Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008

The Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 received Royal Assent in September 2008. 

The Act takes effect on 1 January 2010. 

The new Act replaces the previous Health Act 1958. It will update and modernise Victoria’s public health framework. The Act is a key piece of legislation designed to protect the health of the population.

The Act is available on the Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents website. 

The Act covers a wide range of matters and has implications for many including:

• authorised officers within local councils and the Department of Human Services
• pest control operators
• cooling tower operators
• the governance and management of a range of consultative councils established under the Act
• the management of infectious diseases, micro-organisms and medical conditions by medical and health practitioners, the Victorian Chief Health Officer and affected individuals
• the development of public health policy through providing for municipal public health and wellbeing plans, a State public health and wellbeing plan and in some circumstances, health impact assessments.

Background to the development of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008

To support the development of the new legislative framework, the Victorian Government conducted a major review of the Health Act 1958. This included the release of a discussion paper in 2004 and a draft policy paper in 2005 (see below).

Review of the Health Act 1958: A new legislative framework for public health in Victoria (pdf, 430kb)

Review of the Health Act 1958: Draft policy paper - for consultation (pdf, 1.45mb)

Submissions to the 2004 discussion paper and the draft policy paper are available.

• Submissions to the Health Act review discussion paper
• Submissions to the Health Act review draft policy paper