Environmental Health Australia (QLD) 47th EHA National Conference

Representing the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Civic Cabinet Chair for City Standards and Councillor for Jamboree, Councillor Sarah Hutton; Queensland Chief Health Officer, Dr Heidi Carroll; Executive Director, Health Protection and Regulation Branch, Queensland Health, Mr John Piispanen; President, Environmental Health Administration, Ms Melissa Burn FEHA; President, Environmental Health Administration (Queensland), Mr James Williams FEHA; Distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

I begin by acknowledging the Original Custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to all First Nations people here today.

It is wonderful to be here with you on this important occasion of the 47th Environmental Health Australia Conference being held in Brisbane.

As Governor of Queensland, I endorse your choice of location, and as a former medical professional I applaud your continued advocacy in the area of environmental health.

Congratulations to everyone involved in convening this important conference. It provides a valuable opportunity to harness the insights and expertise of health professionals from diverse sectors and regions. The knowledge shared here will empower attendees to help create safer, healthier workplaces and communities across Queensland and beyond.

Your organisation, established in 1936 and a founding member of the International Federation of Environmental Health, is to be commended for its enduring commitment to the study and management of physical, chemical, and biological environmental factors and their impact on human health.

The foundational principles on which the EHA was built have stood the test of time, guiding the organisation through evolving workplace landscapes and significant social change.

Issues such as workplace shortages, climate change and natural disasters are some of the topics for exploration over the coming days of the conference. We are aware of the many negative impacts that can result from these issues.

Workforce shortages can place immense pressure on individual employees, often leading to increased workloads, stress, and ultimately burnout. This mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion not only affects individual wellbeing but also undermines productivity and the overall health of organisations.

The change in global climate patterns has also had a profound effect on the health and safety of workers. For example, extreme heat events and natural disasters are increasingly disrupting industries such as construction, agriculture, and emergency services — with serious consequences for both workforce wellbeing and business continuity.

Issues such as managing water, air, and noise pollution, improving food safety practices, and leading public information campaigns are all crucial to protecting community health and wellbeing — both in the workplace and beyond.

This conference aims to bring the environmental health profession to the fore — highlighting not only the significant national policies already in place to reduce community health risks, but also the many ways your work protects people from environmental hazards.

I am very pleased to officially open the 47th Environmental Health Australia Conference and wish all conference delegates productive discussions and a robust exchange of ideas.

This is a wonderful opportunity to learn, to network and to explore what the future of environmental health looks like. 

Thank you.