Municipal Association of Victoria
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 Human Services

Health Act Review

About Health Act Review
MAV's Role
Health Act Review Latest News
Advocacy
Resources

About Health Act Review

The State Government has reviewed the current Health Act 1958, which will be replaced by the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 with effect from 1 January 2010. The Act gives local government powers to act to protect public health. It also requires councils to undertake particular activities, such as preparing Municipal Public Health Plans, immunizing children in their municipalities, investigating nuisances and registering businesses prescribed in regulation

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MAV's Role

The role of the MAV in the Health Act Review is to ensure that the views of Victorian councils are considered when changes are proposed by the Victorian Government, particulary where changes may impact on the role of local government.

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Health Act Review Latest News
The MAV, with the support of the Victorian Department of Health, has commissioned Russell Kennedy lawyers to prepare an Implementation Toolkit to assist governance officers and management with matters such as the delegation of Council powers, appointment and authorisation of environmental health officers and the preparation and approval of new registration forms. Template forms and sample Council resolutions are included in the toolkit.

The implementation toolkit is the first in a series of professional development initiatives, aimed at preparing local government for the new Act. In the coming months guidance materials will be provided, designed primarily for use by environmental health officers to assist in their day to day investigation and enforcement activities. The guidance materials will be followed by a one day training seminar covering investigations under the PHWA. The training will be repeated across Victoria with the intention of reaching most environmental health officers. The guidance materials are expected to be ready in late October or early November 2009 with training occurring throughout November and into early December 2009.

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Advocacy

Local government does not have powers to set the provisions of the Health Act 1958 as this a matter for the Victorian Parliament.  To protect the interests and rights of local government, the MAV undertakes advocacy when legislative changes are proposed by the Victorian Government. It has liaised with the Victorian Department of Health to provide an implementation toolkit and guidance material for local government to assist implementation of the new legislative framework.

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Resources
Websites

Department of Health (DoH)

This website provides background information about the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008.

 

www.health.vic.gov.au/phwa

Publications / Papers  

MAV Public Health and Wellbeing Act Implementation Tool Kit (October 2009)

Download the Public Health and Wellbeing Act Implementation Tool Kit File size: 927 KB

MAV Public Health and Wellbeing Act Implementation Tool Kit - Appendices - Delegation templates (October 2009)
MS Word Download the Appendices - Delegations Templates File size: 4.6 MB


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