Health and Ageing. The Australian Federal Department of Health and Ageing was abolished in 2013 and replaced by the current Australian Federal Department of Health on 18 September 2013 by way of an Administrative Arrangements Order issued by the Governor-General of Australia on the recommendation of the Abbott Government. Role of Secretary Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy, was appointed Secretary of the department, commencing 13 July 2020 (was originally to commence 1 March 2020). He is the first medical doctor to serve as Secretary. He went on to become "the public face of Australia's fight against COVID-19" during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, giving several press conferences with the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, and Health Minister Greg Hunt. Scope According to the Administrative Arrangements Order issued 18 September 2013, matters dealt with by the department are: Public health, including health protection, and medical research Health promotion and disease prevention Primary health care Hospitals funding and policy, including relationships and linkages within the continuum of health care Implementation of the National Health and Hospitals Network Health research Pharmaceutical benefits Health benefits schemes Hearing services policy and funding Specific health services, including human quarantine Sport and recreation National drug strategy Regulation of therapeutic goods Notification and assessment of industrial chemicals Gene technology regulation Medical indemnity insurance issues Private health insurance Blood, Organ and Dental policy and funding Health workforce capacity Mental health policy and primary mental health care See also Minister for Health Minister for Ageing List of Australian Commonwealth Government entities References Health Australia, Health Australia Public policy in Australia Medical and health organisations based in Australia Health policy in Australia 2013 establishments in Australia