Victorian Numbered Acts

PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLBEING ACT 2008 (NO. 46 OF 2008) - SECT 4

    (1)     The Parliament recognises that—

        (a)     the State has a significant role in promoting and protecting the public health and wellbeing of persons in Victoria;

        (b)     public health and wellbeing includes the absence of disease, illness, injury, disability or premature death and the collective state of public health and wellbeing;

        (c)     public health interventions are one of the ways in which the public health and wellbeing can be improved and inequalities reduced;

        (d)     where appropriate, the State has a role in assisting in responses to public health concerns of national and international significance.

    (2)     In the context of subsection (1), the objective of this Act is to achieve the highest attainable standard of public health and wellbeing by—

        (a)     protecting public health and preventing disease, illness, injury, disability or premature death;

        (b)     promoting conditions in which persons can be healthy;

        (c)     reducing inequalities in the state of public health and wellbeing.

    (3)     It is the intention of Parliament that in the administration of this Act and in seeking to achieve the objective of this Act, regard should be given to the guiding principles set out in sections 5 to 11.