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All Australians should be able to breathe clean, safe air. But right now the health impacts of air pollution are increasing. Australians are exposed to more smoke from larger bushfires, more pollen from extended pollen seasons, and more biological hazards from worsening flood events and heavier rain. Our homes and public buildings are not designed to protect against mould proliferation, the spread of airborne infections, indoor pollutants like combustion emissions, or the infiltration of outdoor pollutants. These challenges come at significant cost to our health and wellbeing. Currently, outdoor air pollution is linked to approximately 3,200 premature deaths every year, costing Australia more than $6.2billion annually. In 2001, indoor air pollution in Australia was estimated to cost $12 billion per year, a figure that has only grown with new airborne respiratory viruses such as COVID-19.Air hazards impact every organ system in the body, increasing rates of cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases, diabetes, obesity, and reproductive, neurological, and immune system disorders. Much of this impact is avoidable and even small improvements in air quality have substantial health benefits. Clean air is too important for government responsibility to remain fragmented across health and environment agencies and across different levels of government. Australia needs national leadership and investment to ensure effective and coordinated action is taken to secure cleaner air for all communities.

A submission to the Productivity Commission's 'Australia's Productivity Pitch' inquiry. Airborne viruses, bacteria, aeroallergens, gases and fine particulates are a significant but avoidable burden on productivity. Poor air quality increases rates of worker absenteeism and increases demand on the health system. Over time, air pollution increases the number of years of life Australians spend with chronic diseases and disabilities. Real-time environmental data regarding air quality can reduce exposure to unsafe air, greatly increasing productivity.

We support the Draft Policy which, if implemented, will mean new applications to install solid fuel heaters (commonly referred to as wood heaters) will not be approved in urban areas of the Queanbeyan-Palerang Local Government Area (LGA), and enforcement action can be taken against unapproved wood heaters.

Bushfire smoke can harm your health, especially if you live with a lung disease (like asthma), live with another long-term illness (like heart disease and diabetes), are over 65 or a child under 5, or are pregnant. The best ways to avoid smoke are to: Close doors and windows to help protect you during short episodes of outdoor smoke, wear a P2/N95 mask outdoors and indoors if needed, use an air cleaner with a HEPA filter indoors, check local air quality using a trusted app (e.g. AirRater), and think about visiting a place with cleaner air like a library or a shopping centre.

There is now well-established evidence of the harm of transport emissions on health. In our response to the questions posed in the Roadmap, we outline the benefits and importance of including health co-costs and co-benefits in the transition to zero carbon