The Albanese government has appointed Zoe Wainer as the inaugural Director-General of the new Australian Centre for Disease Control (ACDC). This significant development will take effect with the centre’s operations commencing on January 1, 2024.
Announced by Health Minister Mark Butler on Tuesday, Wainer brings a wealth of experience from her role as deputy secretary for community and public health at the Victorian health department. With over two decades in leadership roles spanning government, healthcare, academia, and global health, she has proven expertise in communicable disease control, emergency management, and public health networks.
Wainer holds a PhD and a Master of Public Health from the University of Melbourne. Currently, she serves as an enterprise professor in the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health and is a principal investigator at The George Institute for Global Health. Her medical background includes training in cardiothoracic surgery and thoracic surgical oncology, which contributes to her reputation as “a highly regarded academic and policy leader,” according to a statement from Butler’s office.
The establishment of the ACDC is a response to the need for enhanced preparedness for future pandemics. The Australian Medical Association (AMA), which played a crucial role in advocating for the centre’s formation, welcomed Wainer’s appointment. AMA Vice President Julian Rait emphasized her extensive experience in health management, saying, “Professor Wainer has extensive experience in health, with roles internationally and in Australia.” He highlighted her significant contributions during Victoria’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and her leadership in reforms related to environmental health and women’s health.
The ACDC aims to focus on current and emerging communicable disease threats, global health surveillance, health security, epidemiology, and research. Rait pointed out that the centre’s credibility will depend on strong clinical and scientific leadership, a quality that Wainer embodies.
Before her tenure with the Victorian health department, Wainer worked with the health insurer Bupa for nearly two years and held a senior advisory role in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. She will officially begin her new position on March 1, 2024. In the interim, Paul McCormack will serve as the Acting Director-General, guiding the agency through its early operational phase.
As the ACDC prepares to launch, its establishment reflects a proactive approach to public health that aims to safeguard the Australian population against future health crises.
