The Public Health Act (No. 2) 1918 had the full title 'An Act to further amend "The Public Health Act, 1903", and for other purposes' (Act no. 9 Geo. V no. 36). This amendment appears to be in response to the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic that claimed around 10,000 Australians by 1919. This legislation formally includes Pneumonic Influenza in the definition of Dangerous Infectious Disease and regulates access to public places and travel into, within or from Tasmania. It is believed Australia's strict legislation prevented the disease from reaching Australian shores until 1919. It is estimated around 25% of people around the world were infected by the disease. This legislation was repealed in 1935 by The Public Health Act 1935 (Act no. 26 Geo V. No.43).
Sources used to compile this entry: Law Research Service, Melbourne Law School, Law Library, The University of Melbourne. 'Find and Connect Project - Tasmanian Legislation', 20 January 2014, held in the project files at the University of Melbourne eScholarship Research Centre.
Prepared by: Elizabeth Daniels
Created: 12 February 2015, Last modified: 22 April 2016
Last updated: 4 August 2023
Cite this: https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/tas/biogs/TE01118b.htm
First published by the Find & Connect Web Resource Project for the Commonwealth of Australia, 2011
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