Stage 5A of the Public Health Act 2016 has begun. From today, Tuesday 4 June 2024, enforcement agencies can issue improvement notices and enforcement orders to a person who breaches a public health provision.
Repeal of low-risk regulations
Some low-risk public health regulations have been repealed and replaced with guidelines. This is to manage the public health risks associated with cloth materials, hairdressing establishments, offensive trades, commercial garden soils and temporary toilets. Offensive trades have been removed from schedule 2 of the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1911. These types of trades can no longer be registered and any local laws that reference schedule 2 will no longer apply.
Public health plans
As part of our requirement under Stage 5A, a State Public Health Plan must be developed, finalised and published by 4 June 2025. Local government plans must be published no later than 4 June 2026.
Work has begun on the new State Public Health Plan, with the Department of Health working closely with the Public Health Planning Reference Group. This is on track to be completed before the required date.
To assist local governments with developing their local public health plans, draft objectives and priorities have been released (PDF 521KB)
