Welcome to the twenti-eth issue of the HIA eNews. Over the past five years that the Cen-tre for Health Equity Training, Research and Evaluation (CHETRE) has been producing the eNews HIA’s use has grown considerably.

HIA is coming of age internationally with HIAs being conducted on every continent. The recent International Association for Impact Assessment Conference in Perth and upcoming international HIA events in Chiang Mai, Liverpool and San Francisco show how widespread interest in HIA is becoming.

After twenty issues of the eNews and five years it may be useful to reflect on the development of HIA in Australia.

One of the world’s first guidelines on HIA was developed by Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council in 1994. This was followed up by the publica-tion of the enHealth HIA Guidelines in 2001, the Equity Focused HIA Framework in 2004 and HIA: A Practical Guide in 2007.

Coupled with this there has been activity to develop HIA’s use in every Australian state and territory. This activity is detailed in this issue.

The future for HIA in Australia is promising but we need to ensure that we meet the growing capacity demands that will be placed on HIA as a field, and research ways to improve practice.

Elizabeth Harris Director, CHETRE

From the Editor’s Desk

HIA Across Australia in 2008 Each Australian State and Territory as well as the Australian Federal Government has played a role in the development of health impact assessment (HIA) in Australia over the past 15 years. Though the process of development has been largely consistent across Australia, the application of HIA is heavily dependent on the legislative, regula-tory and decision-making contexts within which it is being used.

HIAs conducted in Australia to date have focused on three principal issues:

a. To protect human health through looking at the environmental causes of ill-health and injuries, and at exposure to toxins;

b. To act on the broader determinants of health. These include factors such as un-employment, stress, transport and access to food that have a powerful effect on

population health;

c. To minimise health inequities that may arise from government policies and pro-grams.

The extent to which these individual con-cerns guide HIA practice varies between jurisdictions as HIA is used at project, pro-gram, plan and policy levels across Austra-lia.

This edition of the eNews pro-vides a snapshot of HIA develop-ment across Australia. The infor-mation has been sourced from a poster presented at the Interna-tional Association for Impact Assessment 2008 conference in Perth with contributions from every Australian state and terri-tory.

Issue 20 July 2008

Inside this issue:

HIA in Australia Snapshot 1-4

Thailand 5

New Publications 6

Conferences 6

HIA Training 8

New NSW HIA Project Staff 8

eNews

Page 2 NSW Health Impact Assessment Project

The NSW HIA Project began in 2003 to build the capacity of NSW Health to undertake HIA. The 2003 NSW Health and Equity Statement rec-ommended NSW Health de-velop processes for under-taking rapid appraisals and comprehensive HIAs as a strategy to ensure that pro-posed government initiatives would improve population health and minimise health inequalities. More than 20 HIAs have been conducted using the project’s ‘Learning by Doing’ approach. 200 professionals from health and other sec-tors have been trained to conduct HIA. The HIA Con-nect website was also devel-oped to support HIA activity in NSW.

Drawing on this experience, ‘Health Impact Assessment: A Practical Guide’, was pub-lished in 2007. More than 800 copies have been dis-tributed. Phase 1 of the project (2003) investigated the fea-sibility and scope for HIA within NSW Health and iden-tified areas in which capacity for HIA needed developing. Phase 2 (2004) used ‘Learning by Doing’ to train health and non-health pro-fessionals in HIA whilst si-multaneously undertaking an HIA. Finally, Phase 3 fo-cused on integrating HIA into the NSW health system as a tool to improve internal plan-ning and decision-making. Organisations that have im-plemented HIA in NSW de-

scribe HIA as having helped them to: a. Assess and address popu-

lation health and health inequalities

b. Improve internal planning and decision-making

c. Engage with external stakeholders

d. Develop cross organisa-tional and interdisciplinary relationships

e. Incorporate actions to im-prove health and reduce health inequalities into the goals and objectives of other sectors,

f. Improve policies and pro-grams which result in posi-tive population health im-pacts and contribute to improved population health equity.

HIA in New South Wales

Plan (SASP).

Examples of HIAs com-pleted:

1. Policy development and action plans on climate change and travel demand management;

2. Yorke Peninsula Regional Land Use Framework;

3. A rapid equity filter on as-pects of the Australian Better Health Initiative;

4. Preliminary examination of the population health im-pacts of SASP targets in-cluding water sustainabil-ity and labour participa-tion.

