Australia’s Health Tracker 2019 continues the work of a national collaboration of public health and chronic disease organisations and experts that began in 2015 and produced health targets to support, guide and track progress towards a substantial change in the health of our nation. This report card is the second edition reporting against those targets.

An estimated one in two Australians have a chronic disease. More than one-third of chronic disease could be prevented by reducing risk factors such as physical inactivity, high body mass, smoking and alcohol use. Chronic disease affects individuals, their families and carers. It affects participation by individuals in education, the workforce and the community, impacting on labour efficiency and hampering economic growth.

The Australian Health Policy Collaboration at Mitchell Institute has brought together a network of Australia’s leading chronic disease experts to drive progress in tackling and preventing chronic disease. The national collaboration has produced health targets to support, guide and track progress towards a substantial change in the health of our nation.