Officer, Victoria |
| Dr Jeannette Young PSM | Ex-officio Member | Chief Health Officer, Queensland |