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Policy and Advocacy

Policy and Advocacy

Our advocacy is making cancer history. 

Working with our stakeholders, we advocate to change laws and policies to reduce cancer risks and improve cancer care. We act to define best practice diagnosis and treatment, and seek to ensure we can improve cancer outcomes for everyone.

As Australia's largest independent, non-government cancer control organisation, we seek to have our evidence-based policy recommendations translated into practice through our representations to government.

Cancer Council Australia produces a range of evidence-based cancer control policy resources, published here according to four categories: preventionearly detectionclinical practice (treatment) and supportive care. Information is also cross-referenced according to major cancer types.


Types of policy

Our key policy resources are: the National Cancer Prevention Policy, which includes early detection; individual position statementssubmissions to government (including federal election priorities and pre-budget submissions to Treasury); and conference reports.

The National Cancer Prevention Policy (NCPP) is our flagship publication and covers preventable cancer risk factors and screening for the early detection of asymptomatic cancers and precancerous conditions. Most position statements are linked to the NCPP.

The majority of our resources are focused on prevention and early detection, as these are largely the responsibility of the federal government in Australia; Cancer Council Australia seeks to lead the independent cancer control policy agenda at the federal/national level.



How policy is developed

Policy is drafted and comprehensively referenced by our expert cancer control advisory committees, internally reviewed by the principal Public Health Committee, the Supportive Care Committee or the Health Services Advisory Committee and peer-reviewed by independent external experts.

The Public Health Committee's terms of reference cover both primary prevention (minimising preventable risk factors) and screening. Input on clinical practice is provided by our affiliate the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia, the peak body for cancer clinicians.



Cancer Council Australia's position on public health policy issues

Cancer Council as an organisation only takes a strong, independent position on matters of public policy that relate to cancer.

Cancer Council Australia expects to work constructively with the Australian Government, irrespective of which party or parties are in office.


Cancer Council Australia's position on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice

While Cancer Council Australia acknowledges that there are differing views on The Voice among communities, we also know that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples experience higher rates of cancer and are more likely to die from cancer than non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Cancer Council Australia recognises that improved cancer outcomes can be achieved when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a say in matters that affect them.

Looking Ahead 

We won’t rest until we’ve dramatically reduced the significant impact cancer has on every member of our community