Public health expenditure in Northern Territory four times the national average per capita

According to a newly released report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), spending on public health in Australia grew by 12.5% in 2006-07, and money spent on immunisation programs accounted for most of the increase.

The report, 'Public Health Expenditure in Australia 2006-07', shows that immunisation programs cost $436 million or 25% of the $1.7 billion spent on public health by Commonwealth, State and Territory health departments in 2006-07.

Gail Brien from the Institute's Expenditure and Economics Unit says at 31%, immunisation showed the highest real growth and most of this increase was due to the introduction from April 2007 of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program, which vaccinates against the main cause of cervical cancer.

Another $262 million or 15% of the total amount spent on public health went on screening programs for cervical, breast and bowel cancer.

The Australian Government provided $1,001 million or 58% of the funding for public health activities in 2006-07 and of this amount, $508 million was funding for its own programs and $493 million was provided to state and territory governments to fund activities for which the states and territories were responsible.

The Northern Territory had the highest average per person expenditure on public health at $316, nearly four times the national average of $82 per person.

Ms Brien says the extra spending was attributed to the Territory's isolated population and the poorer health of Indigenous people and the added cost of providing services to remote areas.