RANZCOG Women’s Health Summit 2021
The College held the RANZCOG Women’s Health Summit 2021 at Australian Parliament House, Canberra on Thursday 27 May 2021
The theme of the 2021 Summit was Time to Act. This event brought together a diverse group of Australians from the women’s health landscape, including industry, non-government organisations, community groups, and government, in a unique collaboration to discuss and address pressing health challenges faced by Australian women.
Hosted by the ABC’s National Medical Reporter, Sophie Scott, the Summit comprised five panels, and guest speakers, the Honourable Greg Hunt, Minister for Health and Aged Care, and the Honourable Linda Burney MP, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians.
Events such as the summit would not be possible without support from our industry partners. We would like to thank Avant Mutual for coming on board as a major partner to provide invaluable support for this event.
Summit outcomes
View the summit statement that captures key discussion points and recommendations from the event, and watch the recording of the summit, below.
Our panellists
Gender equity and health equity for women
Chair: Ms Vase Jovanoska, Chief Executive Officer, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Ms Gulnara Abbasova, Executive Officer, Migrant and Refugee Health Partnership
Ms Nicky Bath, Chief Executive Officer, LGBTIQ+ Health Australia
Ms Tricia Malowney, President, Women with Disabilities Australia
Ms Kit McMahon, Chair, Gender Equity Victoria
Adjunct Professor Ruth Stewart, National Rural Health Commissioner, Australian Government Department of Health
Sexual and reproductive health
Chair: Professor Kirsten Black, Sexual and Reproductive Health Special Interest Group, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Associate Professor Deborah Bateson, Medical Director, Family Planning New South Wales
Professor Caroline Homer AO, Co-Program Director Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, Burnet Institute
Dr Nisha Khot, Councillor, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Ms Tessa Kowaliw, Consumer Representative, Council, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Professor Danielle Mazza, Chief Investigator and Director, SPHERE, Monash University
Preventative health, chronic conditions and healthy ageing
Chair: Dr John Regan, Board Director, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Ms Donna Ciccia, Director & Cofounder, Endometriosis Australia
Professor Susan Davis AO, Head, Women’s Health Research Program, Monash University
Professor Peter Ebeling AO, Board Chair, Healthy Bones Australia
Ms Emma Lonsdale, Executive Officer, Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance
Ms Jo Root, Policy Director, Consumer Health Forum of Australia
Mental health and impact of violence against women and girls
Chair: Professor Steve Robson, Immediate Past President, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Professor Jane Fisher, Director of Global and Women’s Health, Monash University
Professor Jennie Hudson, Director of Research, Black Dog Institute
Ms Patty Kinnersly, Chief Executive Officer, Our Watch
Ms Emma Reid, Chair, RANZCOG Women’s Health Foundation, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Dr Ruth Vine, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Mental Health, Australian Government Department of Health
Future research, data collection, monitoring and evaluation
Chair: Professor Gita Mishra NHMRC Principal Research Fellow, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland
Associate Professor Catherine Chamberlain, La Trobe University
Professor Cynthia Farquhar, Dean of Research and Policy, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Professor Julie Ratcliffe, President, Australian Health Economics Society
Professor Helena Teede, Chair of the National AHRA Women’s Health Research, Translation and Impact Network
Ms Leigh Toomey, Consumer Representative, RANZCOG Women’s Health Foundation, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologist
Photo gallery





