Open letter to the Victorian Premier, Treasurer, and Health Minister
(Issued by the Public Health Association of Australia on the authors' behalf).
8 December 2025
As five former Chairs of VicHealth, representing a broad political spectrum and different eras of VicHealth’s work, we write to ask you to reconsider your Government’s decision to abolish VicHealth and place its important preventative health functions in the Health Department. We believe the decision is misguided and will fail to deliver the hoped-for savings.
Abolishing VicHealth will severely reduce the effectiveness of important and innovative public health work in this State. Even with the best intentions, we fear a large and busy Health Department responsible for acute care will always struggle to prioritise prevention and health promotion. This work is best done by an independent agency. VicHealth’s strength has been close relationships developed with communities (where governments are unable to form partnerships directly) and it’s therefore vital that we save its internationally-respected programs.
You may be surprised by the breadth and depth of support for VicHealth, as it has worked so closely with health, sporting, art and multicultural organisations across the state over many decades.
We respect that the government needs to manage its finances - but a small saving from abolishing VicHealth will create bigger costs into the future. The latest figures from the Federal Government show the value of every dollar spent on health prevention returns over $14.
The legislation establishing VicHealth way back in 1987 deliberately included 3 members of Parliament on the board to ensure long term, multi-party support for a new Victorian institution. It was envisioned to extend beyond the life of the government of the day, or financial pressures of the moment, and has done so with distinction for nearly 4 decades. We have all witnessed it successes first-hand.
Please urgently re-consider this course of action and keep an important institution alive for current and future generations of Victorians.
Yours sincerely,
Former Chairs of Vic Health (Victorian Health Promotion Foundation)
The Hon Nicola Roxon, Former Commonwealth Labor Minister
The Hon Mark Birrell AM, Former State Liberal Minister
Fiona McCormack AM, Former CEO of Domestic Violence Victoria, Former Victims of Crime Commissioner
Jane Fenton AM, businesswoman, Former CEO of Fenton Communications
Nick Green OAM, Olympic Gold medallist, sports administrator
Contact details:
For comment/interview:
Paris Lord (he/him), Communications and Media Manager, 0478 587 917
