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Michael Kidd appointed CMO
Professor Kidd, a GP, primary care researcher, and former RACGP President, will become Australia’s Chief Medical Officer on 1 June.
Professor Michael Kidd will take over the role from current CMO Professor Tony Lawler on 1 June 2025.
Former RACGP President Professor Michael Kidd has been appointed as Australia’s next Chief Medical Officer (CMO).
Professor Kidd previously worked as Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Principal Medical Advisor for the Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC), with his tenure in the roles spanning the COVID-19 pandemic.
A GP by trade, he served two terms as RACGP President between 2002 and 2006, as well as serving a three-year term as President of the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA).
Most recently, he has been Professor of Global Primary Care and Future Health Systems at the University of Oxford, and Director of the International Centre for Future Health Systems at the University of New South Wales (UNSW).
Professor Kidd was recognised as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2023 for his ‘distinguished service in medical administration and community health, to primary care leadership, and to tertiary education’.
He will take over the role from current CMO Professor Tony Lawler on 1 June 2025.
‘This is a great opportunity to contribute towards making a difference in the health and wellbeing of the people of Australia,’ Professor Kidd told newsGP.
‘I am looking forward to rejoining the DoHAC and supporting national reforms in public health and healthcare services, especially in primary care and general practice.
‘The appointment is part time (0.8 FTE) allowing me to continue my future health systems work with my research teams at UNSW and Oxford.’
Professor Kidd previously told newsGP that general practice is ‘incredibly important to the health and wellbeing of the people of our nation’.
‘It’s important that we’re all doing all that we can to boost general practice and to support our students and junior doctors who are recent graduates who are keen to pursue a career as a GP,’ he said.
‘Australia has one of the best systems of healthcare in the world and it’s based on very strong primary care, which is based on very strong general practice.
‘It’s a wonderful career and it’s such a privilege to be a GP and to work with your patients and with your local community, and to be able to have a really positive impact on the lives of so many people.’
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