Minister for Finance, Robin Scott, today announced that CEO of Cancer Council Victoria, Todd Harper, will lead a new Ministerial Advisory Group to develop a major strategy to improve the health of all Victorian workers.
Mr Harper will head a group of leading public health professionals and workplace experts who have been appointed to come up with initiatives that build on the success of the former WorkHealth program.
The WorkHealth program ran from 2008-2013 and performed almost 800,000 health checks on Victorian workers in over 38,000 workplaces, and successfully raised health awareness amongst workforces.
The advisory group will identify ways the WorkHealth program can be improved and expanded, with emphasis on disease prevention and management of chronic illness, so that people can remain in work or return to work after an injury when it is safe to do so.
Mr Harper has had an extensive career in the public health sector. He was executive director of Quit from 1999-2007, CEO of VicHealth from 2007-2011 and is now CEO of Cancer Council Victoria.
He was also a member of the previous advisory group that helped develop the original WorkHealth initiative.
Also appointed to the group are Tim Piper, Victorian director of Ai Group, Jerril Rechter, CEO of VicHealth, Mark Stone, CEO of VECCI, Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Mary-Anne Thomas, Anna Peeters, public health researcher, Diana Taylor, lawyer and director, and Luke Hilakari, secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall Council.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Finance, Robin Scott
“We’re working to build on WorkHealth, which significantly raised health awareness in the Victorian workforce.”
“The Andrews Labor Government will support workplaces to advance the health, safety and wellbeing of workers.”
“Todd Harper and the new advisory team have the skills, experience and enthusiasm to create new strategies, which will improve the health of our workers.”
Quotes attributable to CEO of Cancer Council Victoria, Todd Harper
“I am delighted to be given the opportunity to help improve the health of all Victorian workers.”
“A healthy workforce is good for the entire community. Healthy workers are likely to be happier, more productive and less likely to have an injury at work.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020