National Health Amendment (COVID‑19) Act 2021

No. 108, 2021

An Act to amend the National Health Act 1953, and for related purposes

Contents

1 Short title

2 Commencement

3 Schedules

Schedule 1—Amendments

National Health Act 1953

National Health Amendment (COVID-19) Act 2021

No. 108, 2021

An Act to amend the National Health Act 1953, and for related purposes

[Assented to 13 September 2021]

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

1  Short title

  This Act is the National Health Amendment (COVID‑19) Act 2021.

2  Commencement

 (1) Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.

Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this Act as originally enacted. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this Act.

 (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this Act. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this Act.

3  Schedules

  Legislation that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect according to its terms.

Schedule 1—Amendments

National Health Act 1953

1  After Part VIIIA

Insert:

Part VIIIB—COVID‑19 vaccines and treatments

132G  Provision of COVID‑19 vaccines and treatments

 (1) The Minister may provide or arrange for the provision of:

 (a) COVID‑19 vaccines (including boosters); and

 (b) treatments for COVID‑19; and

 (c) consumables related to the use of such vaccines and treatments.

 (2) To avoid doubt:

 (a) subsection (1) covers payments for vaccines, treatments or consumables even if arrangements to purchase those vaccines, treatments or consumables were made before this Part commenced; and

 (b) this Part does not limit the provision of vaccines, treatments or consumables for COVID‑19 or any other disease or ailment under another provision of this Act or any other law.

 (3) This Part has no effect after 30 June 2022.

[Minister’s second reading speech made in—

House of Representatives on 26 August 2021

Senate on 1 September 2021]