This Act, consisting of 199 sections divided into eight Parts and completed by three Schedules, aims to improve, protect and promote public health and to reduce the incidence of preventable illness. The Act requires all parties responsible for managing and supplying water to ensure it does not pose a threat to public health. It provides for: orders relating to water quality; for the monitoring of water quality; for the registration of users or suppliers of private water; etc. The Act provides for the appointment of a Director of Public Health and of health officers and for their functions and powers. The Director, among other things, has the power to declare that a public health emergency exists; to conduct public health inquiries and investigations; and to declare a disease to be a notifiable disease and take action to stop, limit or prevent the spread of the disease. The Act further provides for: the establishment of the Public Health Advisory Committee; matters related to tobacco products; requirements and procedures for obtaining licences to operate place of assembly; declaration of unhealthy premises and restrictions; registration of premises used for public health risk activities and licences to carry out these activities; offences; etc.
Australia · 1998-01-14