{"id":"BILL-QLD-3254","name":"Health Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025","slug":"health-legislation-amendment-bill-no-2-2025","collection":"bill","jurisdiction":"qld","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":"2025-01-01","administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":446098,"registerId":"BILL-QLD-3254:current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2025-01-01","status":"in_force","reasons":null,"registeredAt":"2026-05-06T12:45:16.345Z"},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"retrieval-0001","sectionType":"document_chunk","heading":"Document excerpt 1","content":"# Health Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\n\nQueensland\nHealth Legislation\nAmendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\n\nQueensland\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2)\n2025\nContents\nPage\nPart 1 Preliminary\n1 Short title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6\nPart 2 Amendment of Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024\n2 Act amended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6\n3 Amendment of s 8 (What is a pharmacy business) . . . . . . . . . . . 6\n4 Amendment of s 13 (What is a material interest in a pharmacy business)\n. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6\n5 Amendment of s 16 (Who may hold material interest in pharmacy\nbusiness) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7\n6 Amendment of s 20 (Licensed pharmacy business must be carried on at\nor from licensed premises) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7\n7 Amendment of s 25 (Requirements for application) . . . . . . . . . . 7\n8 Amendment of s 26 (Requesting further information or document) 7\n9 Amendment of s 27 (Requesting inspection of premises) . . . . . . 8\n10 Amendment of s 39 (Requesting further information or document) 8\n11 Replacement of s 40 (Criteria for grant) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8\n40 Criteria for grant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8\n12 Amendment of s 44 (Requesting further information or document) 9\n13 Amendment of s 50 (Requesting further information, document or\ninspection of premises) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9\n14 Amendment of s 54 (Requesting further information or document) 10\n15 Amendment of s 60 (Requesting further information or document) 10\n16 Amendment of s 69 (Surrender) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10\n17 Insertion of new s 73A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11\n73A Exchange of information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11\n18 Amendment of s 80 (Notification of temporary closure of licensed\npharmacy business) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12\n\nContents\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPage 2\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n19 Amendment of s 88 (Requirements for temporary operators of pharmacy\nbusinesses) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12\n20 Amendment of s 128 (How property may be dealt with) . . . . . . . 12\n21 Replacement of s 145 (Council does not represent the State) . . 13\n145 Council represents the State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13\n22 Amendment of s 149 (Direction by Minister) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13\n23 Replacement of s 183 (Report about council’s functions) . . . . . . 13\n183 Annual report to include particular matters . . . . . . . . 13\n24 Amendment of s 185 (Definitions for part) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14\n25 Insertion of new s 185A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14\n185A Application of division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14\n26 Amendment of s 189 (Internal review) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14\n27 Replacement of s 190 (Stay of operation of seizure or forfeiture decision)\n. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15\n190 Stay of operation of seizure decision or forfeiture decision\n. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15\n28 Amendment of s 191 (Stay of operation of other original decision) 16\n29 Amendment of s 192 (Applying for external review) . . . . . . . . . . 16\n30 Amendment of s 193 (Appealing internal review decision) . . . . . 17\n31 Amendment of s 194 (Powers of court on appeal) . . . . . . . . . . . 17\n32 Replacement of s 195 (Effect of court’s decision on appeal) . . . 18\n195 Effect of court’s decision on appeal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18\n33 Amendment of s 206 (Disclosure of confidential information to entities\nperforming relevant functions) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18\n34 Replacement of s 207 (Council must keep register of licensed pharmacy\nbusinesses) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19\n207 Council must keep register of pharmacy business licences\n. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19\n35 Omission of s 209 (Council must publish report about compliance and\naudits for financial year) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20\n36 Omission of s 210 (Protection from liability) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20\n37 Amendment of s 218 (Interests in existing pharmacy businesses held by\nbeneficiaries of discretionary trusts) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20\n38 Amendment of s 221 (Continued limited ownership or operation of\npharmacy businesses) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21\n39 Amendment of s 222 (Approvals for continued ownership of pharmacy\nbusinesses if registration suspended or cancelled) . . . . . . . . . . . 21\n40 Insertion of new ss 229A and 229B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22\n\nContents\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPage 3\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n229A Notice of existing pharmacy business information . . 22\n229B Particular references to licensed pharmacy businesses for\nappointing council members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23\n41 Amendment of sch 1 (Dictionary) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23\nPart 3 Amendment of Public Health Act 2005\n42 Act amended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25\n43 Amendment of s 43 (Powers of authorised persons after entry) . 25\n44 Replacement of ch 6, pt 3A (Notifiable dust lung diseases) . . . . 26\nPart 3A Notifiable occupational respiratory diseases\nDivision 1 Notifying information for national registry\n279AA Definitions for division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26\n279AB Obligation to notify Commonwealth chief medical officer 26\n279AC Authorisation relating to information in national registry 27\nDivision 2 Historical dust lung disease register\n279AD Definitions for division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29\n279AE Chief executive to keep information in historical dust lung\ndisease register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30\n279AF Restriction on disclosure of confidential information 30\n279AG Disclosure generally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30\n279AH Disclosure for data collection and public health monitoring\n. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31\n279AI Disclosure to entity of the State or corresponding entity 31\n279AJ Disclosure of information for investigation under Coroners\nAct 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32\n45 Amendment of s 399 (General powers after entering places) . . . 33\n46 Insertion of new ch 12, pt 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33\nPart 11 Transitional provisions for Health Legislation\nAmendment Act (No. 2) 2025\n519 Definition for part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33\n520 Application of new ch 6, pt 3A to particular diagnoses made\nbefore commencement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33\n521 Proceedings for particular offences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34\n47 Amendment of sch 2 (Dictionary) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35\nPart 4 Amendment of Public Health Regulation 2018\n48 Regulation amended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36\n49 Replacement of pt 8, div 5 (Notifiable dust lung diseases) . . . . . 36\nDivision 5 Notifiable occupational respiratory diseases\n\nContents\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPage 4\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\nSubdivision 1 Notifying information for national registry\n49A Prescribed medical practitioners—Act, s 279AA . . . . 37\n49B Prescribed period—Act, s 279AB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37\n49C Notifiable occupational respiratory diseases—Act, s 279AB\n. