Communicable Diseases & Immunisation Conference 2026
'Public Health at Risk - Collective Solutions to New Challenges'
Monday 15 to Wednesday 17 June 2026 | Marvel Stadium Melbourne/Naarm, Wurundjeri Country, VIC
#CDIC2026
Conference Program
The draft conference program is outlined in various formats below - details will be updated as they are confirmed.
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The Detailed Program contains details of concurrent session, presenters and abstracts.
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A downloadable PDF program is available below but changes might still occur - Please refer to the website for up-to-date information.
Please note all times are AEST (Melbourne time).
Day 1 - Monday 15 June 2026
Opening Plenary - "CDC"
9.00am to 10.30am (90min)
Room: Victory
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Session Chairs: A/Prof. Terry Slevin and Prof. Katie Flanagan
Welcome to Country - Wurundjeri Elder Annette Xiberras
Introductory Remarks Video message: Hon. Mark Butler
Conference Welcome- PHAA President, Prof. Caroline Miller
Keynote Speakers:
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Prof. Zoe Wainer - Director General, Australian Centre for Disease Control
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Dr. Caroline McElnay - Chief Health Officer, Department of Health Victoria
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Dr. Lorraine Anderson - Medical Director, Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services
Q&A with keynotes
10.30am - 11.00am - Morning Tea & Exhibition; Poster Display
Room: Medallion Room
Concurrent Sessions 1A - 1E & Symposium #1
11.00am to 12.30pm (90min)
1A- Impact of RSV vaccines Room: Skyline room
1B - Vaccine delivery & practice Room: Horizon room
1C - One health Room: Rodgers room
1D - Outbreak preparedness & response Room: Quill room
1E - Preventing respiratory transmission Room: Danvers room
Symposium 1 - Expanding protection: Improving vaccine Coverage in Australia and worldwide
Room: Foundry room
12.30pm - 1.30pm - Lunch & Exhibition; Poster Display
Room: Medallion Room
Concurrent Sessions 2A - 2E & Symposium #2
1.30pm to 3.00pm (90min)
2A - Vaccine safety monitoring Room: Skyline room
2B - Increasing childhood immunisation coverage Room: Horizon room
2C - Trends in notifiable diseases Room: Rodgers room
2D - Innovation Room: Quill room
2E - Sexually transmitted infections Room: Foundry room
Symposium 2 - Increasing vaccination demand and uptake: The critical role for behavioural and social science
Room: Danvers room
3.00pm - 3.30pm - Afternoon tea & Exhibition; Poster Display
Room: Medallion Room
Concurrent Sessions 3A - 3F
3.30pm to 4.45pm (75min)
3A - Maternal vaccination Room: Skyline room
3B - COVID and RSV in older adults Room: Horizon room
3C - Respiratory virus epidemiology & vaccination Room: Rodgers room
3D - Equity and priority populations Room: Quill room
3E - Vaccine efficacy & effectiveness Room: Foundry room
3F - Vaccination policy Room: Danvers room
Feery Oration (Immunisation)
5.00pm to 5.45pm
Room: Victory
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Session chair: A/Prof. Stephen Lambert
Orator: Prof. Kristine Macartney - Director, National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS)
Welcome Reception
5.45pm to 6.45pm
Room: Medallion Room
We encourage all delegates to attend, for a chance to network, catch-up with friends, make new connections and discuss the day's sessions.
