Welcome to our quarter three newsletter and thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedule to catch up on PCHD news from these last several months.
Last month, the PCHD Council met at the RACP Sydney offices for our annual PCHD Council in-person meeting, followed by a forum with paediatric specialty societies and training program committees. The meeting was well attended, with excellent engagement and respectful, thoughtful discussion around our shared purpose of improving the systems in which we train and practise as paediatricians and ultimately improving the health and wellbeing of children. The Council meeting on Thursday, 6 August provided updates on the College’s TRELLiS project and Education Governance Review implementation, our policy and advocacy agenda, 2026 and 2027 work plans, and ongoing member conversations about whether to pursue the establishment of a separate paediatric college.
The forum on Friday, 7 August gave attendees the opportunity to hear directly from CEO Steffen Faurby on Board governance matters, and EGM ELA Professor Inam Haq on curriculum renewal, supervisor support and education governance. Later in the day, we held a session exploring shared challenges and priorities for our specialty societies, including MBS reform activities, College governance updates, curriculum reform and workforce development. I’m grateful to everyone who attended, either in person or online, and contributed with candour, commitment and collegiality. Their passion and commitment are greatly appreciated as we continue to work together.
I am pleased to promote the upcoming Rue Wright Memorial Award on behalf of the Chapter of Community Child Health. This award is presented to the Fellow and the trainee who best demonstrate excellence of hypothesis, scientific merit and relevance to community child health in an oral presentation. Applicants will present for the award online on the evening of Thursday, 22 October 2026. Applications to submit for the Rue Wright Memorial Award are open until this Friday, 18 September. Email your abstract along with an application form to Paed@racp.edu.au. Those wishing to attend as audience for the online event can register here. Audience registrations close on 20 October.
I recently had the opportunity to meet with the National Children’s Commissioner Deb Tsorbaris, and it was a very positive and productive discussion. We found significant common ground in our commitment to advancing child rights and ensuring that children are considered in all policies that affect them. I look forward to further collaboration to strengthen a child rights-based approach to policy and practice across Australia.
In our latest newsletter published in June, I spoke of attending a Preventive Health Roundtable at Parliament House hosted by Dr Sophie Scamps MP. The Roundtable focused on population-level measures to reduce overweight and obesity, with discussions on the evidence for, and feasibility of regulation to restrict unhealthy food and drink marketing to children and introducing a levy on sugar-sweetened beverages. Since then, a Joint Statement has been co-signed by the RACP; see mention in The Guardian here. I would encourage you to read these items and share widely; also, if you haven’t yet done so, please join the campaign by signing the petition at Switch Off The Junk.
In June, I appeared before a Senate Inquiry on the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 public hearing alongside AFRM President-elect Dr Caitlin Anderson. Representing the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, I acknowledged the importance of ensuring the long-term sustainability of the NDIS while emphasising that reform must not come at the expense of timely access to services and supports. Drawing on my experience as a developmental paediatrician, I spoke about the transformative impact the NDIS has had on the lives of children with complex needs and their families, while also highlighting the challenges created by barriers to access and inequities, variation in care and the need for reform
A key message of our evidence was that reforms of this scale required more time for consultation and expert input, particularly in relation to eligibility criteria and reassessment processes. I was pleased that the Committee acknowledged these concerns and supported our request for additional time for consultation and refinement of the proposed reforms.
During my evidence, I also highlighted the recommendations of the Thriving Kids Parliamentary Inquiry, particularly the need for a dedicated Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) item for annual developmental assessments by paediatricians. This is a longstanding gap that paediatricians have repeatedly identified and one that remains largely absent from both the Thriving Kids implementation agenda and current NDIS reforms. I emphasised that regular developmental assessment is critical to identifying emerging needs, guiding appropriate supports, and ensuring children receive timely intervention. The RACP considers this reform essential to the success of both Thriving Kids and the NDIS, helping to create a more coordinated, evidence-based system that delivers better outcomes for children and families.
Initiatives such as Thriving Kids and the NDIS reforms present a unique opportunity for Australia to build a more mature, coordinated and evidence-informed approach to disability support. To achieve this, we need national standards, robust measures of outcomes, effective service navigation for families, and investment in skilled workforces that can deliver high-quality care. Above all, I called for reforms that place children, families and people with disability at the centre of decision-making, ensuring every child can access the right support at the right time to reach their full potential. You can read the transcript here.
