Prioritising Improved Care for People with Dust-Related Diseases – prevention, support, research, and response

Overview

The past decade has seen the re-emergence of silicosis, an entirely preventable occupational respiratory disease that was prevalent in Australia in the 1940s to 1960s. This re-emergence has been mostly driven by the popularity of engineered stone material which has been available in Australia since the early 2000s. Nearly one in four engineered stone workers who have been in the industry since before 2018 have been diagnosed with silicosis or other silica dust related diseases. It is expected that this number will rise.  Dust diseases also impact workers from a wide range of industries including tunnelling, mining, concreting, and quarrying. The Australian Government established the National Dust Disease Taskforce (Taskforce) in 2019 to develop a national approach for the prevention, early identification, control, and management of occupational dust diseases in Australia. The Taskforce delivered its Final Report to Government in June 2021.  In April 2022, the Commonwealth, state, and territory governments released the All of Governments’ Response to the Final Report of the Taskforce (AoG Response). The Australian Government also announced the Prioritising Improved Care for People with Dust-Related Diseases Initiative in the 2022-23 Budget, which provides $11 million funding over four years from 2022-23 to 2025-26 for a range of measures to deliver key initiatives supported by all governments in the AoG Response.  The Prioritising Improved Care for People with Dust-Related Diseases Initiatives – prevention, support, research, and response grant opportunity commits a maximum of $3.957 million over 3 years to supports several activities detailed in the Budget measure. It also builds on existing Department of Health and Aged Care funded LFA initiatives as well as supports new activities.  To view the grant opportunity documents, please select the red "GO Documents" button on the left hand side.