POLICY AND ADVOCACY
InGeNA brings the commercial genomics industry together to shape the policies, funding, and pathways that decide how genomic medicine reaches Australian patients.
Advocacy: a unified voice to government
InGeNA brings industry insight, expertise, and priorities to key policy discussions and decisions through:
- Industry wide policy platforms and advocacy priorities spanning clinical and digital genomics and precision medicine
- Federal and state policy submissions
- Direct engagement with ministers and departments
- Strategic policy roundtables and forums
- Seats on government and sector advisory bodies
- Ecosystem coalition building
- International trade and market access advocacy
- Consumer and clinician collaboration
- Stewardship of the National Genomic Test Directory
- Member working groups that build our evidence and priorities
Shaping the future of genomics
InGeNA brings together industry expertise and consumer experience to develop practical solutions, inform national policy, and accelerate the adoption of genomics and precision medicine.
InGeNA keeps members informed about government priorities, policy developments, and emerging opportunities. Members contribute technical expertise and practical insight into how these developments will affect the genomics sector, healthcare delivery, and patients.
A seat at the table
InGeNA represents the industry directly on government and sector advisory bodies.
Our CEO, Dr Erin Evans, currently sits on:
- Genomics Australia Advisory Committee, as an independent industry member
- Queensland Health Genomics Engagement Group
Our impact
Through our Policy Working Group, Data Working Group and Consumer Advisory Group, InGeNA turns government intelligence, member expertise and consumer experience into practical advocacy and sector initiatives.
Our 2025 Annual Report records 11 submissions and representations to federal and state policy processes. This work has continued in 2026 through submissions on the Federal Budget, the Medical Research Future Fund and epilepsy in Australia.
Current priorities and projects include:
- Keeping members informed about government policy, funding, regulatory, and implementation developments.
- Bringing member and consumer perspectives back to government through submissions, meetings, briefings and roundtables.
- Advocating for an Australian National Genomics Test Directory to improve access to appropriate genomic testing.
- Contributing to national genomics policy, health technology assessment, research funding, cancer control and genetic discrimination reform.
- Developing an emerging Digital Genomics Maturity Model to identify the capabilities, standards and investment required to scale genomic data and infrastructure.
- Supporting national work to improve therapeutic recommendations and clinical trial information in somatic oncology genomic reports
This approach gives members early insight into developments affecting the sector and a meaningful opportunity to shape InGeNA’s response. It also gives government access to a collective perspective spanning diagnostics, pathology, therapeutics, data, technology, services, and clinical implementation.
We advocate for
Our 2025 Policy Position Statement, Advancing Genomic Medicine in Australia, sets out what we are asking government to do. It calls for universal access to comprehensive genomic profiling for all cancer patients within five years. It also calls for moving proven research into routine clinical care, establishing a national genomic test directory, and building sustainable funding into national health agreements.
Our working groups
Our members contribute through working groups, each focused on a specific area of expertise. InGeNA draws insights across these groups into its policy submissions and priorities.
Policy Working Group
The Policy Working Group brings together member representatives with expertise in public policy, government relations, market access, health technology assessment and clinical implementation.
Meetings provide members with updates on government priorities, consultations, funding decisions, and policy reforms. Members discuss the implications for the sector, identify shared priorities, and contribute evidence and practical experience to InGeNA’s advocacy.
The group:
- Keeps members informed about relevant government and policy developments.
- Identifies emerging issues and develops shared industry positions.
- Contributes to government consultations, policy reviews, and pre-Budget submissions.
- Informs InGeNA’s meetings and engagement with government and national agencies.
- Helps determine InGeNA’s policy and advocacy priorities.
Current priorities include the National Genomics Test Directory, health technology assessment reform, and sustainable pathways for moving genomics from research and pilot programs into routine healthcare. Our Pre-budget Submission policy priorities are here (link).
Data Working Group
The Data Working Group brings together members and partners with expertise in genomic data, digital infrastructure, standards, interoperability, analytics and technology innovation.
InGeNA keeps the group informed about government priorities and national developments affecting genomic data and infrastructure. Members provide technical and operational insight that helps InGeNA communicate industry needs, implementation barriers and potential solutions to government and other stakeholders.
The group:
- Develops shared positions on genomic data management and digital infrastructure.
