Consultation Hub

Between 22 June and 19 July 2026, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing sought feedback on proposed remaking of the Narcotic Drugs Regulation 2016 and the Narcotic Drugs (Licence Charges) Regulation 2016 (legislative instruments), which are scheduled to sunset on 1 April 2027. 

The purpose of this consultation was to engage with stakeholders to determine if the current regulations are effectively fulfilling their intended purpose before they are remade. Only necessary changes arising from the consultation would be considered as part of the remaking process.

We received 28 submissions from 27 stakeholders. Feedback from the consultation generated valuable feedback on a range of regulatory, policy and operational matters. The submissions raised a broad range of issues about the operation of the medicinal cannabis regulatory framework.

Of these submissions 15 were from Individuals, 8 from Current licence holders/applicants under the Narcotic Drugs Act 1967, and 5 were from Organisations/Companies or Businesses (this category included peak bodies). Current licence holders/applicants raised the broadest range of topics including:

• the cost-recovery framework; 
• information requirements for a new medicinal cannabis licence and permit application;
• processing timeframes; and
• calls for a risk-based notification process.

Organisations/Companies or Businesses were smaller in response numbers but raised issues clustered around guidance, cost recovery and fees, and licence and permit application and variation requirements. Processing timeframes, service standards and risk-based notification were raised by peak bodies.

Individuals were most concentrated on patient access and personal cultivation, followed by the cost of medicinal cannabis for patients.

Outcome of the consultation

We appreciate the time and effort stakeholders put into their submissions. We have heard the feedback, including issues that go beyond the scope of remaking the sunsetting legislative instruments.

We have analysed the feedback received through the consultation. Many issues raised are complex and extend beyond the sunsetting instruments to primary legislation and regulatory practice. We do not intend to make changes beyond minor or necessary amendments required to remake the legislative instruments at this stage.

How feedback will be considered

Feedback received through this consultation that were outside of the scope of the remaking process will inform future policy consideration, together with feedback gathered through other stakeholder engagement.

Next steps

The immediate priority is to remake the legislative instruments before they expire, ensuring continuity of the regulatory framework. More significant regulatory amendments, changes to primary legislation, or policy and operational settings would require detailed policy analysis, further stakeholder consultation and government consideration. This policy and reform work would be considered separately, subject to government priorities, available resourcing and timeframes beyond the current sunsetting process.

The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (the department) sought feedback on proposed changes to the Private Health Insurance (PHI) classification spreadsheet template.  

The proposed template aimed to simplify the spreadsheet by removing information already available in MBS XML files and reducing duplication and better support stakeholders in implementing Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) changes.  

During consultation period, the department received feedback from a number of stakeholders, including private health insurers and sector representatives.

Stakeholders were broadly supportive of the proposed changes and agreed that the revised template would improve usability, reduce duplication with MBS XML files, improve visibility of changes between spreadsheet versions, and streamline implementation processes. 

Some stakeholders noted the importance of ensuring information remains accessible during implementation. 

The department considered the feedback received and incorporated relevant suggestions into the revised template including removing fields duplicated with the MBS Online XML and adding a list of deleted MBS items. The PHI classification spreadsheet for 1 July 2026 was published 4 June 2026 using the revised template.

The 1 July 2026 spreadsheet in the superseded template was circulated to stakeholders by email to allow stakeholders to test and validate their systems.

The department thanks stakeholder for their participation and valuable feedback throughout the consultation process.

Between 17 March and 2 April 2026, we sought your feedback to inform the design of new public immunisation dashboards. The consultation focused on how data from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) could be made easier to find, understand and use. Your input has helped shape the design and content of the dashboards to ensure they are clear, accessible and meet the needs of a diverse range of users. 

The consultation generated strong engagement, with 209 responses received from a broad range of stakeholders, including government agencies, research organisations, peak bodies and members of the public. Overall, respondents expressed strong support for the development of public immunisation dashboards, recognising them as a significant improvement on existing reporting products and highlighting their value for decision‑making across policy, operational and public contexts. Respondents indicated the dashboards would be used for a wide range of purposes, with a consistent emphasis on supporting action‑oriented activities, and most expect to use them regularly. 

Feedback on the design was broadly positive, with dashboards described as clear, modern and professional. However, respondents identified opportunities to further improve usability, including reducing visual density, strengthening navigation, and making key insights easier to interpret at a glance. There was also strong demand for greater interactivity and export functionality, clearer definitions and methodological transparency to reduce the risk of misinterpretation, and embedded guidance and support materials. Accessibility was consistently viewed as a baseline expectation, with emphasis on readability, colour contrast, and inclusive design for a wide range of users. 

We have analysed the feedback received through the consultation and incorporated it into the design and development of the dashboards and supporting materials. This includes improvements to usability, navigation, and the clarity of information presented, as well as the development of user guidance and methodological documentation to support interpretation. 

Feedback from this consultation will also inform ongoing enhancements to the dashboards and the development of additional resources to support stakeholders in using the data effectively over time. 

We thank all individuals and organisations who provided a submission. Your feedback has played an important role in shaping the new dashboards, which are now available here: Immunisation dashboards | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.