Submission on draft Preventive Health SA Bill 2024
Under the South Australian Public Health Act 2011, councils are public health authorities responsible for preserving, protecting and promoting public health.
Councils have a longstanding role in preventive health through land use planning, infrastructure, and community services. They support healthy environments and foster community connectedness through various local services and facilities.
We value our partnership with Preventive Health SA and seek to enhance collaboration for better community health outcomes.
Our submission reflects policy work and ongoing concerns from the local government sector about public health and their ability to undertake prevention work.
Key recommendations
Several key recommendations have been made on the position of the sector including how this Bill interacts with other legislation, the role of the Preventive Health SA Council, resourcing and more.
Some of our recommendations include:
- clearly outline how the Bill fits within public health legislation and policies, avoiding any overlap.
- define the roles of the Department of Health and Wellbeing and Preventive Health SA
- clarify the relationship between the Preventive Health SA Council and the South Australian Public Health Council
- ensure adequate funding for public health actions, including regional planning and health promotion at both state and local levels
- maintain financial support for capacity building and partnerships through the Public Health Partner Authority (PHPA) agreement
- define key terms like non-communicable health conditions and preventive health action
- clarify reporting requirements and how they align with existing public health reports.
About the Bill
The government’s draft Preventive Health SA Bill 2024 acknowledges preventive health as an important area of health policy. It seeks to make preventive health a lasting component of the infrastructure supporting the state’s health system.
Through the Bill, the government aims to strengthen collaborative preventive health efforts and ensure there is a dedicated focus on improving the health and wellbeing of South Australians.
Next steps
As a partner in government, LGA looks forward to collaborating on the draft Bill as it progresses and working with Preventive Health SA on preventive health action to support healthy communities.
For more information, please contact LGA Senior Policy Officer Belinda Tassone.
For media enquiries, please contact LGA Media.