EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
National Health Amendment (Immunisation Program) Act 2005 - Proclamation
National Health Act 1953
Proclamation
Subsection 2(1) of the National Health Act 1953 (the NHA) provides that Schedule 1 to the National Health Amendment (Immunisation Program) Act 2005 (the Act) commences on a day to be fixed by Proclamation. The NHA also provides that if any of the provisions of Schedule 1 do not commence within six months of the date the Act receives the Royal Assent, then those provisions commence on the first day after the end of that six month period. The Act received Royal Assent on 18 November 2005.
Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Act repeals section 9B of the National Health Act 1953.
Section 9B empowered the Minister to provide, or arrange for the provision of, vaccine for the purpose of immunizing persons against poliomyelitis, mumps, measles, rubella, and any other disease prescribed in the National Health Regulations 1954 (the Principal Regulations). The Act also replaces the repealed section 9B with a new section 9B that gives the Minister the power to provide, or to arrange the provision of, designated vaccines and to determine by legislative instrument that a specified vaccine is a designated vaccine for the purposes of the National Health Act 1953.
Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the Act increases the size of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) from up to 15 members to up to 17 members and provides for the Chairperson of the PBAC to hold the office on a full time basis. Consistent with the Budget announcement for this policy the purpose of the Proclamation is to fix 1 January 2006 as the day on which Schedule 1 to the Act will commence.