Policy and Advocacy Library
The library is the culmination of the collaborative work of RACP members and comprises a comprehensive range of evidence-based, published RACP position statements, policies and submissions.
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Description
The RACP provided feedback to Pharmac on their proposal to amend the Special Authority access criteria for type 2 diabetes medicines. The RACP strongly opposes the proposal to remove existing criteria that enable equitable access to medicines for people living with Type 2 diabetes, particularly where these settings currently support fair access for Māori and Pacific communities.
Topic
RACP recommendations
Description
The RACP provided feedback to the Justice Committee on the proposed Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Improving Alcohol Regulation) Amendment Bill. The RACP strongly opposes the proposals in the Bill, and urge the Committee to weight the evidence that these changes will further normalise alcohol use and contribute to greater alcohol related harm. It will also intensify demand on the health workforce.
Description
This new guidance supports Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM) physicians and trainees amid evolving workplace demands. It addresses their complex duties to workers, employers, and other stakeholders, covering confidentiality, integrity, conflicts of interest, and hazard awareness. Clear sections span health assessments, compliance, education, and research. This 2026 edition updates and replaces the 2016 ethical guidelines.
Description
The RACP provided feedback to the Justice Committee on the proposed Data and Statistics (Census) Amendment Bill. The RACP doesn't support the replacement of the 5-yearly question-based Census with the proposed administrative data-first Census with surveys, and doesn't support moving the next census from 2028 to 2030. It does support the requirement of annual publication of census data.
Published in
New Zealand, Australia
Topic
Child health and young adult medicine
Description
The Youth Appropriate Health Care Position Statement outlines the need for healthcare systems to recognise young people as a distinct population with specific developmental, social, and healthcare needs. It calls for embedding youth centred principles across all healthcare settings, strengthening workforce capability, improving coordination between healthcare services, and ensuring policies and funding structures to support equitable, developmentally appropriate health care for young people.
Description
The RACP’s ‘A Healthy Future Beyond Fossil Fuels Position Statement’ outlines the health impacts of fossil fuels; considers the challenges of ensuring a just transition away from fossil fuels that prioritises Indigenous justice, health equity, and planetary health; and puts forward policy recommendations to Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand governments at every level.
Description
The RACP submission to the Education and Workforce Committee on the Health and Safety at Work Amendment Bill highlighted risks from prioritising acute accidents over the greater burden of work related disease caused by cumulative and long latency exposures. It urged recognising chronic and psychosocial harm as critical risk, lowering notification thresholds to enable early prevention, retaining protections for small PCBUs, embedding occupational medical expertise in Codes, and assessing impacts.
Description
The RACP supports MCNZ’s updated draft statement on cultural competence and cultural safety and welcomes the inclusion of a dedicated hauora Māori statement. The submission affirms the importance of culturally safe, equity-focused medical practice and recommends strengthening the statements by explicitly anchoring them in Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and emphasising power imbalances, racism, bias and structural inequities in healthcare.
Description
This submission supports improved fee transparency on the Medical Costs Finder while emphasising that effectiveness will depend on careful design, appropriate safeguards, and complementary reforms including Medicare investment, workforce development, and expanded public outpatient capacity.
Topic
Access to healthcare
Description
The RACP welcomes the opportunity to submit to the Rural, Regional and Remote Medicare Inquiry. The inquiry examines how funding, workforce incentives and service models affect access, sustainability, and equity in rural Australia. The RACP provides physician perspectives on strengthening Medicare, promoting integrated care and policies that ensure fair access to health services regardless of location.
