Unprecedented coalition calls for a National Healthy Air Strategy as Parliament hears the case for healthy air
Safer Air Project
Key Facts:- Australia has national strategies for food and water safety but none for the air we breathe.
- Air quality is the largest environmental cause of premature death and illness in Australia, contributing to heart and lung disease, cancer, diabetes, dementia, pregnancy complications and infectious diseases.
- More than 70 organisations, led by the Centre for Safe Air, the Safer Air Project and Air Club, are calling for a National Healthy Air Strategy in the 2027-28 Budget.
- The ask is $40.5 million over three years: $4.5 million for a taskforce to develop the strategy and $36 million for a national public awareness and education campaign.
- Action on air quality returns 3 to 30 times the investment. A 5 per cent cut in exposure to fine particle pollution would deliver over $1.6 billion a year in economic benefit.
- The NSW Inquiry into Clean Indoor Air, chaired by Dr Amanda Cohn MLC, is Australia’s first parliamentary inquiry into indoor air quality.
- The coalition presents its case at Parliament House on Tuesday 27 October at a Parliamentary Friends of Clean Air Quality reception, and on Wednesday 28 October at the Safer shared air conference, to be opened by Assistant Minister Rebecca White MP.
A coalition of more than 70 organisations is calling on the Federal Government to invest in a National Healthy Air Strategy in the 2027-28 Budget, taking its case to Parliament House this week, as a landmark NSW inquiry into clean indoor air adds weight to the call for national leadership.
Australia has national strategies to protect our food and water, yet no national health protection strategy exists for the air we breathe. The quality of our everyday air remains the largest environmental cause of premature death and illness in Australia, contributing to heart and lung disease, cancer, diabetes, dementia, pregnancy complications, infectious diseases, and more. It adds to the load on our hospitals and ambulances, holds children back at school, and accelerates decline in older age.
“Improved air quality brings measurable community-wide benefits to health, education and productivity, and air quality interventions are highly cost-effective. Increasing threats like extreme bushfire smoke episodes, combined with our ageing population and high burden of chronic diseases, means that air quality is a risk factor we cannot afford to ignore,” said Professor Fay Johnston, Professor of Environmental Health and Director of the Centre for Safe Air.
"We need a well-coordinated strategy for healthy air because no single government agency can cover all health, educational, regulatory and environmental management strategies that work together for effective action,” she continued.
The coalition, led by the Centre for Safe Air, the Safer Air Project and Air Club, includes Lung Foundation Australia, Asthma Australia, Heart Foundation, Cancer Council, Breast Cancer Network Australia, Cystic Fibrosis Australia, Emerge Australia, Public Health Association Australia, Doctors for the Environment, the Burnet Institute, the Australian Academy of Science, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Green Building Council of Australia, alongside community groups, universities, peak bodies and industry.
Together they are calling for $4.5 million over three years for a taskforce to develop the National Healthy Air Strategy, and $36 million over three years for a national public awareness and education campaign, a total of $40.5 million.
“Australia knows how to deliver healthy indoor air when it matters. We do it for livestock, we do it for art collections and we do it for data centres. Yet Australians are routinely exposed to polluted air in schools, hospitals, workplaces and public buildings. If we can prioritise protecting microchips, surely, we can prioritise protecting people. It's time for national leadership to ensure we put people first,” said Dr Bronwyn King AO, founder of Air Club and a former radiation oncologist.
The coalition will spend two days in Canberra this week at events hosted by the Safer Air Project. On Tuesday 27 October they will present the call for a National Healthy Air Strategy to members of all parties at a Parliamentary Friends of Clean Air Quality reception, co-chaired by Senator Michelle Ananda-Rajah and Dr Monique Ryan MP.
On Wednesday 28 October, the Safer shared air conference, opened by Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care Rebecca White MP, brings patients, clinicians, scientists, unions, industry and government together to work through what a National Healthy Air Strategy should contain, with Dr Amanda Cohn MLC, who chaired the NSW Inquiry into Clean Indoor Air, presenting its findings.
Better management of our air is a major opportunity to protect health at every stage of life, from babies and children whose lifelong risk of chronic disease is increased by air pollution, to school children whose learning and risk of illness depend on the air in their classrooms, to people with medical conditions for whom airborne hazards can precipitate serious life-threatening complications, and older people who are at much higher risk from all airborne pollutants and pathogens.