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37\nSubdivision 2 Information in historical dust lung disease register\n49D Prescribed agreement—Act, s 279AI . . . . . . . . . . . . 38\n50 Amendment of sch 3 (Agreements) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38\nPart 5 Amendment of Queensland Mental Health Commission Act 2013\n51 Act amended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38\n52 Amendment of s 21 (Vacancy in office of commissioner) . . . . . . 39\n53 Replacement of s 23 (Acting commissioner) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39\n23 Acting commissioner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39\nPart 6 Amendment of Radiation Safety Act 1999\n54 Act amended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40\n55 Amendment of s 71 (Additional information for approvals to dispose) 40\n\n2025\nA Bill\nfor\nAn Act to amend the Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024,\nthe Public Health Act 2005, the Public Health Regulation 2018,\nthe Queensland Mental Health Commission Act 2013 and the\nRadiation Safety Act 1999 for particular purposes\n\n[s 1]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 1 Preliminary\nPage 6\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\nThe Parliament of Queensland enacts—\nPart 1 Preliminary\n1 Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the Health Legislation Amendment\nAct (No. 2) 2025.\nPart 2 Amendment of Pharmacy\nBusiness Ownership Act 2024\n2 Act amended\nThis part amends the Pharmacy Business Ownership Act\n2024.\n3 Amendment of s 8 (What is a pharmacy business)\nSection 8(3), definition core pharmacy service—\ninsert—\n(c) the selling, by or under the supervision of a\npractising pharmacist, of medicines to\nmembers of the public other than on\nprescription.\n4 Amendment of s 13 (What is a material interest in a\npharmacy business)\nSection 13(1)(b), after ‘owner’—\ninsert—\n, or a shareholder of an owner,\n1\n2\nClause 3\n4\n5\n6\n7\nClause 8\n9\n10\nClause 11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\nClause 18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n\n[s 5]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 2 Amendment of Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024\nPage 7\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n5 Amendment of s 16 (Who may hold material interest in\npharmacy business)\nSection 16, from ‘unless’ to ‘business.’—\nomit, insert—\nunless—\n(a) the person is a practising pharmacist; or\n(b) the person is a close adult relative of a\npractising pharmacist and the practising\npharmacist holds an interest in the business.\n6 Amendment of s 20 (Licensed pharmacy business must\nbe carried on at or from licensed premises)\nSection 20(2)(b)(i), after ‘medicine’—\ninsert—\n, or the selling of a medicine other than on\nprescription,\n7 Amendment of s 25 (Requirements for application)\n(1) Section 25(1)(b)—\ninsert—\n(iiia)if a person holds shares in the applicant as\ntrustee of a trust—the name of each\nbeneficiary of the trust;\n(2) Section 25(1)(b)(iiia) and (iv)—\nrenumber as section 25(1)(b)(iv) and (v).\n8 Amendment of s 26 (Requesting further information or\ndocument)\n(1) Section 26(2)—\nomit.\nClause 1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\nClause 10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\nClause 16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\nClause 24\n25\n26\n27\n\n[s 9]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 2 Amendment of Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024\nPage 8\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n(2) Section 26(3)—\nrenumber as section 26(2).\n9 Amendment of s 27 (Requesting inspection of premises)\n(1) Section 27(2)—\nomit.\n(2) Section 27(5), ‘subsection (4)’—\nomit, insert—\nsubsection (3)\n(3) Section 27(3) to (5)—\nrenumber as section 27(2) to (4).\n10 Amendment of s 39 (Requesting further information or\ndocument)\n(1) Section 39(2)—\nomit.\n(2) Section 39(3)—\nrenumber as section 39(2).\n11 Replacement of s 40 (Criteria for grant)\nSection 40—\nomit, insert—\n40 Criteria for grant\nThe council may grant an application under\nsection 38 only if satisfied—\n(a) the incoming party—\n(i) is an eligible person; and\n(ii) is a fit and proper person to own a\npharmacy business; and\n1\n2\nClause 3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\nClause 11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\nClause 17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n\n[s 12]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 2 Amendment of Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024\nPage 9\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n(iii) does not already hold an interest in the\nmaximum number of pharmacy\nbusinesses permitted under section 17\nfor the incoming party; and\n(b) any other person who would hold a material\ninterest in the pharmacy business to which\nthe application relates because of the\napplication being granted—\n(i) is permitted, under section 16, to hold a\nmaterial interest in the business; and\n(ii) does not already hold an interest in the\nmaximum number of pharmacy\nbusinesses permitted under section 17\nfor the person.\n12 Amendment of s 44 (Requesting further information or\ndocument)\n(1) Section 44(2)—\nomit.\n(2) Section 44(3)—\nrenumber as section 44(2).\n13 Amendment of s 50 (Requesting further information,\ndocument or inspection of premises)\n(1) Section 50(2)—\nomit.\n(2) Section 50(5)(c), ‘subsection (4)’—\nomit, insert—\nsubsection (3)\n(3) Section 50(6), from ‘subsection (4)’ to ‘subsection (5)’—\nomit, insert—\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\nClause 15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\nClause 21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n\n[s 14]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 2 Amendment of Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024\nPage 10\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\nsubsection (3) and the application is taken to be\nwithdrawn under subsection (4)\n(4) Section 50(3) to (6)—\nrenumber as section 50(2) to (5).\n14 Amendment of s 54 (Requesting further information or\ndocument)\n(1) Section 54(2)—\nomit.\n(2) Section 54(3)—\nrenumber as section 54(2).\n15 Amendment of s 60 (Requesting further information or\ndocument)\n(1) Section 60(2)—\nomit.\n(2) Section 60(3)—\nrenumber as section 60(2).\n16 Amendment of s 69 (Surrender)\nSection 69(1) to (3)—\nomit, insert—\n(1) The holder of a pharmacy business licence may\nsurrender the licence by notice to the council at\nany time.\n(2) Despite section 14(4), if a pharmacy business\nlicence is held jointly by 2 or more persons, a\nnotice under subsection (1) must be given jointly\nby each of the persons.\n(3) If a pharmacy business licence is held by only 1\nperson, the person must, unless the person has a\n1\n2\n3\n4\nClause 5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\nClause 11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\nClause 17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n\n[s 17]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 2 Amendment of Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024\nPage 11\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\nreasonable excuse, surrender the licence by notice\nto the council within 14 days after the person—\n(a) stops being an eligible person; or\n(b) disposes of the person’s interest as owner of\nthe pharmacy business to which the licence\nrelates.\nMaximum penalty—50 penalty units.\n17 Insertion of new s 73A\nAfter section 73—\ninsert—\n73A Exchange of information\n(1) The council may enter into an arrangement (an\ninformation-sharing arrangement) with the\nchief executive for the purposes of sharing or\nexchanging information—\n(a) held by the council or the chief executive; or\n(b) to which the council or the chief executive\nhas access.\n(2) An information-sharing agreement may relate\nonly to—\n(a) information, obtained by the chief executive\nin the performance of a function under an\nAct, that may be relevant to the council\nmaking a decision under section 72 about a\nperson; or\n(b) other information that is reasonably\nnecessary to facilitate the sharing with the\ncouncil of information mentioned in\nparagraph (a).\n(3) Under an information-sharing arrangement, the\ncouncil and the chief executive are, despite\nanother Act or law, authorised to—\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\nClause 8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n31\n32\n\n[s 18]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 2 Amendment of Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024\nPage 12\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n(a) ask for and receive information held by the\nother party to the arrangement or to which\nthe other party has access; and\n(b) disclose information to the other party.