My View – Trans-Tasman collaboration

VIEW - Ryl Jensen, chief executive, Digital Health Association (DHA)

One of the wisest women in the 20th century, communicator of anthropology Margaret Mead, once said “never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” 

 I am a great believer in that philosophy. I am also a great believer in the benefits of actively seeking out from whomever possesses them, knowledge, insights, and experiences that might benefit us all.  

Australian delegation 

It is in that spirit that Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora and the Digital Health Association invited to New Zealand a group of senior Australian Government officials.   

This group included the First Assistant Secretary of Medicare Benefits and Digital Health of Australia’s Government Department of Health and Aged Care, Daniel McCabe, and representatives from Australia’s Digital Health Agency, their Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research (Australia’s national science agency) and Sparked AU.    

They joined the 2024 Parliamentary event, which was truly outstanding, with a full house of around 400 attendees, all buzzing, networking, and sharing. 

Two member workshops held in the morning sparked robust discussions on a range of issues and strengthened the ties between our digital health communities in New Zealand and Australia. Read the high-level outputs from those workshops here. 

I was thrilled our Australian colleagues accepted the invitation, not just because of what we can potentially learn from them, but also because I am enthusiastic about nurturing the growing relationship between our two countries’ digital health sectors.  

Why collaborate? 

At the time of the Australians’ visit, the question was posed: “what is the why for working together?” to which I say, “why shouldn’t we work together?” 

There is no doubt that each country has a lot to work on and achieve in its own digital health space, but by sharing this goal, we get to pool our resources, expertise, and experiences, accelerating our progress and overcoming challenges more effectively. 

Collaborative efforts enable us to create a more robust and innovative health system, benefiting not only our respective countries, but also setting a precedent for global health advancements. Do not forget, too, that at a time when our sector is doing it tough with reduced funding for digital health services, Australia is investing in that space. 

It is important that our two countries find opportunities to collaborate to our mutual advantage and this summed up the purpose of the delegation's trip to New Zealand. 

The relationship between Australia and New Zealand has always been strong, grounded in a shared history and mutual respect. Together, we have faced numerous challenges and have consistently emerged stronger. By continuing to collaborate, we can leverage our combined strengths to create a better future for both our nations, especially in the area of sharing health information.  

Nearly 600,000 Kiwis live in Australia, and over 80,000 Australians live in New Zealand. New Zealanders make up the largest cohort of foreign nationals in Australia. Additionally, Australia is our favourite business and holiday destination, and we know that many Australians enjoy skiing holidays in New Zealand! At any given moment, Australia and New Zealand share a multitude of citizens.   

Currently, our two countries have a reciprocal healthcare arrangement where treatment is free, but doctors and healthcare professionals are limited to what they know about a person to that moment in time. The benefits of seamless sharing of health information between our two countries are untold, helping inform our pathways now and into the future. 

This would ensure our citizens receive the best possible care when needed. Other benefits include gaining knowledge, insights, and expertise from those operating in similar environments. 

Building Trans-Tasman relationships 

This visit also provided vendors with the opportunity to build relationships across the Tasman, paving the way for future business opportunities. Australia represents an exciting market with significant growth potential, and exploring its possibilities, especially during challenging times in our own market, is crucial.   

As a small country at the bottom of the world, we cannot afford to go it alone. Building pathways and plans now will ensure we do not have to reverse decisions later or spend extra money due to inaction.  

While we have incredibly innovative organisations and a wealth of intelligent and talented people leading the way, we can achieve much more by sharing goals and common practices with others to inform our roadmaps. Our growth and success in New Zealand are deeply rooted in and depend on global collaboration and partnerships. 

Let us continue to foster these relationships and work together towards a future where our shared knowledge and collaborative spirit drive us forward. By doing so, we ensure that our digital health initiatives are not only successful in our own countries, but also sustainable, leading to better health outcomes for all our citizens and being an exemplar for the rest of the world.   

We look forward to a future where our two countries become a tour de force in sharing health information, creating an Australasian digital health powerhouse.  

Picture: Ryl Jensen, chief executive, Digital Health Association (DHA)

If you want to contact eHealthNews.nz regarding this View, please contact the editor Rebecca McBeth.

Read more VIEWS

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page