“We all breathe the same air, but not with the same consequences. If the act of breathing a space makes someone sick, access isn’t equitable, but we have an opportunity to change that. Everyone in Australia should be able to trust that the air they breathe is safe,” said Plum Stone, Founder and CEO of The Safer Air Project
“The evidence, expertise and solutions to reduce the burden of unhealthy air already exist. Now we need national leadership to deliver the changes necessary to improve air quality to ensure everyone in Australia can breathe without risk of harm,” Stone continued.
Beyond the significant health benefits of improving air quality, the economic case is strong. Cost-benefit analyses of action on air quality show benefits of 3 to 30 times the investment, and reducing exposure to fine particle air pollution by just 5% would deliver an economic benefit of over $1.6 billion a year. Those returns come through fewer hospital admissions and ambulance callouts, fewer days lost to illness at work and school, better learning outcomes for children and a more productive workforce.
ENDS
Quotes Attributable to Coalition Members
Kate Miranda, Asthma Australia, said: "Healthy air is not a luxury for people with asthma: it is essential to their health and safety. From smoke and pollution that inflame the airways to airborne viruses that trigger asthma flare-ups, the air in our everyday environments can put people at risk. We're calling on the Australian Government to make healthy air a national priority, so people can live, learn and work in safer environments."
Rebecca Haddock, Asthma Australia, said: “For the 2.8 million Australians living with asthma, polluted air is not an inconvenience. It’s a trigger for frightening, sometimes life-threatening attacks. Our current approach to air quality is fragmented and leaves out the places where people spend most of their time, including their homes. A National Healthy Air Strategy would give every Australian, and especially people with asthma, the protection they deserve.”
Nitty Brown, National Asthma Council, said: “Everyone deserves to breathe healthy air. For the millions of Australians living with asthma and other chronic respiratory conditions, air quality has a direct impact on their daily lives. This is particularly important for indoor air quality where hazards can go unnoticed. The National Asthma Council Australia supports a coordinated national strategy, underpinned by consistent, evidence-based standards, that would help protect public health, reduce exposure to unhealthy air and ensure that everyone, regardless of where they live, work, or go to school, has the best possible chance to breathe healthy air.”
Mark Brooke, Lung Foundation Australia, said: “There is strong international and national evidence of the harms of poor air quality on lung health including increasing numbers of people being diagnosed with lung cancer.”
Jo Armstrong, Cystic Fibrosis Australia, said: “Clean air is fundamental to good health, but for people living with cystic fibrosis, the quality of the air they breathe can have a very real impact on their respiratory health and daily lives. Australia needs a National Healthy Air Strategy that treats air quality as a public health priority and puts prevention, protection and healthier environments at the centre of decision-making.”
Jennifer Mocker, Cystic Fibrosis Queensland, said: “Cystic Fibrosis Queensland supports the call for a National Healthy Air Strategy because safe, healthy air is essential to protecting lung health and enabling people living with cystic fibrosis to participate fully in community life. People should be able to attend school, go to work, access healthcare and enjoy community events with confidence that indoor air quality is being taken seriously. We want a coordinated national approach that prioritises better ventilation, effective air filtration and healthier shared spaces.”
Anne Wilson, Emerge Australia, said: “Emerge Australia supports the National Healthy Air Strategy because people living with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and long COVID can face profound disability, and further infections can make everyday life even harder. Even someone who is housebound can be exposed through an infection their child brings home from school. Cleaner air in schools, workplaces and healthcare settings can help protect people already living with these conditions and prevent new cases of long COVID.”
Arabella Daniel, Clean Air Communities, said: “Clean Air Communities represents communities across Australia who tell us every day about involuntary exposure to hazardous air where they live, work, play and sleep. When they seek protection, they invariably encounter barriers, fragmented responsibility and no effective remedy. We support a National Healthy Air Strategy to close this serious gap in public health policy and make protecting people from harmful air a coordinated national priority.”
Dr Amanda Cohn MLC, NSW Parliament (The Greens), said: “The Greens support the National Healthy Air Strategy because clean indoor air is fundamental for healthy people and a healthy environment. People rightly expect clean water inside buildings, and we should expect clean air, too. Clean indoor air in public buildings is essential for people with a broad range of medical conditions to be able to fully participate in community life. The Greens are proud to have driven Australia’s first Parliamentary Inquiry into indoor air quality, in the NSW Parliament.”
Melissa Burn, Environmental Health Australia, said: “A National Healthy Air Strategy is an important step towards protecting the health and wellbeing of all Australians. Clean air is fundamental to healthy communities, yet the impacts of air pollution are not always visible or well understood. A coordinated national approach will help strengthen action to improve air quality, prevent avoidable illness and create healthier environments for current and future generations.