\n(4) The council must ensure any information received\nin accordance with an information-sharing\narrangement is not used for any purpose other\nthan the making of a decision under section 72\nabout the person to whom the information relates.\n18 Amendment of s 80 (Notification of temporary closure of\nlicensed pharmacy business)\nSection 80, after the penalty—\ninsert—\n(3) The council may, within 14 days after receiving a\nnotice under this section, publish on the council’s\nwebsite the period, stated in the notice, for which\nthe business will not be carried on.\n19 Amendment of s 88 (Requirements for temporary\noperators of pharmacy businesses)\n(1) Section 88(3)(b)(i), after ‘medicine’—\ninsert—\n, or the selling of a medicine other than on\nprescription,\n(2) Section 88(9), ‘subsection (7)(b)’—\nomit, insert—\nsubsection (8)(b)\n20 Amendment of s 128 (How property may be dealt with)\nSection 128, ‘chief executive’—\nomit, insert—\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\nClause 10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\nClause 18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\nClause 27\n28\n29","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"retrieval-0002","sectionType":"document_chunk","heading":"Document excerpt 2","content":"[s 21]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 2 Amendment of Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024\nPage 13\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\ncouncil\n21 Replacement of s 145 (Council does not represent the\nState)\nSection 145—\nomit, insert—\n145 Council represents the State\n(1) The council represents the State.\n(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the council has\nthe privileges and immunities of the State.\n22 Amendment of s 149 (Direction by Minister)\nSection 149(4)—\nomit.\n23 Replacement of s 183 (Report about council’s functions)\nSection 183—\nomit, insert—\n183 Annual report to include particular matters\n(1) This section applies to an annual report the\ncouncil is required to prepare and give the\nMinister under the Financial Accountability Act\n2009, section 63.\n(2) The annual report must include details of the\nfollowing during the financial year to which the\nreport relates—\n(a) each ministerial direction given by the\nMinister under section 149(1);\n(b) action taken by the council because of the\nministerial direction;\n1\nClause 2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\nClause 10\n11\n12\nClause 13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n\n[s 24]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 2 Amendment of Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024\nPage 14\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n(c) audits conducted by the council under\nsection 208;\n(d) action taken by the council to ensure\ncompliance with this Act by holders of\npharmacy business licences.\n(3) The report must not include confidential\ninformation unless the information was provided\nto the council by the person to whom the\ninformation relates for the purpose of publication.\n24 Amendment of s 185 (Definitions for part)\n(1) Section 185, definitions decision notice, QCAT information\nnotice and seizure or forfeiture decision—\nomit.\n(2) Section 185—\ninsert—\nforfeiture decision means a decision under\nsection 125(1) that a thing is forfeited.\nseizure decision means a decision under part 8,\ndivision 4 to seize a thing.\n25 Insertion of new s 185A\nBefore section 186—\ninsert—\n185A Application of division\nThis division does not apply to a decision of the\ncouncil made other than under a delegation.\n26 Amendment of s 189 (Internal review)\nSection 189(1)(c)(i), after ‘seizure’—\ninsert—\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\nClause 10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\nClause 20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\nClause 26\n27\n28\n\n[s 27]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 2 Amendment of Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024\nPage 15\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\ndecision\n27 Replacement of s 190 (Stay of operation of seizure or\nforfeiture decision)\nSection 190—\nomit, insert—\n190 Stay of operation of seizure decision or\nforfeiture decision\n(1) This section applies in relation to an original\ndecision if—\n(a) the decision is a seizure decision or\nforfeiture decision and an application for an\ninternal review of the decision is made\nunder division 2; or\n(b) the decision is a forfeiture decision to which\ndivision 2 does not apply and an appeal\nagainst the decision is started under division\n5.\n(2) The applicant for the internal review or the\nappellant for the appeal may immediately apply to\nthe court for a stay of the operation of the original\ndecision.\n(3) The court may, by order, stay the operation of the\noriginal decision to secure the effectiveness of—\n(a) if subsection (1)(a) applies in relation to the\ndecision—\n(i) the internal review of the decision\nunder division 2; or\n(ii) any later appeal against the decision\nunder division 5; or\n(b) if subsection (1)(b) applies in relation to the\ndecision—the appeal against the decision\nunder division 5.\n1\nClause 2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n31\n32\n\n[s 28]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 2 Amendment of Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024\nPage 16\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n(4) The court may stay the operation of the original\ndecision on conditions the court considers\nappropriate.\n(5) The stay operates for the period decided by the\ncourt.\n(6) However, the period of the stay must not extend\npast the time when the court decides the appeal.\n28 Amendment of s 191 (Stay of operation of other original\ndecision)\n(1) Section 191(1), after ‘seizure’—\ninsert—\ndecision\n(2) Section 191(1)—\ninsert—\nNote—\nFor staying the operation of an original decision, other\nthan a forfeiture decision to which division 2 does not\napply, see section 192 and the QCAT Act, section 22(3).\n29 Amendment of s 192 (Applying for external review)\n(1) Section 192(1), from ‘for’—\nomit, insert—\nfor—\n(a) an original decision to which division 2 does\nnot apply; or\n(b) an internal review decision.\n(2) Section 192(2) and note, ‘internal review’—\nomit.\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\nClause 8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\nClause 19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n\n[s 30]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 2 Amendment of Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024\nPage 17\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n30 Amendment of s 193 (Appealing internal review decision)\n(1) Section 193, heading, ‘internal review decision’—\nomit, insert—\nparticular decisions\n(2) Section 193(1), from ‘for’—\nomit, insert—\nfor—\n(a) an original decision to which division 2 does\nnot apply; or\n(b) an internal review decision.\n(3) Section 193(2) and (4), ‘internal review’—\nomit.\n(4) Section 193(7), ‘seizure or forfeiture’—\nomit.\n(5) Section 193(7)—\ninsert—\nNote—\nSee, however, section 190 in relation to the stay of the\noperation of an original decision that is a forfeiture\ndecision to which division 2 does not apply.\n31 Amendment of s 194 (Powers of court on appeal)\n(1) Section 194(1), ‘an internal review decision’—\nomit, insert—\na decision started under section 193\n(2) Section 194(3), ‘internal review decision’—\nomit, insert—\ndecision appealed against\nClause 1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\nClause 21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n\n[s 32]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 2 Amendment of Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024\nPage 18\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n32 Replacement of s 195 (Effect of court’s decision on\nappeal)\nSection 195—\nomit, insert—\n195 Effect of court’s decision on appeal\n(1) If the court substitutes another decision for the\ndecision appealed against—\n(a) the substituted decision is taken to be a\ndecision of the original decision-maker for\nthe decision; and\n(b) the original decision-maker may give effect\nto the decision as if—\n(i) the decision were the original decision\nof the original decision-maker; and\n(ii) no application for review or appeal of\nthe original decision had been made.\n(2) If the court sets aside the decision appealed\nagainst and returns the matter to the original\ndecision-maker for the decision with directions,\nany decision made by the original decision-maker\nin accordance with the directions may not be\nreviewed or appealed against under this part.\n(3) In this section—\noriginal decision-maker, for a decision, means—\n(a) if the decision is a seizure decision—the\ninspector who made the decision; or\n(b) otherwise—the council.