Public Health Is...

In this episode we speak with Dr Melody Taba and Professor Kirsten McCafferey from the Sydney Health Literacy Lab about the importance of digital health literacy.

This week we bring you an episode we recorded a few months ago on the topic of climate change and health effects with two of the authors of an article in the Australian and New Zeland Journal of Public Health entitled 'Community knowledge gap of climate change health effects: Findings of a cross-sectional state-based survey'.In this episode we speak with researchers Sharna Stinson and Dr Sallie Forrest about their research and the public's perceptions of the impacts of climate change on their health.

This week we bring you something different with a recording of the NSW Great Health Debate 2026, recorded live on the 1st of October 2026.The debate features NSW Health Minister Ryan Park, the shadow minister for Health Sarah Mitchell, and the Greens’ spokesperson for health, Dr Amanda Cohn.The debate comes as NSW looks to head to its next state election, and our NSW Branch and their colleagues in the Sydney School of Public Health at the University of Sydney organised this debate at the University of Sydney on Gadigal Land.

In this episode of Public Health Is... Paris and Stephen speak with Stephen Bendle, Senior Advocacy Advisor with the Alannah & Madeline Foundation, and Convenor of the Australian Gun Safety Alliance.Stephen discusses the present state of firearm laws in Australia and the need to ensure tighter laws are in place across all jurisdictions in the country.

In this episode of Public Health Is... Paris and Stephen talk with Dr Deena Mehjabeen, co-convenor of the PHAA Mental Health Special Interest Group (SIG) and Mel Parker, Policy and Advocacy Officer with the PHAA. This episode looks at the development of policy within the PHAA ahead of the PHAA Annual General Meeting in Geelong.Expect to learn about the policy review cycle and how PHAA members can contribute to PHAA policies.And if you would like to become a PHAA member head to phaa.net.au to find out more.Link to PHAA Policy Position Statements