Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
DHDA
13 May 2025 – present
Previously Department of Health and Aged Care (2022–2025).
Department of State responsible for national health policy and programs, aged care, and disability policy including the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Names over time
- Department of Community Services and Health1987–1991
- Department of Health, Housing and Community Services1991–1993
- Department of Health, Housing, Local Government and Community Services1993
- Department of Human Services and Health1993–1996
- Department of Health and Family Services1996–1998
- Department of Health and Aged Care1998–2001
- Department of Health and Ageing2001–2013
- Department of Health2013–2022
- Department of Health and Aged Care2022–2025
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing2025–present
How it came into existence
Created on 13 May 2025 by the Administrative Arrangements Order made after the 3 May 2025 election, when the Department of Health and Aged Care was renamed and took over the National Disability Insurance Scheme and related disability functions from the Department of Social Services; sport moved out to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts.
- Health policy and programs
- Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
- Aged care
- National Disability Insurance Scheme policy
- Portfolio oversight of the National Disability Insurance Agency and the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
- Foundational supports for people with disability
Changes during its life
- Statutory public health responsibilities under the National Health Security Act 2007 and related laws
Conferred on the Director-General by the Australian Centre for Disease Control (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2025.
Main functions
- Health policy and health system stewardship
- Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
- Aged care policy, funding and regulation
- National Disability Insurance Scheme policy
- Primary care, mental health and preventive health
- Health workforce
Where it sits
- Type of body
- Non-corporate Commonwealth entity
- Portfolio
- Health, Disability and Ageing
- Accountable authority
- Secretary of the Department – Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 section 12(2) item 1
- ABN
- 83 605 426 759
Bodies in this portfolio (25)
- National Health and Medical Research Council 1936–present
- Therapeutic Goods Administration 1989–present
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 1992–present
- Australian Hearing Services 1992–present
- Professional Services Review 1994–present
- Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency 1999–present
- Office of the Gene Technology Regulator 2001–present
- Food Standards Australia New Zealand 2002–present
- National Blood Authority 2003–present
- Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care 2006–present
- Cancer Australia 2006–present
- Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority 2009–present
- Australian National Preventive Health Agency 2011–2026
- National Health Funding Body 2012–present
- Australian Digital Health Agency 2016–present
- National Rural Health Commissioner 2017–present
- NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission 2018–present
- Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission 2019–present
- Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme 2020–present
- National Disability Insurance Agency 2022–present
- Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority 2022–present
- Office of the Inspector-General of Aged Care 2023–present
- Interim Australian Centre for Disease Control 2024–2026
- Aged Care Complaints Commissioner 2025–present
- Australian Centre for Disease Control 2026–present
Lineage
Loading lineage…
Sources
Primary sources
- List of Commonwealth entities and companies under the PGPA Act, 1 July 2026 (Department of Finance)
- Australian Government Organisations Register (Department of Finance, data.gov.au) (listed from 29 May 2025 to the latest release (30 June 2026))
- National Health Act 1953 – Federal Register of Legislation (administered by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing after the AAO changes of 13 May 2025)
Government records and websites
Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.