Public Health Legislation Review: A New Public Health Legislative Framework

Public Health Legislation Review: A New Public Health Legislative Framework
Discussion Document

Date of publication: July 1998

The public health legislation review remains on track. As well as input from the many consultation meetings held during July-September 1998, almost 120 written submissions were received on the Ministry of Health discussion document 'Public Health Legislation Review: A new public health legislation framework'.

Information and ideas obtained from consultation meetings and written submissions informed the development of policy advice on the scope and shape of future public health legislation. Many proposals outlined in the discussion document have been refined, added to, changed or discarded in light of the analysis of consultation material. The Ministry plans to finalise and release a summary analysis of the consultation material in March 1999.

Overall there appeared to be strong support for the development of a new public health act to repeal and to replace the Health Act 1956 and the Tuberculosis Act 1948. There was also general support, albeit qualified in many cases, for the proposed purpose of the act and for many other key discussion items. The need to consider non-regulatory interventions (eg, health promotion and health education) more fully was emphasised by a number of submissions.

Many useful comments were also received on implementation issues. These comments have assisted consideration of the transitional provisions that will need to be provided for in the new act.

During October/November 1998 the Ministry of Health worked with other central agencies to ensure robust policy proposals were prepared for consideration by Cabinet in December 1998. Subsequent announcements on policy determinations are the prerogative of the Government.

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