These three approaches are now converging with joint activity between SA Health and the SA Department of

South Australia has contin-ued to explore how best to incorporate health impact assessment into governmen-tal decision making. The health portfolio has used three distinct approaches to date:

a. Health impact assessment on major planning devel-opments, policies and strategies using eHealth’s Health Impact Assessment Guidelines 2001;

b. Equity focused health im-pact assessment;

c. Health in All Policies, an emerging approach sup-porting all government agencies to consider the health impacts of their policies and plans under South Australia’s Strategic

the Premier and Cabinet that involves all government agencies considering the population health implica-tions (including equity) of their policy decisions.

Health in All Policies is an approach designed to not just realise the potential health impacts of proposals, but also to identify and strengthen the contribution of better health to other sec-tors’ goals and priorities. It is also designed to address all determinants of health and Aboriginal health using the Aboriginal Health Impact Statement.

From HIA to Health in All Policies: HIA in South Australia

“More than 20 HIAs have been conducted using the project’s ‘Learning by Doing’ approach.”

“Health in All Policies is a reciprocal approach designed to not just realise the potential health impacts of proposals, but also to identify and strengthen the contribution of better health to other sectors’ goals and priorities.”

Stephen Green, Ben Harris-Roxas, Patrick Harris, Marilyn Wise (UNSW), Elizabeth Develin (NSW Health)

Frank Callaghan ,Carmel Williams, Danny Broderick (SA Health)

HIA action by the NT Department of Health and Community Services (DHCS) has been through its mem-bership of the NT Interagency Envi-ronmental Assessment Forum, where it contributes to Environmental Im-pact Statements (EIS), Public Environ-mental Reports (PER), Notice of In-tents (NOI), draft guidelines for appli-cants developing EIS and PERs and Environmental Management Plans (EMP) released for comments by the EPA.

The EHIAs provided by the Environ-mental Health Program have been guided by the enHealth HIA guide-

lines and NT-specific Standard Oper-ating Procedures (SOPS). The policy unit has also developed information bulletins guiding Environmental Health Officers that provide environ-mental health comments to develop-ment applications for the increasing number of developments occurring in the rural areas of the Northern Terri-tory.

Recent examples of environmental health input into the EHIA process include but are not limited to:

a. Draft guidelines for the preparation of a strategic environmental as-sessment for the development of

gas based industry at Middle Arm Darwin;

b. Location and construction new solid waste disposal sites;

c. Establishment and extensions of mines;

d. Redevelopment of the Darwin Har-bour Water Front.

The DHCS Environmental Health Pro-gram is hopeful that a review of the administration of the NT Environ-mental Assessment Act will provide opportunities to advocate for the in-clusion of HIA in the NT legislative framework.

Environmental Health Impact Assessment Activities in the Northern Territory

of the technical components of HIA as well as the rationale and principles underpinning it. Commissioned by DHS, the Depart-ment of Health Science at Monash University led a third phase of HIA development in 2007 which sought to provide expert advice and techni-cal support to Regional public Health Teams and their affiliated local gov-ernments. The nature of this support was via a ‘learn by doing’ approach which resulted in the completion of a HIA on a strategic footpath develop-ment and an equity-focused HIA be-

Since 2002, Victoria has considered the strategic use of HIA as a tool for supporting policy and planning and decision making by government at State and Municipal levels.

A phased approach to the develop-ment of HIA has seen modest re-sources invested by the Department of Human Services (DHS) in work to explore firstly, the feasibility and posi-tioning of HIA and secondly, build capacity for HIA, particularly in eight regions across the state. Training of public health staff, as a core compo-nent of this phased approach, has focused on building an understanding

ing completed on a family violence prevention strategy. The positioning of HIA in local govern-ment was explored in 2005. The com-plexities of the contextual and opera-tional conditions needed for HIAs inclusion within the diverse tiers of government within Victoria was the main focus of this work. Exploration of the role of HIA in Neighbourhood Renewal is ongoing and to date has provided insights into the main con-siderations necessary when applying HIA to neighbourhood renewal pro-jects.

HIA within Victoria

Page 3 eNews

HIA in the Australian Capital Territory pact statement or inquiry under the Planning and Development Act 2007 (Planning and Development Act). The format of the investigation is up to the discretion of the Chief Health Officer.

Also, the Planning and Development Act has a requirement that all devel-opment applications that are impact assessable undergo the broadest level of assessment, including an environmental impact statement (EIS). An EIS must be prepared in

accordance with any requirement set out in the scoping document for the EIS. Each significant environment impact, (including human health im-pacts) must be addressed in its own part of the EIS. The draft scoping document and completed EIS are provided to the ACT Health for its comment and approval.

