Dr Barbara Carney

Dr Barbara Carney is Director Policy and Research at the Australian Private Hospitals Association (APHA). APHA is the peak national body representing the interests of the private hospital sector in Australia, with a diverse membership that includes large and small hospitals and day surgeries, for profit and not for profit hospitals, groups as well as independent facilities, located in metropolitan, regional and rural areas. The range of facilities represented by APHA includes acute hospitals, specialist psychiatric and rehabilitation hospitals and also free-standing day hospital facilities.

Prior to joining the APHA in 2009, Barbara was Head of Government and Regulatory Affairs for Insurance Australia Group, an Australian based general insurance group, with operations in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Asia.

From 1996 to 2002, she was Chief of Staff and Senior Policy Adviser to Australia’s Federal Health Minister the Hon. Dr Michael Wooldridge and his successor, Senator the Hon. Kay Patterson, with responsibility within the Ministers’ office for all Budget and Cabinet matters. Special additional responsibilities included health and medical research funding and Commonwealth-State financial relations in the health portfolio. Barbara was also closely involved in the policy development to introduce the tax rebate for private health insurance in 1999.

From 1994 to 1996, Dr Carney was Chief of Staff to the Hon. Peter Costello, who became Australia’s Treasurer at the March 1996 Federal election.

Dr Carney has also consulted on government affairs to the health, telecommunications, banking and financial services sectors. In the 1980s to mid 1990s, she worked in a number of policy and program delivery roles in the Federal public sector, including the Health Department.

Barbara Carney’s PhD is in political history.