Sponsored by
Day 2 - Tuesday 16 June 2026
Plenary 2 - "Respiratory Health: Evidence into Action"
9.00am to 10.30am (90min)
Room: Victory
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Session chairs: Prof. Bette Liu and Ms. Karen Bellamy
Keynote Speakers:
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Dr Conall Watson - Consultant Epidemiologist, UK Health Security Agency
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Dr Ushma Wadia - Paediatrician, Perth Children's Hospital |Clinical Senior Lecturer, Centre for Health Research, UWA
Panel discussion:
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Prof. Allen Cheng - Professor of Infectious Diseases, Monash Health
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Prof. Anne-Marie Eades, Professor and First Nations Researcher, Curtin University
Moderator: Prof. Nicholas Wood
Q&A with keynotes
10.30am - 11.00am - Morning Tea & Exhibition; Poster Display
Room: Medallion Room
Symposium 3 - Australian Centre for Disease Control: Communicable Disease Surveillance Strategy - Stakeholder Workshop
10.45am to 12.45pm (120min)
Room: Victory Room A
Concurrent Sessions 4A - 4E
11.00am to 12.30pm (90min)
4A - Influenza burden and vaccine effectiveness Room: Skyline room
4B - Enteric diseases Room: Horizon room
4C - TB & RHD Room: Rodgers room
4D - Respiratory vaccine immunogenicity studies Room: Quill room
4E - Enhancing Vaccine programs Room: Foundry room
12.30pm - 1.30pm - Lunch & Exhibition; Poster Display and Judging
Room: Medallion Room
Poster display & Judging
Come and speak to the authors about their poster
Concurrent Sessions 5A - 5E & Symposium #4
1.30pm to 3.00pm (90min)
5A - Disease trends and epidemiology Room: Skyline room
5B - Vaccine mandates & community perspectives Room: Horizon room
5C - Respiratory disease surveillance Room: Rodgers room
5D - Public health practice and operations Room: Quill room
5E - Rural and remote public health Room: Foundry room
Symposium 4 - Digital innovations in Public Health Room: Danvers Room
3.00pm - 3.30pm - Afternoon tea & Exhibition; Poster Display
Room: Medallion Room
Plenary 3 - "Regional threats & response"
3.30pm to 4.45pm (75 min)
Room: Victory
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Session Coordinators & chairs: Dr. Hazel Clothier and Dr. Christian McGrath
Keynote Speakers:
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Dr Gina Samaan - Regional Emergency Director, World Health Organization
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Dr Fiona Kupe - Senior Paediatrician, National Capital District Provincial Health Authority
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Dr Joshua Hayward - Research Team Leader, Burnet Institute
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Ms Emma Denehy - Assistant Director-General, Australian Centre for Disease Control
Q&A with keynotes
Aileen Joy Plant Oration (Communicable diseases)
5.00pm to 5.45pm
Room: Victory
Session Chair: Prof. Bette Liu
Orator: Dr Jeremy McAnulty Public Health Physician, formerly Executive Director of Health Protection NSW at the NSW Ministry of Health
Conference Dinner - Ticketed Function
7.00pm to 10.00pm
Room: Victory (A)
We are encouraging delegates to wear their favourite teams colours / outfit.
Includes: GSK Immunisation Awards
Day 3 - Wednesday 17 June 2026
Plenary 4 - "Public health under challenge five years post pandemic "
9.00am to 10.30am (90min)
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Session Chairs: Prof. Bette Liu & A/Prof. Stephen Lambert
Co-chair/Moderator: A/Prof. Stephen Lambert
Keynote Speakers:
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Prof. Joseph Doyle - Professor of Infectious Diseases, Monash Health
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Mr Abe Ropitini - Executive Director - Population Health, Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO)
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Ms Catherine Hughes AM - Founder and Executive Director, Immunisation Foundation of Australia (IFA)
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Dr Nadia Toutounji - Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology - Public Health
Q&A with keynotes
10.30am - 11.00am - Morning tea & Exhibition; Poster Display
Room: Medallion Room
Concurrent Sessions 6A - 6F
11.00am to 12.30pm
6A - Surveillance and response Room: Skyline room
6B - Communicable disease control in our region Room: Horizon room
6C - Respiratory vaccines in children Room: Rodgers room
6D - Measles & varicella Room: Quill room
6E - Implementing immunisation Room: Foundry room
6F - Rapid outbreak reports Room: Danvers room
12.30pm - 1.30pm - Lunch & Exhibition; Poster Display
Room: Medallion Room
Lunch Session - Poster Winners Announced & Lightning update on recent outbreaks - Expansion
1.00pm to 1.30pm (30min)
Room: Victory
Poster display - Winners announced
Keynote Speaker: Ms Emma Denehy - Assistant Director-General, Australian Centre for Disease Control
Closing Plenary - Debate "Influencers are more impactful than experts in changing public health"
1.30pm to 3.00pm (90min)
Room: Victory
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Session chairs & Moderators: Prof. Meru Sheel and Prof. Christopher Blyth
Debaters:
Yes
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Mr Richard Brett - CEO, Ogilvy
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A/Prof. Sanjay Senanayake - Infectious Diseases Physician, Australian National University
No
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Prof. Paul Kelly - Founder & Principal, PK Public Health Advisory
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Dr Monique Ryan MP - Independent Federal Member of Parliament for Kooyong, Australia
Q&A with keynotes
Closing Remarks
Adj. Prof. Terry Slevin - CEO, PHAA