The use of Health Impact Assessment has been limited in the Australian Capital Territory to date. The ACT does not currently have a legislative requirement stipulating that HIA form part of the assessment process for policy, programme or project develop-ments. However, under the Public Health Act 1997, the Chief Health Officer is able to conduct an investigation in respect of any matter concerning public health except where the issue would be subject of an environmental im-

Dagmar Schmitt, Peter Rogers (NT Health)

David Kallir Preece (ACT Health)

Jessica McCormick (Monash University), Necia Burford (DHS Victoria)

NSW Health Impact Assessment Project Page 4

Tasmania was a leader in legislating for HIA but lack of sufficient workforce capacity has reduced its application under the Tasmanian Envi-ronmental Management and Pollution Control Act.

HIA has proven to be a posi-tive vehicle for establishing good relations between gov-ernment agencies. Proce-dures have recently been revised within the Depart-ment of Tourism Arts and

implementing HIA within the regulatory processes of an-other non-health agency, including communication, timeframes, and opportunity for relevant public consulta-tion.

Building workforce capacity and forging partnerships will help to raise both the inter-nal and external profile of HIA in Tasmania.

Environment to enable more efficient scoping of environ-mental impact assessments. The aim is earlier communi-cation between a develop-ment proponent and rele-vant government agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services, thereby improving the qual-ity and efficiency of HIAs.

HIA processes have revealed the inherent limitations in a government health agency

HIA within Tasmania

agricultural and industrial uses;

d. The “Clean and Healthy Air for Gladstone” project.

Partnerships are being forged between government, industry and stakeholders in other sectors.

Queensland Health has worked with Queensland Transport, Education Queen-sland and Environmental Protection Agency staff to

Queensland Health is pro-gressively turning to HIA to ensure the protection and promotion of public health and well-being. Examples of projects and plans that have been identified as benefiting from the application of HIA to date are:

a. Two major dams in South East Queensland;

b. A proposed nickel refinery; c. The impact of residential

encroachment on existing

increase their awareness and knowledge of HIA, forg-ing strong relationships on these key determinants of health.

Systematic consideration of the health impacts of state and local policies and major developments is a goal sup-ported through Queensland Health’s strategic docu-ments, including the Popula-tion Health Plan 2007-2012.

Protecting and Promoting Health: HIA in Queensland

Clean and Healthy Air for Gladstone

have been established in-clude:

a. Implementation of an inte-grated Project Approvals System for resource pro-jects under the State De-velopment Portfolio;

b. Improved communication with the Environmental Protection Authority;

c. Whole of Government ap-proaches to the develop-ment of Strategy/Structure

Plans.

A new Public Health Act that includes mandatory HIA is in development but must meet the government’s require-ment that the HIA must be integrated into existing proc-esses.

A discussion paper was re-leased during 2007 outlining options on the means to progress HIA. Feedback is being used to develop the HIA framework for WA.

HIA Within Western Australia The development of HIA in WA is progressing steadily: addressed through approv-als processes and consid-eration of health impacts within government policy.

The resources sector is stimulating rapid growth across WA and the need for greater collaboration amongst sectors to minimize adverse impacts and delays to development has been highlighted. Strategies that

“A new Public Health Act that

includes mandatory HIA is in

development”

“Building workforce capacity and forging

partnerships will help to raise both the internal and

external profile of HIA in

Tasmania”

Martin Bicevskis, Sue Frendin (DHHS Tasmania)

Uma Rajappa, Dylan Walker (Queensland Health)

Dianne Katscherian (WA Health)

Page 5 eNews

Thailand’s National Health Commission Office, in con-junction with the Healthy Public Policy Foundation and Khon Kaen University, run the Community Health Im-pact Assessment Tools (CHIAT) project. The aim is to promote the development of HIA at the community level with the expectation that Thai communities will use HIA as a critical tool in pro-moting healthy public poli-cies in their areas.

The first CHIAT workshop was held from 7-9 April, 2008. Ten communities from across Thailand were invited. Many activities were

designed to enhance the understanding on the link-age of health and commu-nity well-being through the determinants of health.

All communities represented presented on their social context, existing problems and then how they plan to use HIA in their communi-ties. There was a broad rec-ognition of the importance that the broad range of so-cial and environmental de-terminants play in ensuring the health and wellbeing of communities.

