Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

An unassuming member of our community on the Central Coast of New South Wales who had a national and global impact on public health, Dr Tony Adams, passed away in August at the age of 89. Many locals will remember Tony as a friendly face and a regular at the local aquarobics morning classes at Kincumber swimming pool. What a lot of people didn't know, though, was the impact he had on public health at a global level.

Tony retired in 2016 after 20 years working with the World Health Organization in Geneva, where he played a pivotal role in the near eradication of polio in South-East Asia and the Western Pacific region as a member of the World Health Organization's polio eradication commission, serving as its global head for a decade. Before the World Health Organization, Tony was the longest serving chief medical officer for the nation, from 1988 to 1997. Before that, he served in the same role in New South Wales.

Dr Tony Adams was a pioneer of public health and a leading figure in Australia's response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. He also oversaw the closing of the notorious quarantine station at Manly. Even after his retirement, Tony didn't give up his advocacy on public health, earning recognition for his work to have fluoride added to the water supply in the Central Coast region—maybe not great for the business of local dentists, but certainly a fantastic public health outcome. His voice was lent not only to health advocacy but to the Central Coast Philharmonia, where he served as secretary and treasurer.

Dr Tony Adams was a much-loved member of his family and friends, and he was respected internationally. To Tony's partner, Dr Romaine Rutnam, and his son, Erik, I send my condolences and pay tribute to his memory and his contribution to the health of our global community.