Contemporary Histories Research Group, Deakin University and Australian Policy and History
International Symposium on Public Health Systems: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives
A virtual conference
Tuesday 9 November 2021, Australian Eastern Daylight Time (UTC + 11)
Register here (free)
About this event
Australian Policy and History and the Contemporary Histories Research Group at Deakin University will host leading academics and policy experts from across the world to discuss public health policy from historical and contemporary perspectives. Speakers including Hon Dr Neal Blewett, Bill Bowtell and Professor Catherine Bennett talking about the foundation of Medicare and the contemporary state of our public health system. Historians from the US, UK and Canada will offer perspectives on their health systems.
Program Details
9.00am-9.15am
Welcome to Country and Introduction
Alfred Deakin Professor Julie Owens
Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research
Deakin University
9.15am-9.45am
‘Hip-pocket First, Fairness Second: Australians and the Birth of Medicare’
Dr Carolyn Holbrook
Contemporary Histories Research Group, Deakin University
9.45am-10.45am
‘Building and Maintaining Medicare: Insiders’ Perspectives’: Panel Discussion chaired by Professor Frank Bongiorno, ANU
Hon. Dr Neal Blewett, Commonwealth Minister for Health, 1983-1990
Bill Bowtell, senior adviser to Health Minister Neal Blewett, 1983-1987 and Prime Minister Paul Keating, 1984-1996
Caroline Edwards, Deputy Secretary/Associate Secretary of Commonwealth Department of Health, 2017-2021
10.45am-11.00am
Morning tea break
11.00am-11.30am
‘How Healthy is Health Journalism?’
Professor Matthew Ricketson and Dr Chris Scanlon
School of Communication and Creative Arts, Deakin University
11.30am-12.00pm
‘Isn’t it iconic? Investigating the past, present and future of Medicare as a public sector brand’
Dr Richie Barker
School of Communication and Creative Arts, Deakin University
12.00-12.30pm
‘Medicare and the economics of health care in Australia’
Associate Professor Martin Hensher and Paul Crosland
Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University
12.30pm-1.00pm
‘Getting a read on Medicare Awareness, Relevance and Satisfaction’
Professor Catherine Bennett, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University and Professor David Lowe, Contemporary Histories Research Group, Deakin University
1.00pm-1.30pm
Lunch break
1.30pm-2.00pm
‘Healthcare in the Plague: Spanish flu in Melbourne in 1919’
Mary Sheehan
Public Historian and PhD Candidate, University of Melbourne
2.00pm-2.30pm
‘History-Making, Popular Memory, and the British National Health Service’
Dr Andrew Seaton
Research Fellow, Oxford University, UK
2.30pm-3.00pm
‘Seeing the Love? Forging and Fighting Feelings for Britain’s NHS’
Professor Roberta Bivins
Warwick University, UK
3.00pm-3.30pm
Break
3.30pm-4.00pm
‘Anti-welfare Nationalism: U.S. Health Care as an Ideological System’
Professor Beatrix Hoffman
Northern Illinois University, USA
4.00pm-4.30pm
‘Maple Syrup, Mounties and Medicare: How Universal Health Insurance became a National Identity in Canada’
Professor David Wright
McGill University, Canada
4.30pm-5.00pm
Discussion and Closing Remarks
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