Abstract
Public health in Australia can boast success stories in many
areas, including immunisation, tobacco control, cervical
cancer screening, prevention of HIV–AIDS, and
prevention of SIDS. However, these successes have not
been translated into increased investment in the public
health sector. Expenditure on preventive and promotional
services, as a proportion of total health expenditure, has
remained static over the last 30 years. There has been
only a minor increase in the ‘community health’ category,
a classification that includes some public health activities
but also a range of personal care services.
