❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice inquires about the new Public Health Bill, seeking assurances on its scope and timeline. The Minister acknowledges progress but avoids direct answers, promising a briefing and bipartisan approach.
AnsweredQoN 54Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PUBLIC HEALTH BILL
(1) When the new WA public health bill is introduced to replace the Health Act 1911, will the bill — (a) bind the Crown in respect of the health and wellbeing of all people, including those in Aboriginal communities; (b) enable the Department of Health to work collaboratively with other state and local government agencies to focus on contemporary health risks; and (c) enable the government to provide adequate responses to new and emerging environmental and public health threats, including epidemics, technologies and bioterrorism threats? (2) At what stage of development is the new bill and when will it be tabled? Dr K.D. HAMES
(1) When the new WA public health bill is introduced to replace the Health Act 1911, will the bill — (a) bind the Crown in respect of the health and wellbeing of all people, including those in Aboriginal communities; (b) enable the Department of Health to work collaboratively with other state and local government agencies to focus on contemporary health risks; and (c) enable the government to provide adequate responses to new and emerging environmental and public health threats, including epidemics, technologies and bioterrorism threats? (2) At what stage of development is the new bill and when will it be tabled? Dr K.D. HAMES
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) Whoever drafted the original bill was obviously somewhat of a major expert in drafting that bill, as it has survived for 100 years—since 1911. In coming to government, this legislation was not the highest on my list of priorities that this government wished to pursue; nor, I am sure, was it the highest on the list of priorities of former health ministers. Nevertheless the bill has been progressing, and I assume that it did progress somewhat under the former Labor government. Some drafting work had been done and some effort had been made to prepare it when we came to government, but it was obviously not high on the former government’s list of priorities either, as it had not progressed a long way. We have had further work done in the two years since we came to government and it is almost complete. A lot of work has been done since we came to government and I expect that the bill will come to Parliament by the end of the year. A lot of consultation took place with a range of people to make sure that the new bill will get rid of some of the old terminology in the Health Act. Some of the old terminology, which the former government will be familiar with, includes the word “cesspit”. Although that word is evident in the existing legislation, it will not appear in the new legislation. I do not have a response to the specific details asked by the member, but I am happy to get my department to provide her with a briefing on the legislation. We will, of course, need to progress it in a bipartisan manner, including with Independent members. We will make sure that everyone is fully aware of the details in the bill and we will jointly discuss any controversial issue, although I am not aware of any. As this is a bill that we expect will last for another 100 years, we will make sure that it covers all the relevant issues.
(b) enable the Department of Health to work collaboratively with other state and local government agencies to focus on contemporary health risks; and (c) enable the government to provide adequate responses to new and emerging environmental and public health threats, including epidemics, technologies and bioterrorism threats?
(c) enable the government to provide adequate responses to new and emerging environmental and public health threats, including epidemics, technologies and bioterrorism threats?
Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(2) Whoever drafted the original bill was obviously somewhat of a major expert in drafting that bill, as it has survived for 100 years—since 1911. In coming to government, this legislation was not the highest on my list of priorities that this government wished to pursue; nor, I am sure, was it the highest on the list of priorities of former health ministers. Nevertheless the bill has been progressing, and I assume that it did progress somewhat under the former Labor government. Some drafting work had been done and some effort had been made to prepare it when we came to government, but it was obviously not high on the former government’s list of priorities either, as it had not progressed a long way. We have had further work done in the two years since we came to government and it is almost complete. A lot of work has been done since we came to government and I expect that the bill will come to Parliament by the end of the year. A lot of consultation took place with a range of people to make sure that the new bill will get rid of some of the old terminology in the Health Act. Some of the old terminology, which the former government will be familiar with, includes the word “cesspit”. Although that word is evident in the existing legislation, it will not appear in the new legislation. I do not have a response to the specific details asked by the member, but I am happy to get my department to provide her with a briefing on the legislation. We will, of course, need to progress it in a bipartisan manner, including with Independent members. We will make sure that everyone is fully aware of the details in the bill and we will jointly discuss any controversial issue, although I am not aware of any. As this is a bill that we expect will last for another 100 years, we will make sure that it covers all the relevant issues.