- Identifies barriers to interoperability, data sharing, and the clinical use of genomic information.
- Engages with standards bodies and other national stakeholders.
- Provides expert input into submissions, government discussions, and sector initiatives.
- Examines the capabilities Australia needs to scale genomics safely and sustainably.
A key emerging initiative is the Digital Genomics Maturity Model, which will help identify current capabilities, areas of fragmentation, and priorities for coordinated investment and implementation.
Consumer Advisory Group
The Consumer Advisory Group provides an independent consumer voice across InGeNA’s strategy, advocacy, policy, education, and communications.
The group is kept informed about InGeNA’s government engagement, policy priorities, and current projects. Its members help identify how proposed policies and system reforms may affect patients, families and communities, ensuring these perspectives are incorporated into InGeNA’s advocacy.
Consumer participation is embedded in InGeNA’s governance. The Chair of the Consumer Advisory Group serves as a Director on the InGeNA Board, providing a direct connection between consumer advice and organisational decision-making.
The Consumer Advisory Group:
- Co-designs InGeNA’s policy positions and submissions with members.
- Advises the Board, CEO, and working groups on consumer priorities.
- Identifies implications for access, equity, trust, consent, and patient experience.
- Connects InGeNA with broader patient and community networks.
- Contributes consumer perspectives to government consultations, roundtables, and policy discussions.
A strong foundation of sector leadership
InGeNA’s current work builds on a substantial body of evidence and sector leadership developed since 2020. Major contributions include:
- Genomic Data in Australia, an industry-led review of genomic data sharing, governance and standards.
- Valuing the Impact of Genomics on Healthcare in Australia, developed with Deloitte Access Economics.
- The Precision Medicine Workforce Competency Framework.
- Realising the Full Potential of Genomics to Personalise Healthcare, focused on health technology assessment and equitable access.
- The 2022 Precision Health Roundtable, bringing together industry, government, healthcare, research and consumers.
- Australia Thinks Genomics, a resource covering national and jurisdictional genomics strategies.
This foundation continues to shape InGeNA’s advocacy today.
Recent submissions and publications
We regularly make submissions to government consultations on behalf of the genomics industry. Recent examples include:
InGeNA’s Epilepsy In Australia Submission – May 2026
Read more →
InGeNA MRFF Submission – February 2026
Read more →
Pre-Budget Submission 2026-27 – January 2026
Read more →
Latest news & events
Highlights from InGeNA’s advocacy calendar, updated as events are confirmed.
Genomics and cancer insights from Singapore @ HGSA 2026
Professor Joanne Ngeow shared Singapore’s experience in building population genomics evidence and translating it into cancer prevention, clinical services and national reimbursement. Singapore’s National Precision Medicine Program began by sequencing 10,000 people,...
InGeNA welcomes our new associate member Bespoke Genetic Medicines Inc
InGeNA is delighted to welcome our new Associate Member: Bespoke Genetic Medicines Inc. Where Traditional pharmaceutical companies develop one drug for millions of patients, at Bespoke Genetic Medicines, therapies are designed and tailored to each patient's unique...
InGeNA welcomes our new partner the Griffith University Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics
InGeNA is delighted to welcome Griffith University’s Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics as our newest partner. IBG is a multidisciplinary biomedical research institute for the discovery, development and commercialisation of drugs, vaccines and diagnostics to...
Advancing Cell & Gene Therapies Together: Thank You from the Summit
Precision medicine is no longer just a scientific capability; it is a systemic challenge that requires us to work at pace. We recently had the privilege of exploring this at the Cell & Gene Therapy Summit, proudly co-hosted with ARCS Australia and the Drug...
Reflecting on Rare Disease Day
This year’s global Rare Disease Day theme is “More than you can imagine,” and we are deeply grateful to have seen this vision brought to life at the recent GSNV Rare Disease Day event. We were honored to join leading patient advocates and clinicians on a panel chaired...
Congratulations to Omico on the launch of their 10 Year Impact Report
It was a privilege to attend the launch of Omico’s 10-Year Impact Report at Parliament House, received by Minister Mark Butler, MP. The outcomes are nothing short of extraordinary. As the Minister put it, the distance we’ve travelled in such a short time is...
InGeNA represents the commercial genomics industry in Australia. To add your organisation’s voice to this work, become a member or get in touch.