October 27, 2026 — 7:30pm

Polluted air in schools, hospitals, train stations and workplaces has become the leading environmental cause of preventable illness and premature death, doctors and scientists have warned.

Australia’s lack of indoor air regulation has been labelled a critical public health gap, raising the risk of stroke, heart attack and dementia, said oncologist Dr Bronwyn King, ahead of an unprecedented meeting of politicians, health and environmental leaders in Canberra on Wednesday to demand the federal government implement a National Healthy Air Strategy.

Indoor air quality is an accessibility issue, Stone says, as people with chronic health conditions are essentially blocked from public spaces with poor ventilation.…