1:30pm to 3:00pm

Concurrent Session 4 - Workshops

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 ​4A - Safeguarding health in international investment agreements - Clarendon Room E

Facilitated by: Prof Anne Marie Thow, University of Sydney, Ms Diana Rosert, UN Trade and Development, Dr Benn McGrady, WHO, Prof L. Alan Winters, UK Centre for Inclusive Trade Policy, Dr Alison Tedstone, WHO-European Region and Mr Tien Dat Hoang, Monash University.

Target Audience: Public health academics, practitioners and advocates interested in the interface between health and international investment treaties, and opportunities for action at global and national levels.

Learning Outcomes: Understand the role of health safeguards in international investment treaties; Discuss and analyse case studies of health safeguards; Identify and develop strategies for ensuring that investment treaties better protect and promote public health; Network with others interested in strengthening action on health and investment treaties at global and national levels.

About: International Investment Agreements (IIAs) form parts of efforts by governments to attract foreign investment. However, industry actors have used them to dispute health policy measures in critical areas, including tobacco control and access to medicines. Governments find themselves caught between the interests of the investors (companies), and the health of their citizens. The World Health Organization has recommended that health safeguards be built into IIAs. However, their adoption has been limited and inconsistent.

This workshop will present new evidence on:
1) best-practice options to successfully safeguard health in IIAs, and
2) strategies for public health actors to support the inclusion of health safeguards in future IIAs.
The workshop will include facilitated discussion on opportunities for investment policy to better enable and protect the adoption of strong health policy measures at the national level, and how public health actors can strategically encourage inclusion of health safeguards in IIAs.

 

4B - Commercial determinants and managing conflicts of interest - Clarendon Auditorium

Facilitated by: Dr Belinda Townsend Australian National University, Dr Katherine Cullerton The University of Queensland, Prof. Barbara Mintzes University of Sydney.
Target Audience: Practitioners, researchers, health promotion and organisation staff
Learning Outcomes: Drawing on the research results that will be presented at the workshop and on the planned discussions, the three learning objectives of the workshop are to: Identify how conflict of interest is conceptualised in international settings and in Australia in regard to commercial actors and health; Understand current challenges and tensions faced by Australian health, consumer, and patient groups in regard to managing engagement with commercial actors; Develop capacity to be better equipped to identify, prevent and/or manage conflicts of interest.
About:  While there has been much focus on how commercial actors influence and interfere in health policymaking and practice, less attention has been paid to how health organisations, researchers, and patient groups are managing their engagement with the broad suite of commercial actors that influence population health.
This workshop draws on research projects with

1. Australian health organisations on how they are managing engagement with commercial actors particularly in the areas of alcohol and ultra-processed foods.

2. Population nutrition researchers and a new toolkit for identifying, preventing, and managing COI in research activities; and

3. How patient and consumer groups are navigating this landscape particularly in pharmaceutical policy.

The overarching aim of the workshop is to explore current tensions and challenges for organisations, researchers, and the public, and identify good practice internationally and locally, including potential tools that can be adapted and developed to assist the public health community.

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4C – Towards a wellbeing economy for local government and local communities - Clarendon Room D

Co-Facilitated by: VicHealth, Ms Sharon Fraser (Castlemaine Institute), Ms Lexi Randall-L’Estrange (Castlemaine Institute), Ms Merryn Tinkler (Mount Alexander Shire Council).

Target Audience: Community leaders and local government executives and economy, culture and wellbeing staff

Learning Outcomes: What are the key wellbeing economy concepts and principles; How have wellbeing economy concepts been applied in a Victorian rural local government context (with learnings generally applicable to Australian place-based work); Reflect with others on the possibility of wellbeing economy in your own local community(s).

About: What is a wellbeing economy? And how does this apply to local communities in Australia? Hear from a rural local government team who have embarked on a wellbeing economic development strategy journey about how they have applied wellbeing economy concepts to their strategy development process and what they have learned along the way. Bring your questions and ideas about what a wellbeing economy might look like for your community (where you live and where you work). Share your ideas and reflections with others as we explore place-based systems change for health and wellbeing in 2024 and beyond. Facilitated by Mount Alexander Shire Council and the Castlemaine Institute Wellbeing Economy Team.