\n33 Amendment of s 206 (Disclosure of confidential\ninformation to entities performing relevant functions)\n(1) Section 206(2), before paragraph (a)—\ninsert—\nClause 1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\nClause 28\n29\n30\n31\n\n[s 34]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 2 Amendment of Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024\nPage 19\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n(aa) the chief executive; or\n(2) Section 206(2)(aa) to (f)—\nrenumber as section 206(2)(a) to (g).\n34 Replacement of s 207 (Council must keep register of\nlicensed pharmacy businesses)\nSection 207—\nomit, insert—\n207 Council must keep register of pharmacy\nbusiness licences\n(1) The council must keep a register of pharmacy\nbusiness licences.\n(2) The register must contain the following\ninformation for each current pharmacy business\nlicence—\n(a) the relevant information for the licence;\n(b) if the licence has been suspended under part\n4, division 4—the period of the suspension.\n(3) The register must contain the following\ninformation for each pharmacy business licence\nthat has been cancelled under part 4, division 4—\n(a) the relevant information for the licence\nimmediately before the cancellation;\n(b) the day the cancellation took effect.\n(4) The register must be kept in the way the council\nconsiders appropriate, including, for example, in\nan electronic form.\n(5) The council must publish on the council’s website\ninformation contained in the register under\nsubsection (2) or (3), other than—\n1\n2\n3\nClause 4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n\n[s 35]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 2 Amendment of Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024\nPage 20\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n(a) information mentioned in subsection (2)(b)\nrelating to a suspension, of a pharmacy\nbusiness licence, that has ended;\n(b) information mentioned in subsection (3) for\na pharmacy business licence cancelled more\nthan 2 years ago.\n(6) In this section—\ncurrent pharmacy business licence means a\npharmacy business licence that has not ended\nunder this Act.\nrelevant information, for a pharmacy business\nlicence, means—\n(a) the name of the holder of the licence; and\n(b) the address of the licensed premises stated\non the licence; and\n(c) the business name stated on the licence.\n35 Omission of s 209 (Council must publish report about\ncompliance and audits for financial year)\nSection 209—\nomit.\n36 Omission of s 210 (Protection from liability)\nSection 210—\nomit.\n37 Amendment of s 218 (Interests in existing pharmacy\nbusinesses held by beneficiaries of discretionary trusts)\nSection 218(1)(a)—\nomit, insert—\n(a) immediately before the commencement—\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\nClause 17\n18\n19\n20\nClause 21\n22\n23\nClause 24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n\n[s 38]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 2 Amendment of Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024\nPage 21\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n(i) the owner of an existing pharmacy\nbusiness owned the business as trustee\nof a discretionary trust; or\n(ii) a person held shares in the owner of an\nexisting pharmacy business as trustee\nof a discretionary trust; and\n38 Amendment of s 221 (Continued limited ownership or\noperation of pharmacy businesses)\nSection 221(2)(b), from ‘if’—\nomit, insert—\nif—\n(i) the sections had not been repealed; and\n(ii) each reference in the sections to the chief\nexecutive were a reference to the council.\n39 Amendment of s 222 (Approvals for continued ownership\nof pharmacy businesses if registration suspended or\ncancelled)\n(1) Section 222(2)—\nomit, insert—\n(2) On the commencement, the chief executive\nmust—\n(a) notify the council that the chief executive\nwas considering whether to grant the\napproval under repealed section 139C(2);\nand\n(b) give the council all information that the\nchief executive has that is relevant to\ndeciding whether to grant the approval.\n(2A) Subsection (2)(b) applies in addition to section\n229A.\n(2B) The council must decide whether to grant the\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\nClause 7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\nClause 15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n31\n\n[s 40]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 2 Amendment of Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024\nPage 22\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\napproval having regard to—\n(a) the main purposes of this Act; and\n(b) the financial circumstances of the pharmacy\nbusiness; and\n(c) all information given to the council under\nsubsection (2); and\n(d) any other information the council considers\nrelevant.\n(2) Section 222(3), ‘chief executive’—\nomit, insert—\ncouncil\n(3) Section 222(4), ‘subsection (3)’—\nomit, insert—\nsubsection (5)\n(4) Section 222(2A) to (4)—\nrenumber as section 222(3) to (6).\n40 Insertion of new ss 229A and 229B\nBefore section 230—\ninsert—\n229A Notice of existing pharmacy business\ninformation\n(1) On the commencement, the chief executive must\ngive the council a notice of existing pharmacy\nbusiness information.\n(2) The notice must contain the following\ninformation held by the chief executive\nimmediately before the commencement—\n(a) the name and contact details of—\n(i) each existing pharmacy business; and\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\nClause 17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n\n[s 41]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 2 Amendment of Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024\nPage 23\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n(ii) each person who owned an existing\npharmacy business;\n(b) for each existing pharmacy business that\nwas owned by a corporation mentioned in\nrepealed section 139B(b) or (ba)\nimmediately before the\ncommencement—the name of each director\nand shareholder of the corporation.\n229B Particular references to licensed pharmacy\nbusinesses for appointing council members\nFrom the commencement, a reference in section\n150(3)(a) to a licensed pharmacy business is taken\nto include a reference to an existing pharmacy\nbusiness that continues to be owned and carried\non by a person under section 215 or 216.\n41 Amendment of sch 1 (Dictionary)\n(1) Schedule 1, definitions compound, decision notice,\ninformation notice, QCAT information notice and seizure or\nforfeiture decision—\nomit.\n(2) Schedule 1—\ninsert—\ncompound, a medicine, see the Medicines and\nPoisons (Medicines) Regulation 2021, schedule\n22.\ndecision notice, for a decision, means a notice\nstating the following information—\n(a) the decision;\n(b) the reasons for the decision;\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\nClause 16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n\n[s 41]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 2 Amendment of Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024\nPage 24\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\nNote—\nSee the Acts Interpretation Act 1954, section 27B\nfor matters that must be included with the reasons.\n(c) that the person to whom the notice is given\nmay appeal against the decision under part\n10, division 5;\n(d) how, and the period within which, the\nappeal may be started;\n(e) for a decision mentioned in section\n190(1)(b)—how the person may apply for a\nstay of the operation of the decision under\nsection 190.\nforfeiture decision see section 185.\ninformation notice means—\n(a) for a decision made by the council other\nthan under a delegation—\n(i) for a forfeiture decision—a decision\nnotice; or\n(ii) for another decision—a QCAT\ninformation notice; or\n(b) for another decision—means a notice stating\nthe following information—\n(i) the decision;\n(ii) the reasons for the decision;\nNote—\nSee the Acts Interpretation Act 1954,\nsection 27B for matters that must be\nincluded with the reasons.\n(iii) that the person to whom the notice is\ngiven may ask for a review of the\ndecision under this Act;\n(iv) how, and the period within which, the\nreview may be started;\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n31\n32\n33\n\n[s 42]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 3 Amendment of Public Health Act 2005\nPage 25\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n(v) if the person may apply for a stay of the\noperation of the decision under this\nAct—how the person may apply for the\nstay.\nQCAT information notice, for a decision, means\na notice complying with the QCAT Act, section\n157(2).\nseizure decision, for part 10, see section 185.\nselling, of a medicine, includes attempting to sell\nthe medicine or making the medicine available for\nsale.