Summary

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) is an independent statutory authority set up by the Australian Government to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians by providing reliable, regular, and relevant information and statistics on Australia's health and welfare. The Institute collects and reports information on a wide range of topics and issues, including health and welfare expenditure, hospitals, disease and injury, mental health to ageing, homelessness, disability, and child protection. Governments and the community use these reports and data to inform policy-making and programs relating to health, housing, and community service matters.

Abolition

Creation

The Minister for Health, the Hon. N Blewett announced in the Budget on 21 August 1984 the establishment of the Australian Institute of Health, to advise the Government on the administration of health, in particular, public health.  It would take over the functions of the Commonwealth Institute of Health (CA 3156), which would be renamed the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine [II] (CA 4346). 

The Department of Health (CA 17) issued an Establishment Variation Authority on 16 November 1984, which retitled the Commonwealth Institute of Health (CA 3156) to the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine [II] (CA 4346); the School did not lose any functions with this retitling.

The Australian Institute of Health (CA 5374) was then established by 1 January 1985: the Director was Dr J S Deeble, and the Principal Adviser was Dr K W Edmondson. The address of the institute was in Canberra, ACT but the rest of the staff were located temporarily in Sydney at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine (1). By May 1986, staff appeared to be located at Bennett House in the grounds of the (then) Royal Canberra Hospital at Acton, ACT. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) was established as a Commonwealth Government statutory authority in 1987. 

On 4 May 1992, the title of the Institute was changed to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

Functions and activities

The purpose of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare is to produce high quality data sets and analysis to support improvements in health and welfare.

As an information agency, The Australian Institute of Health and Welfares functions are:

• Collect and create quality data from multiple sources on a range of health and welfare topics.
• Link data from multiple sources to deliver new insights.
• Publish information that provides a holistic picture of health and welfare in Australia.
• Develop nationally consistent health and welfare data standards and classifications.
• Provide customised data extracts for researchers, consumers, service providers and other organisations.
• Manage controlled access to Australia’s most comprehensive collection of health and welfare data.
• Develop methods and undertake studies designed to assess the provision, use, cost and effectiveness of health services and health technologies.
• Make recommendations to the Minister on the prevention and treatment of diseases, and the improvement and promotion of the health and health awareness of the people of Australia.
• Work with numerous data holdings and possess extensive knowledge of data and information related to the Australian health and welfare sectors.

Legislation administered

The composition, functions, powers and obligations of the Institute are set out in its enabling legislation, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Act 1987- external site opens in new window (AIHW Act).

Here are the Australian Government Acts and regulations that affect the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare:

• Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (Ethics Committee) Regulations 2018
• Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013
• Privacy Act 1988
• Freedom of Information Act 1982

Administrative structure

The AIHW Act establishes a Board as the governing body of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. The Board is accountable to the Parliament of Australia through the Minister for Health. The AIHW Act specifies the composition of the Board, which is headed by a chairperson. The AIHW Charter of Corporate Governance describes the roles and responsibilities of the AIHW Board, including the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and codifies Board operating practices and procedures for the benefit of Board members and management to allow them to best manage the requirements of the organisation.

Historical agency address

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare is located in Canberra, ACT.

State/regional structure

Records created by the agency

Additional information

End notes

Sources

About us - Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

AIHW Annual Report 2023-24

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare | Directory

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare - Wikipedia