June 2007

Dr John Carnie new Chief Health Officer

Respected public health physician Dr John Carnie has been appointed Victoria’s Chief Health Officer.

Dr Carnie, the State’s Deputy Chief Health Officer (since 2002), joined the Victorian Health Department in 1981.

Dr Carnie said he would work hard to justify the confidence shown in him.

‘I have worked in the area of Public Health in Victoria for the past 26 years and aim to protect the public to the best of my ability,’ Dr Carnie said.

‘It is always important to balance the need of providing as much information as possible to the community in relation to significant health risks without becoming unnecessarily alarmist.’

Dr Carnie has a Master’s Degree in Public Health from Harvard and a Master’s Degree in Epidemiology from Melbourne University.

He is a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and was President of the Faculty from May 2004 to May 2007.

Dr Carnie was born and educated in Sri Lanka where he graduated.

He undertook post-graduate studies in paediatrics in the UK obtaining a Diploma in Child Health and Membership of the Royal College of Physicians, UK.

He migrated to Australia in 1977 and entered the field of public health in 1981 when he joined the then Victorian Health Department.

Dr Carnie has a wide experience of public health issues having served on many state and national committees.

He has a special interest in communicable disease control.

Dr Jim Hyde has been appointed as Public Health Acting Director.

For the past year he has been an advisor in the Rural and Regional Health and Aged Care Services Division of the Department of Human Services.

From February 2005 to June 2006 Dr Hyde was National Public Health Partnership Principal Program Advisor, providing advice to governments on strategic and integrated responses to public health priorities.