\n(3) Schedule 1, definition fit and proper person, ‘chief\nexecutive’—\nomit, insert—\ncouncil\nPart 3 Amendment of Public Health\nAct 2005\n42 Act amended\nThis part amends the Public Health Act 2005.\n43 Amendment of s 43 (Powers of authorised persons after\nentry)\nSection 43—\ninsert—\n(5) To remove any doubt, it is declared that the power\nmentioned in subsection (2)(c) includes the power\nto leave at the place for a reasonable period the\nequipment and materials mentioned in that\nparagraph.\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\nClause 18\n19\nClause 20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n\n[s 44]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 3 Amendment of Public Health Act 2005\nPage 26\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n44 Replacement of ch 6, pt 3A (Notifiable dust lung\ndiseases)\nChapter 6, part 3A—\nomit, insert—\nPart 3A Notifiable occupational\nrespiratory diseases\nDivision 1 Notifying information for\nnational registry\n279AA Definitions for division\nIn this division—\nCommonwealth Act means the National\nOccupational Respiratory Disease Registry Act\n2023 (Cwlth).\nCommonwealth chief medical officer means the\nCommonwealth chief medical officer within the\nmeaning of the Commonwealth Act.\nnational registry see the Commonwealth Act,\nsection 8.\nprescribed medical practitioner means a medical\npractitioner who is a member of a class of persons\nprescribed by regulation.\n279AB Obligation to notify Commonwealth chief\nmedical officer\n(1) This section applies if a prescribed medical\npractitioner diagnoses a person with a notifiable\noccupational respiratory disease.\n(2) The prescribed medical practitioner must, unless\nthe practitioner has a reasonable excuse, give the\nCommonwealth chief medical officer a\nClause 1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"retrieval-0003","sectionType":"document_chunk","heading":"Document excerpt 3","content":"[s 44]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 3 Amendment of Public Health Act 2005\nPage 27\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\nnotification, within the period prescribed by\nregulation, that—\n(a) is in the approved form under the\nCommonwealth Act; and\n(b) states the minimum notification information\nin relation to the person.\nMaximum penalty—20 penalty units.\n(3) Subsection (2) applies whether or not the person\nconsents to the notification.\n(4) In this section—\nminimum notification information see the\nCommonwealth Act, section 12(2).\nnotifiable occupational respiratory disease—\n(a) means a medical condition, prescribed by\nregulation, that is—\n(i) associated with a person’s respiratory\nsystem; and\n(ii) likely to have been caused or\nexacerbated, in whole or in part, by the\nperson’s work or workplace; but\n(b) does not include a medical condition that is\na prescribed occupational respiratory\ndisease under the Commonwealth Act.\nNote—\nSee the Commonwealth Act, section 14 in relation\nto notifying information about prescribed\noccupational respiratory diseases under that Act.\nperson includes a person who is deceased.\n279AC Authorisation relating to information in\nnational registry\n(1) This section applies if—\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n31\n\n[s 44]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 3 Amendment of Public Health Act 2005\nPage 28\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n(a) a prescribed medical practitioner—\n(i) gives the Commonwealth chief\nmedical officer information for\ninclusion in the national registry; or\n(ii) corrects or updates information in the\nnational registry; and\n(b) the giving, correcting or updating of the\ninformation is—\n(i) required or permitted under this Act or\nthe Commonwealth Act; or\n(ii) in compliance with a request for\ninformation made under the\nCommonwealth Act; and\n(c) the prescribed medical practitioner would\notherwise be required to maintain\nconfidentiality about the information under\nan Act, oath, rule of law or practice.\n(2) The prescribed medical practitioner—\n(a) does not contravene the Act, oath, rule of\nlaw or practice by giving, correcting or\nupdating the information; and\n(b) is not liable to disciplinary action for giving,\ncorrecting or updating the information.\n(3) Also, merely because the prescribed medical\npractitioner gives, corrects or updates the\ninformation, the practitioner can not be held to\nhave—\n(a) breached any code of professional etiquette\nor ethics; or\n(b) departed from accepted standards of\nprofessional conduct.\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n31\n\n[s 44]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 3 Amendment of Public Health Act 2005\nPage 29\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\nDivision 2 Historical dust lung\ndisease register\n279AD Definitions for division\nIn this division—\nconfidential information—\n(a) means information about a person’s\npersonal affairs or health that is, or has been,\nrecorded in the historical dust lung disease\nregister; but\n(b) does not include information that is publicly\navailable.\ndisclose includes give access to.\nhistorical dust lung disease register means the\nregister kept under section 279AE.\ninformation includes a document.\nrelevant person means—\n(a) a person who is, or has been, the chief\nexecutive; or\n(b) a person who—\n(i) is, or has been, a public sector\nemployee performing functions under,\nor relating to the administration of, this\nAct; and\n(ii) in that capacity, has acquired or has\naccess to confidential information; or\n(c) a person who, in compliance with this Act,\ngave confidential information to a person\nmentioned in paragraph (a) or (b); or\n(d) a person who, whether directly or indirectly,\nhas acquired or has access to confidential\ninformation from, or through involvement\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n31\n\n[s 44]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 3 Amendment of Public Health Act 2005\nPage 30\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\nwith, a person mentioned in paragraph (a),\n(b) or (c).\n279AE Chief executive to keep information in\nhistorical dust lung disease register\n(1) The chief executive must keep a register of\nhistorical dust lung disease information in a form\nthe chief executive considers appropriate,\nincluding, for example, an electronic form.\n(2) In this section—\nformer section 279AB means section 279AB as in\nforce from time to time before the\ncommencement.\nhistorical dust lung disease information means\nthe information that was kept, immediately before\nthe commencement, in the Notifiable Dust Lung\nDisease Register under former 279AB.\n279AF Restriction on disclosure of confidential\ninformation\n(1) A relevant person must not disclose, directly or\nindirectly, confidential information to another\nperson other than under this division.\nMaximum penalty—50 penalty units\n(2) The Hospital and Health Boards Act 2011,\nsection 142 or 142A does not apply to a relevant\nperson in relation to disclosing confidential\ninformation.\n279AG Disclosure generally\nA relevant person may disclose confidential\ninformation to another person—\n(a) to the extent the disclosure is required or\npermitted under this Act or another Act, or\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n31\n\n[s 44]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 3 Amendment of Public Health Act 2005\nPage 31\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\nto perform the relevant person’s functions\nunder this Act or another Act; or\n(b) with the consent of the person to whom the\ninformation relates; or\n(c) in compliance with a lawful process\nrequiring the production of documents or\ngiving of evidence before a court or\ntribunal; or\n(d) if the information is in a form that does not\nidentify the person to whom the information\nrelates; or\n(e) if the disclosure is otherwise required or\npermitted under another law.\n279AH Disclosure for data collection and public\nhealth monitoring\nThe chief executive may disclose confidential\ninformation to a person who is contracted by the\ndepartment to analyse, monitor or evaluate public\nhealth if—\n(a) the person is authorised in writing by the\nchief executive to receive the information;\nand\n(b) the chief executive is satisfied the person\nwill use the information only for analysing,\nmonitoring or evaluating public health.\n279AI Disclosure to entity of the State or\ncorresponding entity\n(1) This section applies if the disclosure of\nconfidential information is required or permitted\nunder an agreement that—\n(a) is between—\n(i) the chief executive or the State; and\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n31\n32\n\n[s 44]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 3 Amendment of Public Health Act 2005\nPage 32\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n(ii) an entity of the State or a\ncorresponding entity; and\n(b) is prescribed by regulation.