Advocacy and policy
Blood Cancer Taskforce – Australia’s National Blood Cancer Expert Group
Supported by the Federal Government to 30 June 2025, the Blood Cancer Taskforce was established in September 2019 to deliver Australia’s first National Strategic Action Plan for Blood Cancer
Uniting the blood cancer community
Co-chaired by Chris Tanti (CEO, Leukaemia Foundation) and Professor John Seymour (Director Department of Clinical Haematology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre & Royal Melbourne Hospital), the blood cancer expert taskforce united 32 of Australia’s leading haematologists, researchers, patients and members of the blood cancer community. They worked together to provide the blueprint to help tackle the key issues in blood cancer.
- Prof John Seymour AM (co-chair), Director Department of Clinical Haematology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre & Royal Melbourne Hospital
- Chris Tanti (co-chair), CEO Leukaemia Foundation
- Dr Sharon Avery, Haematologist, Alfred Health
- Dr John Bashford, Director, Icon Research and Foundation President, Private Cancer Physicians of Australia
- A/Prof Kate Burbury, Consultant Haematologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
- Christine Cockburn, CEO Rare Cancers Australia
- Dr Joe Collins AM, Lions Club International
- Dr Michael Dickinson, Disease Group Lead of Aggressive Lymphoma, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre; Chair Medical Subcommittee, Lymphoma Australia
- Prof Wendy Erber, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Western Australia
- Dr Chris Fraser, Immediate Past Chair, Australian and New Zealand Children’s Haematology/Oncology Group (ANZCHOG)
- Prof Maher Gandhi, CEO Translational Research Institute
- Prof David Gottlieb, Director Blood Transplant and Cell Therapies Program, Westmead Hospital Sydney
- Dr Nada Hamad, President, Australia New Zealand Transplant & Cellular Therapies (ANZTCT)
- Deborah Henderson, Patient advocate
- Prof Tim Hughes, Precision Medicine Theme Leader, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI); Consultant Haematologist, SA Pathology
- Dr Ian Irving, Private Cancer Physicians of Australia
- Prof David Joske, Chairperson and Founder, Solaris Cancer Care
- A/Prof Rishi Kotecha, Honorary Research Fellow and Consultant, Child and Adolescent Haematology and Oncology, Telethon Kids Institute
- Dr Hui-Peng Lee, Lymphoma Lead Clinician; Flinders Medical Centre; President, Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand (HSANZ)
- Prof Paula Marlton, Head of Leukaemia, Princess Alexandra Hospital
- Kirstee Macbeth, CEO Snowdome Foundation
- Dr Robert Menz, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
- David Meredyth, Head of Cancer Control Strategy Branch, Cancer Australia
- Sharon Millman, CEO Lymphoma Australia
- A/Prof Peter Mollee, Chair, Myeloma Disease Group Committee, and Co-Chair, High Grade Lymphoma Group, Australasian Leukaemia & Lymphoma Group (ALLG)
- Carmel O’Kane, Cancer Nurse Practitioner, Cancer Nurses Society of Australia
- Prof Miles Prince AM, Director Molecular Oncology and Cancer Immunology, Epworth Hospital
- Prof Andrew Roberts AM, Deputy Director, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
- Delaine Smith, CEO Australasian Leukaemia & Lymphoma Group (ALLG)
- Elizabeth de Somer, CEO Medicines Australia
- Prof Judith Trotman, Australasian Leukaemia & Lymphoma Group (ALLG)
- Megan Varlow, Director Cancer Control Policy, Cancer Council Australia
- Dr Meg Wall, Genetic Pathologist and Haematologist Victorian Clinical Genetics Services; HSANZ Councillor; Monash Health
The Blood Cancer Taskforce was supported by seven specialist Working Groups, led by members of the Taskforce and drawing on almost 100 external experts to contribute to the preparation of the National Strategic Action Plan for Blood Cancer.
The Blood Cancer Taskforce has since played a pivotal role in uniting the sector and driving national reform.
Key achievements include:
- Development of the National Strategic Action Plan for Blood Cancer, setting a clear national blueprint for improving survival and quality of life.
- Delivery of 11 Optimal Care Pathways , ensuring nationally consistent care guidance.
- Publication of Australia’s first national acute myeloid leukaemia clinical guideline for adults.
- Beyond project delivery, the Blood Cancer Taskforce has also advocated for blood cancer specificity in the Australian Cancer Plan.
With Leukaemia Foundation financial support, the Blood Cancer Taskforce has also advanced:
- The Blood Cancer Research Roadmap – a 10-year strategy for accelerating breakthroughs.
- The First Nations Epidemiological Study – to improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
While the Blood Cancer Taskforce has now concluded, the need for coordinated action remains. Significant progress has been made, including the development of the National Strategic Action Plan for Blood Cancer, but more work, support, and advocacy is needed.
Even with full implementation of the Australian Cancer Plan, critical gaps remain. Approaches valid for other cancers, such as high-risk population screening and behavioural modification, are not relevant to blood cancers, making a disease-specific focus is essential.
The Leukaemia Foundation and our partners are committed to continuing this important work – collaborating across the sector and engaging with government to improve survival, diagnosis and quality of life for all Australians impacted by blood cancer.