Since the workshop addi-tional communities have

also approached the Na-tional Health Commission Office seeking assistance to use HIA in their areas.

As an organiser for the aca-demic section of the 2nd South East Asia and Oce-ania Regional Health Impact Assessment Conference, the Healthy Public Policy Foun-dation would also be pleased to receive abstracts on community HIA from across the Asia Pacific re-gion.

Please see the information and important deadlines for the conference below.

Thailand: Communities to Develop Health Impact Assessment Wipawa Chuenchit, Healthy Public Policy Foundation, Thailand www.hpp-hia.or.th

♦ HIA and integrated impact assessment ♦ HIA for healthy public policy ♦ HIA capacity building and

networking ♦ HIA regional movement

Abstract Submission closes: 30 September 2008 Earlybird Registration closes: 31 August 2008 For more information, visit the conference website at www.hia2008chiangmai.com or contact the organisers by email at: thunyaporn_s@yahoo.com

The 2nd South East Asian and Oceania Re-gional Health Impact Assessment Conference will be held from the 8 to 10 December, 2008 at Empress Convention Centre, Chiang Mai, Thailand. With the main theme “Empowering People, Ensuring Health”, this international forum will provide opportunities to explore, debate and discuss the principles, practice and perspectives on HIA. The confer-ence is aimed at professionals, practitioners and people involved and interested in public health, health promotion and education, im-pact assessment, healthy public policy, urban and rural planning. Abstracts for papers and posters of up to 300 words are invited under, but not limited to, the following themes: ♦ Health Impact Assessment (HIA) methodol-

ogy ♦ Regional and cross-border HIA, including

HIA of free trade agreements ♦ Health Impact Assessment at the local or

community level

Call for Papers and Posters

Wipawa Chuenchit, Healthy Public Policy Foundation, Thailand Somporn Pengkam, National Health Commission Office, Thailand

www.hia2008chiangmai.com

Journal Articles Ahmad B et al. (2008) Enabling Factors and Barriers for the use of Health Impact Assess-ment in Decision-Making Processes, Public Health, 122(5): 452-457. doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2007.08.014 Elliot E, Williams G (2008) Developing Public Sociology Through Health Impact Assessment, Sociology of Health and Illness, In Press. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9566.2008.01103.x Fell G, Haroon S (2008) Learning from a Rapid Health Impact Assessment of a Proposed Maternity Service Reconfiguration in the English NHS, BMC Public Health, 8(138) doi:10.1186/1471-2458-8-138 Lincoln P, Salay R (2008) Health Impact Assessment and Effective Regulation, Consumer Policy Review, 18(1): 22-26. Morgan R (2008) Institutionalising Health Impact Assessment: The New Zealand experience, Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 26(1): 2-16. doi:10.3152/146155108X300547 Stewart J (2008) Benefits of a Health Impact Assessment in Relation to Fuel Poverty: Assess-ing Luton's Affordable Warmth Strategy and the need for a national mandatory strategy, Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health, 128(3): 123-129. doi:10.1177/1466424008089797

What’s New? Publications and Events

NSW Health Impact Assessment Project Page 6

Clickable links!

Reports Health Impact Assessment of Second Runway for Stansted Airport - Generation 2 Development www.apho.org.uk/resource/browse.aspx?RID=49289 HIA of Sports Stadium & Retail Development in Kirkby www.apho.org.uk/resource/item.aspx?RID=49456

Upcoming Conferences 25-26 September 2008 HIA Americas Workshop San Francisco, USA habitatcorp.com/whats_new/conference.html 8-10 October 2008 2008 International HIA Conference Liverpool, England www.profbriefings.co.uk/hia08 6-9 November 2008 Assessing and Managing Cumulative Environmental Effects (IAIA Special Topic Meeting) Calgary, Alberta, Canada www.iaia.org/modx/index.php?id=386 8-10 December 2008 HIA2008 2nd Asia Pacific HIA Conference Chiang Mai, Thailand http://www.hia2008chiangmai.com 23-29 May 2009 Impact Assessment and Human Wellbeing (IAIA09) Accra, Ghana www.iaia.org/modx/index.php?id=442

In our next issue we report on issues in building capacity to undertake HIA and the independent evaluation of the NSW HIA Project

Page 7 eNews

What’s New?

together a variety of agencies, community groups and industry to provide practical information... to make it easier for Aboriginal children to be active and eat well," Mr Lynch said.

The Minister's Award is the second HIA-related award for Hunter New England Area Health Ser-vice this year after they received the UNSW Re-search Centre for Primary Health Care and Eq-uity's Health Impact Assessment Award in May.