“Environmental health is fundamentally about preventing harm before it occurs. The air we breathe is a critical part of the environments in which we live, work and play, and its quality has a direct bearing on community health. A National Healthy Air Strategy provides an opportunity to bring greater focus, coordination and commitment to preventing the health impacts of air pollution across Australia.
“Air pollution does not stop at state and territory borders, and our response must reflect that. A National Healthy Air Strategy can help align efforts across governments, industry, health professionals and communities to deliver meaningful improvements in air quality. Environmental Health Australia supports a coordinated national approach that places public health at the centre of decision-making.
“Everyone deserves to breathe healthy air, regardless of where they live or work. The health impacts of air pollution can be particularly significant for children, older Australians and people with existing health conditions. A National Healthy Air Strategy is an opportunity to strengthen prevention, improve awareness and ensure that protecting air quality remains a priority for the health and wellbeing of all Australians.
“Clean air should never be taken for granted. While we cannot always see air pollution, its effects on human health and wellbeing can be significant. Australia needs a clear, coordinated national approach that recognises healthy air as an essential part of public health and supports practical action to protect the communities we serve.”
Ben Harris, Private Healthcare Australia, said: "Health funds support education on improving air quality, because better air quality means better health - and indoor air quality is often neglected."
Emma Brain, Association of Consulting Architects, said: “The Association of Consulting Architects has long advocated for a nationally consistent approach to indoor air quality. Our particular interest lies in the built environment, where the management of ventilation in buildings is fundamental to both health and wellbeing, a need highlighted during the Covid-19 pandemic. We welcome the return of this critical issue to the Federal agenda and are pleased to join the diverse coalition of experts contributing to this submission.”
Davina Rooney, Green Building Council of Australia, said: “The quality of the air we breathe is fundamental to our health and wellbeing, and our buildings have an important role to play in protecting it. A National Healthy Air Strategy would be an important step towards a more coordinated approach to healthier indoor environments across Australia. We are proud to be a supporting organisation.”
Alison Scotland, Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council, said: “As Australia’s peak body for a sustainable built environment, ASBEC supports a coordinated national approach to healthy air. A National Healthy Air Strategy would help align policy, standards and industry action, ensuring Australians benefit from safer, healthier and more resilient indoor environments while driving better outcomes across health, productivity, accessibility and sustainability.”
Sue Reed AM, Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (AIOH), said: “AIOH is the professional body for occupational hygienists in Australia. Occupational hygienists have been involved with IAQ investigations, assessment and control for more than 50 years. Poor IAQ has impacts in occupational and non-occupational settings, including for health, wellbeing and productivity, because people spend around 80% of their time indoors. The field of IAQ is under-developed in the context of new building design and construction, and there are no enforceable criteria or standards for regulating IAQ. The AIOH supports the National Healthy Air Strategy, as it will assist in developing evidence-based criteria and standards for regulation.”
R. Quentin Grafton, Emeritus Professor of Economics, Australian Laureate Fellow, Australian National University, said: “As an individual, I strongly support the call for clean air. It has a high social return on investment and is about meeting basic needs; staying healthy and productive while at work and in public spaces. Why wouldn’t we make such an investment in our future?”
Jack Noonan, International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), said: “Indoor air quality is one of our most critical, yet overlooked, public health and accessibility challenges. A coordinated, federal National Healthy Air Strategy is the vital reform Australia needs to overcome fragmented governance and protect public health. This unified domestic strategy would directly complement the Global Framework for Action - developed by more than 200 Commissioners across 40 countries through the Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air, stood up by the International WELL Building Institute - elevating indoor air quality into a recognised public health and accessibility priority.”
Bob Sharon, Blue IoT, said: “People should be able to expect healthy air in the places they live, learn, work and receive care. Yet indoor air quality can fall between areas of responsibility and remain out of sight. A National Healthy Air Strategy would bring health, environmental and building expertise together, set clear, evidence-based priorities and help turn air-quality data into practical action. That is how we can better protect health and improve the environments Australians depend on every day.”
About us:
The Safer Air Project is an Australian registered charity founded to make indoor air safe for everyone. It treats indoor air quality as an accessibility issue: air that spreads infection or worsens chronic conditions can shut people out of workplaces, schools and public buildings. It advocates for policy change, helps employers and communities improve ventilation and filtration, and brings patients, clinicians, scientists, industry and government together to deliver cleaner air.
Contact details:
Plum Stone, The Safer Air Project, [email protected], 0474 473 493
