MC & speakers

Dr Norman Swan co-hosts RN’s Health Report and the popular What’s That Rash podcast.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he co-hosted Coronacast, which had monthly downloads in the millions.

Norman is also a reporter and commentator on the ABC Television’s 730 and Midday and has made several Four Corners. He is a past winner of the Gold Walkley - Australia’s top award for journalism and has won other Walkleys, including one with his Coronacast colleagues in 2020.

He created Invisible Enemies, on pandemics and civilisation for Channel 4 UK and SBS which was subsequently broadcast in 27 countries.

Norman has been awarded the medal of the Australian Academy of Science, an honorary MD from the University of Sydney, a Fellowship of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences and the Medal of the Order of Australia (AM).

He has three best selling books, So You Think You Know What’s Good For You and So You Want To Live Younger Longer and his latest, So you Want To Know What’s Best For Your Kids, a one stop handbook for parents of children from birth to 10 years old.

Norman trained in medicine and paediatrics in Aberdeen, London and Sydney before joining the ABC. In addition to his medical degree, he is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (in paediatrics) and has a Diploma in Child Health from the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons of England.

Professor Zoe Wainer is the inaugural Director General of the Australian Centre for Disease Control, responsible for establishing and leading Australia’s national public health agency and strengthening the country’s preparedness for future health threats. The Australian CDC provides independent, evidence-based advice on disease prevention, surveillance and response to safeguard the health of Australians.

Professor Wainer is a values-driven C-suite health leader with experience across government, academia and the private sector. She previously served as Deputy Secretary for Community and Public Health at the Victorian Department of Health and as Chief Medical Officer for Bupa Australia and New Zealand.

A medical doctor with a background in cardiothoracic surgery and a PhD from the University of Melbourne, she has expertise in public health, value-based healthcare and women’s health. Professor Wainer has worked internationally in global health, including public health initiatives in Timor-Leste and surgical programs in Fiji and Tonga.