About EHA
Environmental Health Australia (EHA) is the premier environmental health professional organisation in Australia. EHA provides leadership for the profession and supports member development. EHA's overarching role is to enhance environmental health and safety in the community through the work of its members and in collaboration with other agencies, through advocacy, promotion, education and leadership. EHA members are employed in a diverse range of settings including local, state and territory government authorities; in the academic, research and private sectors; and the defence force.
Within Australia, EHA has member organisations in each state and territory. State environmental health associations support professional development and leadership through an annual conference, in supporting regional groups and special interest groups and through other professional development activities.
EHA has been in existence since 1936 and has undergone several name changes over time to reflect the changing nature of the organisation and its membership. It is a founding member of the International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH) which includes 45 environmental health associations around the world.
Our Values
- Professionalism
- Integrity and Ethics
- Transparency
- Accountability
- Responsiveness
- Sustainability and Stewardship
Living the Values
EHA is committed to ensuring that all our activities are undertaken consistent with the objectives of the Constitution and with our values:
- Professionalism: we perform our tasks and derive outcomes to the best of our ability, with optimum use of resources and with a focus on continuous improvement, productivity, and professional development;
- Integrity and Ethics: we deal with each other, our members and stakeholders on the basis of trust, understanding, and respect for differing views and interests. We find solutions that best reconcile diverse interests and provide optimum value to our members and stakeholders in the interests of enhancing environmental health;
- Transparency: we are open and honest in our dealings with each other, members and stakeholders;
- Accountability: we serve the needs of our members in a professional, responsible and accountable manner;
- Responsiveness: we engage with our members and stakeholders to enable members and stakeholders to play a participative role in policy development and decision-making process; and
- Sustainability and Stewardship: we acknowledge our responsibility for resources, the environment and ensuring our natural resources are sustainably managed for our own quality of life and for future generations.
Our Vision
Environmental Health Australia aspires to enhance the practice of environmental health to provide a healthy, safe and attractive natural, built and social environment for all the communities of Australia.
The EHA Model
National Company - EHA Ltd
Environmental Health Australia Limited (EHA Ltd) is a registered Australian not-for-profit company (ACN 000 031 998) and is subject to compliance with national company legislation as well as its Constitution and associated By-Laws. The membership of EHA Ltd is made up of the individual state associations being Queensland, New South Wales (including the Australian Capital Territory), Tasmania, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia (including the Northern Territory). EHA Ltd is managed by a Board of Directors consisting of representatives (National Directors) from each of the State Associations. The Board of EHA Ltd is comprised of the National President, Vice-President, Treasurer and National Directors. A National Executive Officer who is also the Company Secretary is responsible for the day to day administration.
EHA Ltd is responsible for both national and international representation of its membership, coordination of policy activities, coordination of a nationally consistent professional development framework and overall company and organisational development to achieve the Mission and objectives of Environmental Health Australia. It owns and manages all professional tools including, but not restricted to, the EHA brand, CEHP, CPD, environmental health journal, university course accreditation and website.
State Associations
EHA Ltd has a formal Service Agreement with the individual member State Associations. The aim of the Service Agreement is to highlight the roles of and responsibilities of all parties in coordinating their efforts to promote excellence in environmental health practice by:
- Developing and progressing the practices and policies of the environmental health profession;
- Coordinating and representing the views, concerns and interests of members;
- Disseminating knowledge on environmental health to individuals, the community, governments and other organisations; and
- Advocating the objectives and policies of Environmental Health Australia including developing membership of Environmental Health Australia.
The State Associations are each managed by a Board as voted by the respective State memberships. Each State Board consists of a State President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary and Board members. The State Associations can choose to independently engage the services of Executive Officers to provide administrative support and assistance.
The primary role of the State Associations is to provide and manage services to their members. This is achieved by:
- Operating within their State;
- Operating within the framework of the relevant state association incorporation legislation and their respective Constitution;
- Representing their membership on behalf of EHA Ltd on environmental health matters;
- Providing membership services through management of their budgets; and
- Management of their staff and all human resource management.
The Service Agreement is subject to annual review to allow for negotiation between the State Associations and the National Company. The links to the State Associations are also provided below.