Commonwealth of Australia Explanatory Memoranda

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NATIONAL HEALTH AMENDMENT (IMMUNISATION) BILL 2006

                           2004-2005-2006




 THE PARLIAMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA




                 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES




NATIONAL HEALTH AMENDMENT (IMMUNISATION) BILL 2006




                EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM




    (Circulated by authority of the Minister for Health and Ageing,
                  the Honourable Tony Abbott MP)
NATIONAL HEALTH AMENDMENT (IMMUNISATION) BILL 2006


OUTLINE

The purpose of this Bill is to amend the National Health Act 1953 (the Act) to allow the
provision of goods and services that are associated with, or incidental to, the provision or
administration of designated vaccines. These goods and services could not be provided under
the Act following amendments made to the Act by the National Health Amendment
(Immunisation Program) Act 2005 (`the Immunisation Act'). The amendments made by the
Immunisation Act were enacted to improve vaccine funding advisory arrangements for the
Australian Government's funded National Immunisation Program (NIP), announced in the
2005-06 Federal Budget.

The amendments made by the Immunisation Act did not give the Minister power under the
Act to continue the current arrangements with States and Territories for assistance in
procuring goods and services related to vaccine provision, for example vaccine storage and
delivery. The Immunisation Act amendments also prevent the Australian Government from
providing funding under the Act for essential pre- or post- vaccine requirements under
current arrangements (for example the pre-vaccination screening test for Q fever vaccine).
This was not the intention of the Immunisation Act.

The effect of the principal amendment in the Bill will be to allow the Minister to make
arrangements to provide goods and services (other than vaccines), which are essential for the
provision of designated vaccines.

FINANCIAL IMPACT STATEMENT

The Bill will have no financial impact. The Bill will allow current funding arrangements
with States and Territories to continue.




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NATIONAL HEALTH AMENDMENT (IMMUNISATION) BILL 2006

NOTES ON CLAUSES

Clause 1 - Short title

Clause 1 provides that the Act may be cited as the National Health Amendment
(Immunisation) Act 2006.

Clause 2 - Commencement

Clause 2 provides the Act will commence on Royal Assent.

Clause 3 - Schedule(s)

Clause 3 provides that each Act specified in a Schedule to the amending Act is amended or
repealed as set out in the applicable item(s) in the Schedule.

Schedule 1 - Amendment of the National Health Act 1953

Item 1 - Subsection 9B(1)

Item 1 repeals the existing subsection 9B(1) of the Act and substitutes a new subsection
9B(1) which allows the Minister to provide or make arrangements to provide designated
vaccines and goods and services, which are associated with, or incidental to, the provision or
administration of designated vaccines.




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