Public Health Act 2010 (NSW)

The Public Health Act 2010 is a piece of New South Wales legislation has the stated objectives of:

• Promoting, protecting and improving public health,
• Controlling risks to public health,
• Promoting the control of infectious diseases,
• Preventing the spread of infectious diseases,
• Recognising the role of local government in protecting public health, and
• Monitor diseases and conditions affecting public health.

Among other things, the Act empowers the New South Wales Health Minister and Secretary of Health to impose and enforce rules which are meant to be for the protection of public health.

These powers come with very little parliamentary scrutiny; rather, the Minister and Secretary of Health can impose rules on their own accords.

To enforce these rules, the Act contains a number of criminal offences that can be dealt with in court, as well as provisions for the issuing of penalty notices (or fines).

Click on a link below to read the relevant section of the Act.