A message from the Australian Health Genomics Commissioner - Tiffany Boughtwood
Welcome to the second edition of the Genomics Australia newsletter – and thank you for your participation in our networks.
We open this newsletter with the exciting news of Minister Butler’s announcement of the establishment of an Australian Precision Health Research Program. This program will pump-prime the Australian health system for genomics, stimulate the smart economy and engage the Australian public. It will support equitable access to, and benefit from genomics, and build evidence and infrastructure for sustained integration of genomics into health care. It progresses Genomics Australia’s vision for mainstreamed genomic healthcare for all Australians.
To achieve this vision, Genomics Australia also remains committed to progressing the work across our current priorities and activities – some spotlight project updates are also captured in this newsletter.
We convened the Genomics Australia Advisory Council for our second meeting on 23 March 2026. The meeting communique can be found on the Genomics Australia website here.
The first Genomics Australia webinar was held on 30 April 2026, with over 200 Network members in attendance. The webinar included presentations on our Vision and Roadmap for the Future, an update on the Genetic Testing Protections in Life Insurance Bill and the National Genomics Knowledge and Attitudes Survey. See below for information on our next webinar, and please email us at GenomicsNetworks@health.gov.au if you would like to provide feedback or suggest topics for future presentations – we’re keen to hear from you.
All my best,
Tiff
2026-27 Budget in focus
The Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon Mark Butler MP has announced a $508.5 million investment for the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) over the next four years.
This Budget commitment provides $210 million to address national research priorities. This includes establishing the Precision Health Research Program to boost genomic healthcare and research capability, improve genetic testing and treatment, and support earlier identification of people at risk of developing disease.
The media release is available here.
The Precision Health Research Program, co-managed with Genomics Australia, will support a national research collaboration to achieve the following objectives:
- recruit a representative cohort of at least 150,000 adult Australians for genomic sequencing, with a focus on increasing participation from under-represented groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and providing participants with genomic insights into their own health
- create a secure data asset to stimulate research and innovation, attract clinical trials, and inform better genomic risk assessment and treatment for all Australians
- build evidence, capacity and capability for sustained integration of genomics into Australian healthcare.
The Precision Health Research Program will be a competitive grant opportunity and will be designed over the next 12 months in line with MRFF processes, policies and legislation.
Genomics Informed Population Screening Webinar
Join stakeholders to progress a shared understanding of the current landscape of genomics informed population screening in Australia. This session will share national and international insights, highlight current research, and provide updates on the Population Based Screening Framework.
Click here to register for the webinar to be held on 11 June, 2:00–3:45pm (AEST).
Project Spotlight – Precision Oncology
Enhancing access to personalised cancer care is a priority for Genomics Australia. This personalised care, also called precision oncology, uses genomic sequencing to deeply understand an individual’s cancer cells, which can then provide highly tailored diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic information.
The delivery of precision oncology in Australia currently relies heavily on clinical research programs. This presents challenges for long term sustainability and equity of access. Understanding how genomics is currently incorporated into cancer care, and how this varies across jurisdictions and settings, is an important component of future planning.
As part of this work, Genomics Australia is examining evidence to assess where genomic interventions are implementation-ready or still in development. Our work is being informed by Australian expertise across clinical, research and policy settings, as well as international best practice. Our activities include defining and collating evidence on genomic cancer care pathways, such as what interventions are used for which patients and at what point in their cancer care journey. We are also assessing the financial impacts of integrating precision oncology into standard healthcare.
We’ve been consulting with state and territory policy makers, clinicians, researchers, professional societies, peak body organisations and consumer advocacy representatives to help us better understand how precision oncology is currently being delivered. We’ve commissioned the Nous Group to undertake a costing study and this will conclude in June 2026.
Community Spotlight - Publication of the Ensuring Culturally Safe Health Genomics with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples - Guiding Principles
Genomics Australia has published Guiding Principles for Culturally Safe Health Genomics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
This important resource was developed by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group on Health Genomics to help improve the quality of care and health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It is grounded in First Nations knowledge, experience and leadership.
The document outlines six Guiding Principles to support clinical services, researchers and policy makers in delivering culturally safe and responsive clinical health genomics:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Rights
- Culturally Safe Genomics
- Health Equity
- Data Sovereignty
- Informed Consent
- Genomics Health workforce
Together, the Guiding Principles highlight the importance of working in genuine partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. They emphasise co-design and shared decision-making, ensuring communities guide how genomics is designed, delivered, and used in line with their priorities, cultures, and knowledge systems.
The Guiding Principles also recognise the importance of Indigenous data sovereignty, supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership in how genomic data is collected, managed, and used.
We encourage you to explore the Guiding Principles and share them with your networks to support culturally safe and inclusive genomics in Australia.
International spotlight – Memorandum of Understanding signed with New Zealand
We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with New Zealand’s Ministry of Health. New Zealand is an important partner for Genomics Australia.
Our international partnerships will help us improve healthcare through genomics. By sharing knowledge, we can learn from each other and keep up with good practice around the world. This is the first of several international partnerships we plan to make in 2026.
Under this MoU, Australia and New Zealand will work together on important topics. These include ethical use of genomics, workforce needs, and the safe management of genomic data. We will also share what we have learned about using genomics in real healthcare settings.
The MoU is available here.
Have an idea for the Genomics Australia Networks?
We welcome your suggestions for future newsletters and activities.
If you have an idea or suggestion you would like to share with us, please email your feedback to us at GenomicsNetworks@health.gov.au.