The HIA was undertaken as part of NSW HIA Pro-ject with the support of the Centre for Health Equity Training, Research and Evaluation (CHETRE).

The Hunter New England Area Health Service's work on HIA has been recognised by receiving two awards. The Area Health Service recently received the 2008 New South Wales Health Min-ister's Award for Aboriginal Health. The Good for Kids, Good for Life Equity Focused Health Impact Assessment looked at potential health equity impacts of a $7.5 million childhood obesity pre-vention program, with specific reference to im-pacts on Aboriginal children.

Minister Paul Lynch, NSW Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, presented the Award on behalf of the NSW Minister for Health. "This project brings

Hunter New England Area Health Service Wins Awards for HIA Work

To subscribe to the list send an email to major-domo@explode.unsw.edu.au with "subscribe hia-seao" as the body of the email (remove the inverted commas).

For more information on the list go to http://www.hiaconnect.edu.au/asia_pacific_HIA_listserv.htm

An email list has been set up for practitioners and those with an interest in health impact as-sessment from across the Asia Pacific region. The list currently has 452 members.

The list is intended to provide a mechanism for information exchange and networking across the Asia Pacific region.

Kim Browne, HNEAHS Director of Population Health Planning and

Performance, receiving the HIA Award from Professor Terry Campbell

More than 40 HIA practitioners from across New Zealand attended an HIA workshop in Christchurch on the 9th of June. The workshop was organised by the New Zealand HIA Support Unit and the Canterbury District Health Board and showcased the broad range of activity that has been undertaken in the past two years.

The workshop featured presentations on the Canterbury Central Plains Irrigation Scheme HIA, the Flaxmere HIA and the Greater Christ-church Urban Development Strategy HIA’s im-pact evaluation. The workshop highlighted the growing interest in using HIA amongst New Zea-land District Health Boards and local govern-ment.

A second round of New Zealand learning by doing HIAs is about to commence. For more information on HIA in New Zealand go to www.moh.govt.nz/hiasupportunit

New Zealand HIA Practitioner Workshop held in Christchurch

Subscribers Top 450 for the Asia Pacific HIA Email List!

New Zealand HIA Support Unit Website www.moh.govt.nz/hiasupportunit

Get pa s t i s s ues f r om w w w . h i a c o n n e c t . e d u . a u

The Centre for Health Equity Training, Research and Evaluation (CHETRE) has been facilitating a three-day Masters of Public Health elective short course since 2006. The most recent course was held in February 2008.

The February workshop was open to both Master of Public Health stu-dents and other professionals who were interested in developing skills in this area. There were representatives from three Australian Depart-ments of Health, local government, NSW Area Health Services, private sector consulting firms and local and international non-government or-ganisations.

CHETRE will be running another training workshop in early 2009 as well as a web-only online course. For more information on HIA training go to www.hiaconnect.edu.au.

UNSW HIA Training 2008

“The ‘HIA in Practice’

presentations highlighted how partnerships were strengthened and the experience promoted confidence

in working intersectorally.” NSW Area Health Service Staff

“I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop

and the instructor’s breadth of knowledge and experience was

invaluable.” UNSW Student

NSW HIA eNews

Disclaimer The NSW HIA Project is funded by the NSW Department of Health. Views expressed here are not necessarily those of the NSW Department of Health. This newsletter is brought to you by the HIA Project Team at the Centre for Health Equity Training, Research and Evaluation. Content within this newsletter was accurate at the time of publication.

Funded by

HIA Training

New HIA & Healthy Public Policy Staff We are pleased to introduce Associate Pro-fessor Marilyn Wise and Dr Jane Lloyd to the HIA and Healthy Public Policy Program at CHETRE.

Marilyn Wise has extensive experience in the development and evaluation of health policy, with particular emphasis on health promotion. She is internationally recognised for her contribution to primary health care, health services and health promotion re-search and to national and state policy and practice. Marilyn has stepped into the role of Manager of the Healthy Public Policy Pro-gram. Jane Lloyd has over thirteen years experi-ence in population health. Her expertise spans health policy, Aboriginal health and qualitative research methods. Her most recent research examined the implementa-tion of Aboriginal health policy. Jane gained

considerable experience in public health policy and practice while working as Execu-tive Officer of the NSW Public Health Net-work. We’re pleased to welcome her as a Research Fellow in the HIA-HPP Program.

Jane Lloyd and Marilyn Wise