Chief medical officer Professor Paul Kelly will retire from the role – and as interim head of the ACDC – before the month is out.
Tributes are flowing for Australia’s chief medical officer Professor Paul Kelly who has announced he is retiring from the top job on 21 October.
His retirement from public service also means the Department of Health and Aged Care is now also on the hunt for a new head of the interim Australian Centre for Disease Control. Professor Kelly has also held this role since the ACDC started on 1 January this year.
Professor Kelly has been DoHAC’s CMO since 2020, after joining the department as chief medical advisor in 2019. He became a familiar household face thanks to the covid pandemic and the countless press conferences he fronted.
Federal health minister Mark Butler said Professor Kelly’s expertise, leadership and advice have been credited with helping Australia successfully navigate the covid pandemic — the country’s largest public health response in over 100 years.
“Professor Kelly’s constant presence, technical expertise, and clear communication provided reassurance to the public and critical advice to governments at a time of extreme uncertainty,” said Mr Butler.
“He has also been instrumental in the establishment of the interim Australian CDC, which will better prepare our country for future health threats and leading the development of Australia’s first National Health and Climate Strategy.
“It has been a pleasure to work with Professor Kelly over the past three years, and I wish him all the best.
“Professor Kelly’s last day in the Department will be 21 October 2024. Arrangements to fill the roles of CMO and head of the interim Australian CDC will be confirmed in due course.”
Australian Medical Association president Dr Danielle McMullen said Professor Kelly stepped into the role of CMO in the midst of the incredibly challenging pandemic, helping the nation successfully navigate the public health response.
“Professor Kelly stepped up providing his expertise during the pandemic, helping not just the medical profession, but all Australians to navigate their way through an incredibly difficult time,” she said.
“It has been a pleasure for everyone at the AMA to work with Professor Kelly, even on the many thorny policy issues we have discussed. Professor Kelly has always been collaborative and constructive.”
Dr McMullen said that as the interim head of the ACDC, Professor Kelly has been instrumental in laying the foundations for an agency that would help deal with future epidemics and pandemics.
“We need to get on with the work the Professor Kelly has started to ensure we have a properly resourced and functional CDC for future pandemics,” she Dr McMullen.
“On behalf of all doctors in Australia I want to thank Professor Kelly for his extensive service and commitment to making our healthcare system a better one for all Australians.
“Australia’s health policy, in times of crisis and in times of strain, relies upon accurate, timely and clear medical advice to inform our public policy makers and political leaders. We thank Professor Kelly for working with the many doctors in the profession over his time in the public service to deliver advice that has helped shape the system for the better.”
The Public Health Association of Australia also acknowledged Professor Paul Kelly’s contributions as CMO and head of the ACDC.
“A public health physician and infectious disease epidemiologist, Professor Kelly was the right man to offer leadership to Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said PHAA CEO, Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin.
“Few people will appreciate the extraordinary pressures and challenges of being the Chief Medical Officer during a global health emergency. Professor Kelly played a vital role in helping Australia navigate through that crisis.
“All people in Australia owe Professor Kelly a debt of gratitude for his dedication and leadership during a perilous time in history.
“We also thank Professor Kelly for his commitment to the development of the Australian Centre for Disease Control.
“We wish Professor Kelly all the best in his future endeavours.”