Regional Public Health Plan

The District Council of Ceduna, Wudinna District Council, District Council of Elliston and the District Council of Streaky Bay have worked together to develop a regional Public Health and Wellbeing Plan, to meet the requirements of the South Australian Public Health Act 2011.

The Councils aim to develop a practical and achievable Plan, which recognises the functions of local governments in planning local environments for better health. The Plan also seeks to acknowledge the important role played by other stakeholders in promoting community wellbeing in the region.

Public health planning provides an opportunity for local Councils to develop a coordinated approach to promote the health of their communities. The SA Public Health Act 2011 recognises local Councils as the ‘Public Health Authority’ for their area.

Under the Act, Councils are required to develop Regional Public Health Plans, which have regard to local priorities and to the following strategic priorities outlined in the State Public Health Plan
‘South Australia: a Better Place to Live’:

• Building Stronger and Healthier Communities.
• Increasing Opportunities for Healthy Living.
• Preparing for Climate Change.
• Sustaining and Improving Environmental Health.

Regional public health planning follows a 5 year cycle and can be integrated with Council strategic planning under the Local Government Act 1999.

The Plan will need to embrace a ‘whole of region’ approach to local government's role in supporting public health as well as explore opportunities for partnerships with relevant organisations.

Regional Public Health Plan

South Australian Public Health Act 2011

The South Australian Public Health Act was passed by Parliament in June 2011 and came into full operation on 16 June 2013.  The Act replaces the Public and Environmental Health Act 1987 and provides a modernised flexible legislative framework to respond to new and traditional public health challenges. The Act has a number of new elements but maintains and improves on many of the provisions under the previous legislation. It is intended to:

• promote and provide for the protection of the health of the public of South Australia;
• reduce the incidence of preventable illness, injury and disability;
• improve co-ordination between health officials across State and Local Government;
• manage public health issues; and
• enable public health officials to engage more effectively with all sectors of the community to advance public health.