(1)–(2) Whoever drafted the original bill was obviously somewhat of a major expert in drafting that bill, as it has survived for 100 years—since 1911. In coming to government, this legislation was not the highest on my list of priorities that this government wished to pursue; nor, I am sure, was it the highest on the list of priorities of former health ministers. Nevertheless the bill has been progressing, and I assume that it did progress somewhat under the former Labor government. Some drafting work had been done and some effort had been made to prepare it when we came to government, but it was obviously not high on the former government’s list of priorities either, as it had not progressed a long way. We have had further work done in the two years since we came to government and it is almost complete. A lot of work has been done since we came to government and I expect that the bill will come to Parliament by the end of the year. A lot of consultation took place with a range of people to make sure that the new bill will get rid of some of the old terminology in the Health Act. Some of the old terminology, which the former government will be familiar with, includes the word “cesspit”. Although that word is evident in the existing legislation, it will not appear in the new legislation. I do not have a response to the specific details asked by the member, but I am happy to get my department to provide her with a briefing on the legislation. We will, of course, need to progress it in a bipartisan manner, including with Independent members. We will make sure that everyone is fully aware of the details in the bill and we will jointly discuss any controversial issue, although I am not aware of any. As this is a bill that we expect will last for another 100 years, we will make sure that it covers all the relevant issues.
(b) enable the Department of Health to work collaboratively with other state and local government agencies to focus on contemporary health risks; and (c) enable the government to provide adequate responses to new and emerging environmental and public health threats, including epidemics, technologies and bioterrorism threats?
(c) enable the government to provide adequate responses to new and emerging environmental and public health threats, including epidemics, technologies and bioterrorism threats?
Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(2) Whoever drafted the original bill was obviously somewhat of a major expert in drafting that bill, as it has survived for 100 years—since 1911. In coming to government, this legislation was not the highest on my list of priorities that this government wished to pursue; nor, I am sure, was it the highest on the list of priorities of former health ministers. Nevertheless the bill has been progressing, and I assume that it did progress somewhat under the former Labor government. Some drafting work had been done and some effort had been made to prepare it when we came to government, but it was obviously not high on the former government’s list of priorities either, as it had not progressed a long way. We have had further work done in the two years since we came to government and it is almost complete. A lot of work has been done since we came to government and I expect that the bill will come to Parliament by the end of the year. A lot of consultation took place with a range of people to make sure that the new bill will get rid of some of the old terminology in the Health Act. Some of the old terminology, which the former government will be familiar with, includes the word “cesspit”. Although that word is evident in the existing legislation, it will not appear in the new legislation. I do not have a response to the specific details asked by the member, but I am happy to get my department to provide her with a briefing on the legislation. We will, of course, need to progress it in a bipartisan manner, including with Independent members. We will make sure that everyone is fully aware of the details in the bill and we will jointly discuss any controversial issue, although I am not aware of any. As this is a bill that we expect will last for another 100 years, we will make sure that it covers all the relevant issues.
(1)–(2) Whoever drafted the original bill was obviously somewhat of a major expert in drafting that bill, as it has survived for 100 years—since 1911. In coming to government, this legislation was not the highest on my list of priorities that this government wished to pursue; nor, I am sure, was it the highest on the list of priorities of former health ministers. Nevertheless the bill has been progressing, and I assume that it did progress somewhat under the former Labor government. Some drafting work had been done and some effort had been made to prepare it when we came to government, but it was obviously not high on the former government’s list of priorities either, as it had not progressed a long way. We have had further work done in the two years since we came to government and it is almost complete. A lot of work has been done since we came to government and I expect that the bill will come to Parliament by the end of the year. A lot of consultation took place with a range of people to make sure that the new bill will get rid of some of the old terminology in the Health Act. Some of the old terminology, which the former government will be familiar with, includes the word “cesspit”. Although that word is evident in the existing legislation, it will not appear in the new legislation. I do not have a response to the specific details asked by the member, but I am happy to get my department to provide her with a briefing on the legislation. We will, of course, need to progress it in a bipartisan manner, including with Independent members. We will make sure that everyone is fully aware of the details in the bill and we will jointly discuss any controversial issue, although I am not aware of any. As this is a bill that we expect will last for another 100 years, we will make sure that it covers all the relevant issues.
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