\n(2) The chief executive may disclose confidential\ninformation to the entity of the State, or the\ncorresponding entity, as required or permitted\nunder the agreement.\n(3) A person or entity that receives the confidential\ninformation may disclose the information if the\ndisclosure is—\n(a) required or permitted under the agreement;\nor\n(b) permitted, in writing, by the chief executive.\n(4) In this section—\nagreement includes arrangement.\ncorresponding entity means—\n(a) a department of the Commonwealth or\nanother State; or\n(b) an entity established, under a law of the\nCommonwealth or another State, for a\npublic purpose.\n279AJ Disclosure of information for investigation\nunder Coroners Act 2003\n(1) This section applies if a coroner is investigating\nthe death of a person.\n(2) The chief executive may disclose confidential\ninformation that is relevant to the person’s death\nto—\n(a) the coroner; or\n(b) a police officer helping the coroner to\ninvestigate the person’s death.\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n31\n\n[s 45]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 3 Amendment of Public Health Act 2005\nPage 33\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n(3) The coroner or police officer may disclose the\nconfidential information to another person for the\npurpose of the investigation.\n45 Amendment of s 399 (General powers after entering\nplaces)\nSection 399—\ninsert—\n(6) To remove any doubt, it is declared that the power\nmentioned in subsection (3)(e) includes the power\nto leave at the place for a reasonable period the\nequipment and materials mentioned in that\nparagraph.\n46 Insertion of new ch 12, pt 11\nChapter 12—\ninsert—\nPart 11 Transitional provisions\nfor Health Legislation\nAmendment Act (No. 2)\n2025\n519 Definition for part\nIn this part—\nformer, for a provision of this Act, means the\nprovision as in force from time to time before the\ncommencement.\n520 Application of new ch 6, pt 3A to particular\ndiagnoses made before commencement\n(1) This section applies if—\n1\n2\n3\nClause 4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\nClause 13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n\n[s 46]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 3 Amendment of Public Health Act 2005\nPage 34\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n(a) before the commencement, a medical\npractitioner diagnosed a person with a\nnotifiable dust lung disease within the\nmeaning of former section 279AA; and\n(b) immediately before the commencement—\n(i) former section 279AF(2) applied in\nrelation to the diagnosis; and\n(ii) the prescribed period mentioned in\nformer section 279AF(2) had not\nended; and\n(iii) the medical practitioner had not\ncomplied with former section\n279AF(2); and\n(c) on the commencement, the disease is a\nnotifiable occupational respiratory disease\nunder new section 279AB.\n(2) New chapter 6, part 3A, division 1 applies in\nrelation to the diagnosis as if the diagnosis were\nmade on the commencement.\n(3) In this section—\nnew, for a provision of this Act, means the\nprovision as in force from the commencement.\n521 Proceedings for particular offences\n(1) This section applies in relation to an offence\nagainst former sections 279AF(2), 279AG(4) or\n279AL(1) committed by a person before\nthe commencement.\n(2) Without limiting the Acts Interpretation Act 1954,\nsection 20, a proceeding for the offence may be\ncontinued or started, and the person may be\nconvicted of and punished for the offence, as if\nthe Health Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2)\n2025, section 44 had not commenced.\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n31\n32\n33\n\n[s 47]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 3 Amendment of Public Health Act 2005\nPage 35\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n(3) Subsection (2) applies despite the Criminal Code,\nsection 11.\n47 Amendment of sch 2 (Dictionary)\n(1) Schedule 2, definitions approved operator, health\npractitioner, notifiable dust lung disease, occupational\nexposure, regulator, relevant chief executive and relevant\nemployee—\nomit.\n(2) Schedule 2—\ninsert—\nCommonwealth Act, for chapter 6, part 3A,\ndivision 1, see section 279AA.\nCommonwealth chief medical officer, for\nchapter 6, part 3A, division 1, see section 279AA.\ndisclose, for chapter 6, part 3A, division 2, see\nsection 279AD.\nhealth practitioner, for chapter 4A, see section\n157A.\nhistorical dust lung disease register, for chapter\n6, part 3A, division 2, see section 279AD.\nnational registry, for chapter 6, part 3A, division\n1, see section 279AA.\n(3) Schedule 2, definition confidential information, paragraph\n(h)—\nomit, insert—\n(h) for chapter 6, part 3A, division 2, see\nsection 279AD.\n(4) Schedule 2, definition health information held by a health\nagency, paragraph (a)(iii) and (iv)—\nomit, insert—\n1\n2\nClause 3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n29\n30\n\n[s 48]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 4 Amendment of Public Health Regulation 2018\nPage 36\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n(iii) for chapter 6, part 4, information about a\nperson’s health or the provision of a health\nservice to a person held or obtained by a\ncontractor for the contractor to keep the\nQueensland Cancer Register; and\n(5) Schedule 2, definition information, paragraph (h)—\nomit, insert—\n(h) for chapter 6, part 3A, division 2, see\nsection 279AD.\n(6) Schedule 2, definition prescribed medical practitioner, after\n‘part 3A,’—\ninsert—\ndivision 1,\n(7) Schedule 2, definition register, paragraphs (c) and (d)—\nomit, insert—\n(c) for chapter 6, part 4, see section 280.\n(8) Schedule 2, definition relevant person, paragraph (h)—\nomit, insert—\n(h) for chapter 6, part 3A, division 2, see\nsection 279AD.\nPart 4 Amendment of Public Health\nRegulation 2018\n48 Regulation amended\nThis part amends the Public Health Regulation 2018.\n49 Replacement of pt 8, div 5 (Notifiable dust lung diseases)\nPart 8, division 5—\nomit, insert—\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\nClause 23\n24\nClause 25\n26\n27\n\n[s 49]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 4 Amendment of Public Health Regulation 2018\nPage 37\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\nDivision 5 Notifiable occupational\nrespiratory diseases\nSubdivision 1 Notifying information for\nnational registry\n49A Prescribed medical practitioners—Act, s\n279AA\nFor section 279AA of the Act, definition\nprescribed medical practitioner, the prescribed\nclass of persons is medical practitioners registered\nunder the Health Practitioner Regulation National\nLaw as specialist health practitioners in either of\nthe following specialties or specialty fields—\n(a) occupational and environmental medicine;\n(b) respiratory and sleep medicine.\n49B Prescribed period—Act, s 279AB\nFor section 279AB(2) of the Act, the period\nprescribed is 30 days from the day the prescribed\nmedical practitioner diagnoses the person with the\nnotifiable occupational respiratory disease.\n49C Notifiable occupational respiratory\ndiseases—Act, s 279AB\nFor section 279AB(5) of the Act, definition\nnotifiable occupational respiratory disease,\nparagraph (a), each of the following medical\nconditions is prescribed to the extent the condition\nis likely to have been caused or exacerbated, in\nwhole or in part, by exposure to inorganic dust—\n(a) pneumoconiosis, other than silicosis;\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n26\n27\n28\n\n[s 50]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 5 Amendment of Queensland Mental Health Commission Act 2013\nPage 38\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\nExamples—\nasbestosis, coal worker’s pneumoconiosis and\nmixed-dust pneumoconiosis\nNote—\nSilicosis is a prescribed occupational respiratory\ndisease under the Commonwealth Act.\n(b) cancer;\n(c) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.\nExamples—\nchronic bronchitis and emphysema\nSubdivision 2 Information in historical\ndust lung disease register\n49D Prescribed agreement—Act, s 279AI\nFor section 279AI(1)(b) of the Act, the agreement\nmentioned in schedule 3, part 4 is prescribed.\n50 Amendment of sch 3 (Agreements)\nSchedule 3, part 4, heading, ‘notifiable dust lung diseases’—\nomit, insert—\nhistorical dust lung disease register\nPart 5 Amendment of Queensland\nMental Health Commission Act\n2013\n51 Act amended\nThis part amends the Queensland Mental Health Commission\nAct 2013.