Dr John Carnie retires after 30 years

14 October 2011

Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Dr John Carnie has retired after 30 years of service.

Department of Health Secretary, Fran Thorn, said Dr Carnie joined the department in 1981 working in the area of drugs and poisons.

“He came to the department with a wealth of clinical and public health experience,” Fran said.

In 1988, Dr Carnie moved to the Infectious Disease Unit of the Department of Human Services, going on to become manager in 1994.

He was appointed as Director of Disease Control and Research in DHS in 2001, taking on responsibility for areas covering communicable diseases, prevention and perinatal health, biotechnology and ethics, public health training and biomedical and public health research.

“In April 2007, Dr Carnie was appointed as Victoria’s Chief Health Officer, providing a primary source of expertise within the department and a leading expert to government on public health issues and matters of public and community interest.

“Additionally, as Health Protection Branch Director, Dr Carnie has been responsible for the development of integrated, statewide policies and strategies for quality service provision in environmental health, food safety and communicable diseases as well as having a broad role in health protection in Victoria,” Fran said.

In January 2005, Dr Carnie led Team Golf, a 24-strong team of doctors, nurses, environmental health officers, microbiologists and a logistician - from Victoria and the Northern Territory - to provide assistance in Banda Aceh following the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.

Dr Carnie was President of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians between 2003 and 2006 and was awarded a Public Service Medal in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2009.

“On behalf of the department, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr Carnie for his years of dedicated service and wish him all the very best in his retirement,” Fran said.

Dr Rosemary Lester is Victoria’s Acting Chief Health Officer.