A show of support for VicHealth will take place outside Victoria’s Parliament House next Wednesday (29 July) with MPs due on that day to debate the Victorian Government’s hotly contested plans to dismantle the famous health promotion agency.
Public health advocate Lucy Westerman, a member of the grassroots community campaign Friends of VicHealth, provides an update below on the breadth of support for keeping the organisation as a standalone, independent agency.
Lucy Westerman writes:
The decision to dismantle the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) will be debated by MPs in the Victorian State Parliament on 29 July.
Just over six months since the decision was announced, and with a State election around the corner, this is a moment to take stock.
A quick recap: in December 2025, in response to recommendations of an “Independent Review of the Victorian Public Service” (dubbed the ‘Silver Review’), the Victorian Government announced plans to dissolve the independent statutory body VicHealth, integrating its functions into the Department of Health.
The decision to abolish the world’s first health promotion agency after its work over nearly 40 years in improving the health and wellbeing of millions of Australians met fierce backlash from the health and community sectors, near and far.
VicHealth’s independence is its superpower. Being a standalone agency enables it to drive change beyond the health system, collaborating and partnering with everyone from local sports clubs and grassroots community groups to researchers, different government departments, and local councils.
This freedom enables VicHealth to be groundbreaking, visionary and facilitating – and ensures the Government receives the fearless, evidence-based policy advice it needs to tackle health challenges.
Thousands of people across and beyond Victoria have mobilised, expressing dismay at the decision and support for VicHealth – meeting with and writing to MPs, posting to social media, and signing petitions calling on the Government to reverse its decision, all contributing to the ongoing momentum to Save VicHealth.
Cross-party opposition
Opposition spokesperson for health, Georgie Crozier, and Greens MPs, Animal Justice Party and Legalise Cannabis Party have vowed to block any legislative move to abolish VicHealth.
The Government is yet to introduce the legislation necessary to collapse VicHealth into the Department of Health.
Numerous MPs in the lower and upper houses of State Parliament have put on the record their support for VicHealth, citing the positive impact it has had for their constituents.
The May State Budget brought welcome news, with Minister for Health Harriet Shing – who was appointed to the role in April after Mary Anne Thomas stepped down – confirming that VicHealth’s funding was renewed for 2026-2027.
While efforts to keep VicHealth independent have been successful for now, the fight to retain the agency is far from over, and thankfully support for VicHealth has continued to spread throughout the Victorian community.
Local councils speak up
A growing number of Victorian municipal Councils have joined community calls urging the State Government to reconsider proposals to axe VicHealth, warning the move will gut local efforts to promote mental health and wellbeing and prevent chronic disease.
Motions passed by Inner-city councils of Yarra, Darebin, Melbourne, as well as Maribyrnong, Merri-bek, Boroondara, Brimbank and Mount Alexander Shire in regional Victoria have raised concerns that without VicHealth – a longstanding health promotion partner to councils – community health outcomes and funded projects will be put at risk.
In a rare move, motions of support for VicHealth passed almost unanimously in all councils, across the political divide, with Labor‑aligned councillors joining those aligned with the Greens, independents and Coalition in opposing the proposal, and uniting to call on the Allan Government to reverse the decision.
Borondara and Melbourne City Councils took VicHealth to the Municipal Association of Victoria State Council in May. Representatives from councils across Victoria adopted a consolidated resolution, which included the decision for the association to advocate to retain Sustainability Victoria and VicHealth as independent statutory authority, with dedicated long term funding to continue its “critical work in health promotion, chronic disease prevention, and community wellbeing”.
The resolution also included a call for “genuine consultation prior to making any changes to VicHealth’s role, funding or focus”.
In a further indication of the breadth of community support for VicHealth, at the Labor State Conference, a motion supporting retaining VicHealth’s independence and funding was raised. We understand that it passed unopposed.
What next?
Despite the strong support for VicHealth, political opposition, and renewed funding, Labor Ministers have continued to reiterate the party’s intention to dissolve VicHealth.
Supporters of the agency remain steadfast.
Ahead of the November Victorian State election, the Public Health Association of Australia has confirmed the peak body’s State election priorities, one of which reinforces a call on all parties to commit to maintaining VicHealth’s independence and funding.
Every display of support has strengthened the case for retaining VicHealth. More voices have been speaking up, siding with communities and formally recognising the value of VicHealth to their work and Victorians.
VicHealth is integral to Victoria’s health system, uniquely positioned – connected, agile, innovative, reliable – to promote the health and wellbeing of all Victorians.
That thousands of Victorians continue to speak up for VicHealth shows that it is worth fighting for.
• Coinciding with the Parliamentary debate on 29th July, community members are invited to gather outside Victoria’s Parliament House in Spring Street from 4:30pm to show our support in a celebration of all things that are great about VicHealth – wear bright colours and join us (register here if you would like to keep up with any last minute updates): https://forms.gle/hmEhEzxmVaiKifvDA
• More details of the councils’ support for VicHealth are here.
Author details
Lucy Westerman is a Lecturer in Public Health at the University of Melbourne, public health consultant, and a former employee of VicHealth. She writes here in a personal capacity as a member of Friends of VicHealth, a grassroots community campaign that launched a petition opposing the abolition of VicHealth and has grown a following of more than 3,500 people on social media. Follow and support the campaign to #SaveVicHealth on LinkedIn and Instagram.
See Croakey’s archive of articles on VicHealth
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