\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\nClause 16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\nClause 23\n24\n25\n\n[s 52]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 5 Amendment of Queensland Mental Health Commission Act 2013\nPage 39\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\n52 Amendment of s 21 (Vacancy in office of commissioner)\n(1) Section 21(1), before paragraph (a)—\ninsert—\n(aa) completes a term of office and is not\nreappointed; or\n(2) Section 21(1)(aa) to (e)—\nrenumber as section 21(1)(a) to (f).\n53 Replacement of s 23 (Acting commissioner)\nSection 23—\nomit, insert—\n23 Acting commissioner\n(1) This section applies if—\n(a) the office of the commissioner is vacant; or\n(b) the commissioner is absent from duty or\notherwise unable to perform the\ncommissioner’s functions.\n(2) The Minister may appoint a person, other than a\nmember of the council, to act as commissioner for\na period of not longer than 6 months.\n(3) However, the Minister may extend the\nappointment for a further period of not longer\nthan 6 months.\n(4) This section does not limit the Governor in\nCouncil’s power under the Acts Interpretation Act\n1954, section 25(1)(b)(iv) or (v).\nClause 1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\nClause 8\n9\n10\n11\n12\n13\n14\n15\n16\n17\n18\n19\n20\n21\n22\n23\n24\n25\n\n[s 54]\nHealth Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025\nPart 6 Amendment of Radiation Safety Act 1999\nPage 40\nAuthorised by the Parliamentary Counsel\nPart 6 Amendment of Radiation\nSafety Act 1999\n54 Act amended\nThis part amends the Radiation Safety Act 1999.\n55 Amendment of s 71 (Additional information for approvals\nto dispose)\nSection 71, ‘licensee’—\nomit, insert—\nholder of the approval\n© State of Queensland 2025\n1\n2\nClause 3\n4\nClause 5\n6\n7\n8\n9","sortOrder":2}],"analysis":{"summary":{"status_summary":"The Health Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025 received royal assent and is now an Act, making numerous amendments to Queensland health legislation including pharmacy ownership, notifiable diseases reporting, and mental health commission governance.","complexity_score":6,"likely_questions":["How does the change to material interest affect existing pharmacy business structures?","What are the new notifiable occupational respiratory diseases and who must report them?","Can the Pharmacy Business Council now share information with the chief executive, and under what safeguards?","How is the register of pharmacy business licences changed?","What happens to historical dust lung disease data under the new register?"],"complexity_factors":["Amends five separate Queensland Acts","Introduces new mandatory notification obligations for occupational respiratory diseases under Commonwealth law","Modifies pharmacy ownership eligibility, licensing procedures, and disclosure requirements","Contains transitional provisions for existing pharmacy businesses and ongoing legal proceedings","Includes detailed definitions, dictionary amendments, and cross-references to Commonwealth legislation"],"plain_english_summary":"The Act amends five Queensland laws to make mainly technical and administrative changes with some policy shifts that affect pharmacists, medical specialists, the Mental Health Commission and radiation approvals. Key impacts: tighter pharmacy ownership and disclosure rules (and clarification on non‑prescription sales), mandatory reporting and interstate information‑sharing for occupational respiratory diseases by prescribed specialists, and new arrangements for commission vacancies and acting appointments. It matters because it increases state oversight and reporting duties while altering compliance and disclosure obligations for private operators."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":7,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Bill expands the original scope beyond narrow pharmacy ownership rules and public health notifications. In the pharmacy area it adds transparency and administrative powers (public register publication, mandatory trust beneficiary disclosure, council representation of the State, stronger information‑sharing with the department and clarified appeal processes). In public health it replaces a narrowly framed \"dust lung\" reporting regime with a broader \"notifiable occupational respiratory diseases\" regime tied to a Commonwealth national registry, creates a new historical register with detailed disclosure rules, and imposes mandatory, consent‑independent notification duties on specialist medical practitioners. These amendments broaden regulatory reach (data collection, publication and enforcement) and add cross‑jurisdictional reporting obligations that go beyond simply clarifying ownership limits."},"complexity_factors":["Amends five separate Acts and the Public Health Regulation — cross‑statute changes increase legal integration complexity.","Multiple wholesale replacements of key sections (e.g. s 40, s 145, s 183, s 190, s 195, s 207) requiring readers to reconcile new procedural rules with existing Parts (several replacement provisions).","Introduces a new chapter/division in the Public Health Act (ch 6, pt 3A) that interfaces with Commonwealth legislation (National Occupational Respiratory Disease Registry Act 2023), creating cross‑jurisdictional dependencies.","Adds new defined terms and removes old ones (multiple dictionary/schedule amendments), increasing interpretive load (e.g. new definitions for decision notice, information notice, historical dust lung disease register).","Detailed conditional disclosure rules for the historical register with multiple permitted exceptions (ss 279AF–279AJ) — nested permissions and penalties (50 penalty units) raise complexity.","Changes to administrative review, stay and appeal procedures across several sections (ss 189–195 and related), including redefining original decision‑maker and limits on review — layered procedural logic.","Public transparency and retention exceptions for the register (s 207) — time limits and conditional exclusions add nuance for compliance officers.","Transitional provisions requiring handover of existing data and treatment of pre‑commencement diagnoses (ss 519–521, s 229A) — practical complexity for implementation.","Regulatory detail moved to subordinate instruments (regulations prescribing practitioner classes, notification periods, prescribed diseases), adding dependencies on later regulation for full effect (Regs 49A–49C).","Multiple renumberings and removal of procedural subsections increase the risk of cross‑reference errors when applied against earlier versions."],"plain_english_summary":"**What this Bill changes (mechanically)\n\n- Changes the Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024 to:  \n  - Broaden the definition of core pharmacy services to explicitly include sale of non‑prescription medicines under pharmacist supervision (s 8(3)(c)).  \n  - Treat shareholders of an owner as persons who can hold a \"material interest\" (s 13(1)(b) insertion).  \n  - Tighten who may hold material interests so that only practising pharmacists or close adult relatives of practising pharmacists (where the pharmacist also holds an interest) are allowed (s 16).  \n  - Require applicants to disclose beneficiaries where shares are held in trust (s 25(1)(b)(iiia)).  \n  - Remove several redundant procedural sub‑sections and renumber provisions for clarity (multiple sections: ss 26, 27, 39, 44, 50, 54, 60).  \n  - Replace the test for approving transfers so the council must be satisfied incoming parties are eligible, \"fit and proper\", and do not exceed ownership limits; and anyone else who would obtain a material interest must also meet those standards (new s 40).  \n  - Allow the pharmacy council to enter information‑sharing arrangements with the Department (chief executive) limited to material relevant to fitness/eligibility decisions; and restrict use of such information to decision making under s72 (new s 73A).  \n  - Require the council to publish short notices of temporary closures and to keep a public register of pharmacy business licences (with limited exclusions) on its website (ss 80, 207).  \n  - Change how licence surrender works and add an express 14‑day obligation for sole licence holders to surrender after ceasing to be eligible or disposing of ownership (s 69).  \n  - Alter the council’s legal status so it \"represents the State\" and has State privileges and immunities (new s 145).  \n  - Require the council’s annual report to disclose ministerial directions and actions taken, plus audits and compliance activity (new s 183).  \n  - Make procedural changes to internal review, stays and appeals for seizure/forfeiture and other decisions, including clarifying who the original decision‑maker is and the court’s powers on stay (replacements to ss 190, 192–195, and related amendments).  \n  - Transitional and handover provisions requiring the chief executive to give the council existing pharmacy business information on commencement (s 229A) and to pass information about pending approvals (s 222 amendments).  \n\n- Changes to the Public Health Act 2005 and Regulation to:  \n  - Replace the old \"notifiable dust lung diseases\" regime with a broader \"notifiable occupational respiratory diseases\" division that ties Queensland notification into the Commonwealth National Occupational Respiratory Disease Registry (the Commonwealth Act) (new ch 6, pt 3A).  \n  - Require prescribed specialist medical practitioners (occupational & environmental medicine; respiratory & sleep medicine) to notify the Commonwealth chief medical officer in the approved form and within 30 days when they diagnose a notifiable occupational respiratory disease (s 279AB; Reg 49A and 49B).  \n  - Make such notifications mandatory even without the patient’s consent and attach a civil penalty (20 penalty units) for non‑compliance (s 279AB(3)–(2)).  \n  - Authorise prescribed medical practitioners to provide information into the Commonwealth national registry without breaching confidentiality rules or being liable to disciplinary action for doing so (s 279AC).  \n  - Create a historical dust lung disease register held by the chief executive (279AE) and set detailed rules limiting disclosure of confidential information from that register while also permitting certain disclosures for public health monitoring, inter‑jurisdictional arrangements and coroner investigations (ss 279AF–279AJ).  \n  \n- Minor technical amendments to the Queensland Mental Health Commission Act 2013 (acting commissioner appointment details) and to the Radiation Safety Act 1999 (terminology for approval holders).\n\nWho is affected and how (in plain terms)\n\n- Pharmacists, pharmacy owners and corporate shareholders: changes affect who may own pharmacies (practising pharmacist or close relative where the pharmacist has an interest), require trust beneficiary disclosure on licence applications (s 25), and expand what counts as \"core\" services (s 8). The council gains powers to require and use information from the department for licensing decisions (s 73A).  \n\n- Pharmacy businesses generally: must appear on a public licence register (s 207) with some time‑limited and suspension‑related exceptions; must notify temporary closures and expect those notices can be published (s 80). Sole licence holders face a 14‑day mandatory surrender obligation after losing eligibility or disposing ownership (s 69).  \n\n- Medical specialists in occupational & respiratory medicine: required to notify the Commonwealth chief medical officer of qualifying occupational respiratory disease diagnoses within 30 days, even without patient consent (s 279AB; regs 49A–49B). Failure to notify carries a civil penalty.  \n\n- Department officials, council staff and contracted analysts: new authorised pathways for information sharing between the council and chief executive (s 73A) and for the chief executive to share historical register data with contractors for public health monitoring subject to written authorisation (ss 279AH–279AI).  \n\n- The coroner and police: given express access to confidential register data where relevant to death investigations (s 279AJ).\n\nWhy it matters (official rationale and testing it)\n\n- Officially, the Bill aligns Queensland with the Commonwealth occupational respiratory disease registry and strengthens licensing oversight for pharmacies. The Bill’s stated purposes include: facilitating national data collection on occupational respiratory disease (new ch 6, pt 3A) and tightening ownership and transparency in pharmacy licensing (multiple changes in Part 2). Those are explicit in the text (ss 279AB, 207, 73A, new s 40).  \n\n- Testing those claimed purposes against costs/incentives and trade‑offs:  \n  - Compliance costs: medical specialists must notify within 30 days and pharmacies must supply additional ownership/beneficiary details. These are direct time and record‑keeping costs for clinicians and business owners (regs 49A–49B; s 25).  \n  - Privacy and data‑use trade‑offs: notifications may be made without patient consent (s 279AB(3)), and a historical register can be disclosed to contractors or other State/Cwlth entities under prescribed agreements (ss 279AH–279AI). The Bill limits misuse for licensing decisions (s 73A(4)) but the historical register has broader permitted disclosures—this raises a risk that personal health data will be reused beyond original collection for public health or investigative purposes.  \n  - Enforcement burdens and legal risk: the Bill adds civil penalties (20 penalty units for non‑notification, s 279AB) and criminal or administrative consequences via strengthened seizure/forfeiture and appeal processes (replacements to ss 190, 195). Businesses and clinicians face regulatory risk if they do not comply.  \n  - Market effects and competitive information: the public register (s 207) will place names, addresses and business names in the public domain for current licences and recent cancellations (subject to 2‑year limit). That increases market transparency (who operates where) which can affect rival firms’ locational decisions, valuations, and commercial negotiations.  \n  - Administrative/implementation costs to government: the council must operate the register, accept handover information from the chief executive (s 229A), and produce expanded annual reporting on ministerial directions and compliance activity (s 183). Technical integration with the Commonwealth registry and secure data handling for the historical register will require resources and governance controls.  \n  - Behavioural incentives: licence holders may restructure ownership (trusts or shareholdings) to comply with tightened eligible‑owner rules; clinicians may change documentation/diagnostic coding to meet notification standards; and councils/department may use new information‑sharing to be more active in licensing decisions (s 73A).  \n\nWho pays, who decides, and what behaviour changes (concise)\n\n- Who pays: pharmacy owners and practising pharmacists pay compliance and disclosure costs (s 25, s 69, s 207). Prescribed medical practitioners (specialists) incur notification time and administrative costs (s 279AB; regs 49A–49B). The State (council and department) bears IT, record‑keeping and enforcement costs (ss 73A, 279AE).  \n\n- Who decides: the council decides on licence grants, suspensions and cancellations and must keep and publish a register (s 40; s 207). The chief executive (department) maintains the historical register and may disclose under rules in the Bill (ss 279AE–279AJ). The Commonwealth chief medical officer receives the clinical notifications (s 279AB). The Minister retains power to give directions and must have those directions disclosed in the council’s annual report (s 183). Courts determine stays and appeals under the revised appeal rules (ss 190, 193–195).  \n\n- What behaviour changes: more mandatory reporting by specialists, more transparency about who owns and operates pharmacies, possible restructuring of corporate/trust ownership to comply with eligibility tests, and greater information exchange between department and council which may intensify regulatory checks.\n\nImplementation risk and compliance burden (brief)\n\n- Implementation risk: technical integration with the Commonwealth registry, secure handling of historical register data, and setting up robust information‑sharing agreements (s 73A, s 279AI) will be necessary to avoid data breaches or misuse.  \n\n- Compliance burden:  \n  - Medical specialists must notify within 30 days and face penalties for non‑compliance (s 279AB; reg 49B).  \n  - Pharmacy applicants must now disclose trust beneficiaries and may face more rigorous fitness/eligibility checks balanced against the council’s new information flows (s 25, s 40, s 73A).  \n\nConcrete limits and safeguards in the Bill\n\n- Information sharing between council and chief executive is limited to material relevant to licensing decisions and the council must not use received information for purposes other than decision making under s 72 about the person (s 73A).  \n- The historical register puts a clear criminal penalty on unauthorised disclosure (50 penalty units, s 279AF(1)) but also enumerates lawful disclosure routes (ss 279AG–279AJ).\n\nSelected key provisions referenced: s 8(3)(c); ss 13(1)(b), 16, 17; ss 25, 69, 73A, 80, 207; replacement ss 40, 145, 183, 190, 195; ch 6 pt 3A (ss 279AA–279AJ); regs 49A–49C; transitional ss 229A–229B.\n"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/health-legislation-amendment-bill-no-2-2025","history":"/api/acts/health-legislation-amendment-bill-no-2-2025/history","analysis":"/api/acts/health-legislation-amendment-bill-no-2-2025/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/health-legislation-amendment-bill-no-2-2025/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/health-legislation-amendment-bill-no-2-2025/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/health-legislation-amendment-bill-no-2-2025/documents"}}