The Australian health sector is entering a transformative phase with the official launch of Genomics Australia on 1 July 2025 and a new Australian Health Genomics Commissioner. This represents a significant step in the Australian Government’s plan to harness the power of health genomics that is enabling personalised medicine, and the leveraging of genetic and genomic information to prevent, diagnose, treat, and monitor disease.[1]
Genomics Australia will work towards structured integration of health genomics into clinical practice, driving ‘whole-of-health system change’. Industry should expect changes in models of care and strengthened national and international relationships, which are likely to drive investment in the Australian health and medical research sector.[2]
What is Genomics Australia?
Genomics Australia is a new national body established by the Australian Government to lead and coordinate the integration of genomics into the health system. Its vision is for an Australian health system where genomics is routinely embedded in clinical practice, to enable disease prevention and personalised treatment. Its mission is to provide:[3]
- Leadership: Provide leadership on complex health genomics issues
- Expertise: Provide expert advice on nationally significant genomics issues
- Implementation: Deliver the National Health Genomics Policy Framework and Implementation Plan
- Presence: Represent Australia nationally and internationally in health genomics
- Education: Inform the public about health genomics and
- Connectivity: Give stakeholders a focal point for government engagement and communications.
Genomics Australia replaces Australian Genomics, which was an independent research collaboration that supported government-funded research projects, informed policy and practice and contributed to national standards for genomic data management.[4] Tiffany Boughtwood, the former Managing Director of Australian Genomics, will guide the work of Genomics Australia as the Australian Health Genomics Commissioner. The launch of Genomics Australia signifies a structural shift in response to a ‘clear […] need for national leadership and coordination’ and ‘marks a coming together of years of work from researchers, practitioners and government with a common goal’.[5]
What will Genomics Australia do?
The current priority projects of Genomics Australia include:[6]
- Innovation and integration: Improving access to personalised cancer care, fostering industry partnerships, assessing barriers to the translation of genomics research into practice and ‘horizon scanning’
- Community impact and partnerships: Establishing engagement mechanisms with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, building international partnerships, and understanding community priorities, values and expectations for health genomics and
- Governance and engagement: Establishing the Genomics Australia Advisory Board and Networks, advancing health genomic information management and finalising the National Health Genomics Policy Framework and Implementation Plan 2026 – 2030, consultation for which closed on 25 July 2025. This Framework and Implementation Plan sets out a national, intergovernmental strategy to integrate genomics into the Australian health system in a way that is person- and family-centred, culturally safe, efficient, effective, ethical and equitable. It is directed at decision and policy makers, but also serves as a resource for industry, clinicians, and others by providing visibility of government priorities and intended activities.
Over $30 million has been committed to the ongoing funding of Genomics Australia over the next four years, as part of a broader investment exceeding half a billion dollars in genomics research through the Medical Research Future Fund.[7]
Implications for industry
The establishment of Genomics Australia is poised to drive efficiencies and accelerate the integration of genomics into mainstream healthcare, prompting a structured shift towards more personalised and preventive models of care. This evolution will likely require healthcare organisations to:
- adapt clinical pathways
- develop new relationships and collaborate across public, private and research sectors, to support innovation and the effective use of genomic data
- invest in workforce upskilling to ensure the workforce is genomics-literate and
- enhance data infrastructure to support genomic medicine, which will require consideration of privacy and data security issues.
We anticipate seeing a period of significant transformation, with broad implications for clinical practice, data management, and system design. Those operating in the healthcare sector should expect that they will need to position themselves to participate in and contribute to the efficient, ethical and equitable delivery of genomics-informed healthcare.
Featured image by Tyli Jura from Pixabay (cropped).
[1] See Media Release dated 28 July 2025 by The Hon Mark Butler MP here.
[2] See Media Release dated 20 March 2022 by The Hon Greg Hunt MP here.
[3] https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/genomics-australia#about-us.
[4] https://www.australiangenomics.org.au/what-we-do/.
[5] See Media Release dated 28 July 2025 by The Hon Mark Butler MP here.
[6] https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/genomics-australia#areas-of-interest.
[7] See Media Release dated 28 July 2025 by The Hon Mark Butler MP here.