In August, the Committee handed down their report and recommended the Bill proceed. The College has released a media statement calling for safeguards and close monitoring as implementation comes. I will give updates wherever possible in future newsletters.
In July, I represented the RACP at a Senate Inquiry into youth justice, advocating for a greater focus on early intervention, health equity and support for vulnerable children. I reinforced the College's position that youth detention should be a measure of last resort and that governments must address the underlying health and social drivers of offending, particularly noting the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the youth justice system. You can find a media release here and link to transcript here.
In late July, it was my great honour to represent the Paediatrics & Child Health Division (PCHD) and the College at the 19th Asia Pacific Congress of Pediatrics (APCP) in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Congress theme was "Redefining Paediatric Care: Blending Equity, Excellence and Technology", and I had the opportunity to present on several topics:
- Improving communication skills for clinical practice and clinical exams (pre-Congress workshop)
- Neuroaffirming Autism Care: A practical guide for paediatricians
- At Risk, In Care, Often Invisible: Paediatricians as advocates for vulnerable children
It was particularly special to be invited as a guest of honour at the Congress inauguration ceremony. The meeting provided a wonderful opportunity to represent both our Division and the College, strengthen existing friendships, and build new professional relationships across the region. I was delighted to see a strong RACP presence, with several Fellows and trainees attending and presenting, showcasing the breadth of expertise that our members contribute internationally.
Alongside the Congress, I attended the Asia Pacific Pediatric Association (APPA) Council of Delegates meeting, a two-day forum bringing together the presidents and representatives of national paediatric societies from across the Asia-Pacific region. I have served on the APPA Standing Committee since 2024 and was pleased to be reappointed for the 2026-2028 term. The meeting highlighted the important role APPA plays in strengthening regional collaboration, advancing child health policy, and providing opportunities to learn from colleagues working in diverse health systems.
One of the highlights was the launch of the APPA Position Statement on Junk Food Advertising, a significant advocacy initiative that aligns closely with the RACP's own policy work on child health and prevention. It was encouraging to see the growing influence of APPA in shaping regional health policy and championing issues that matter to children and young people across our region.
The Congress highlighted the importance of regional partnerships in improving child health outcomes and reaffirmed the value of the RACP's engagement with our Asia-Pacific colleagues. I have included a photo from the conference and hope it may encourage others to consider attending future events in our region.
To conclude this post, I’d like to direct you to some of the media coverage we’ve been involved in recently. Please contact Paed@racp.edu.au if you have any questions.
- Contribution to a Sydney Morning Herald article that reinforced key messages from the RACP’s Youth Appropriate Healthcare Position Statement, advocating for respectful, evidence-based care for young people.
- Hanoi Soit article discussing the NDIS Bill Parliamentary Inquiry.
Dr Niroshini Kennedy
PCHD President
RACP LIFT 2026: In Conversation Wellington with Doctor Renee Liang and Bret McKenzie
On Thursday, 29 October, RACP Fellow and paediatrician Dr Renee Liang FRACP MNZM will join Grammy and Academy Award-winning artist Bret McKenzie ONZM, best known as one half of Flight of the Conchords, for a special In Conversation event.
Bringing together medicine, writing, music and comedy, Renee and Bret will explore the power of storytelling and how stories can help us make sense of difficult experiences, approach uncomfortable subjects and communicate in more human ways.
Renee is a general paediatrician, poet, playwright and award-winning essayist who was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2018 for services to the arts.
Attend in person in Wellington or join virtually. Register here.
Pomegranate Health podcast: Your contributions welcome
The RACP podcast, Pomegranate Health, has published over 100 episodes since starting out ten years ago.
To provide more frequent and focused content we’re seeking contributions from our speciality societies, committees and affiliated professional organisations.
You already spend considerable time preparing lectures and webinars for your colleagues. Audio podcasts provide an easy way to reach thousands more around the world.
Each episode gets downloaded around 6500 times over the first 12 months from publication, with 21 per cent of listeners located outside of Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
All you need to do is to organise one or more presenters and an interviewer familiar with the material. The podcast producer will coordinate an online recording lasting about one hour and then edit it down before publication. The intention would be to ‘brand’ regular episodes from your specialty society or organisation.
Please send any questions or ideas to podcast@racp.edu.au