{"id":"a-2000-25","name":"Health Professionals (Special Events Exemptions) Act 2000","slug":"health-professionals-special-events-exemptions-act-2000","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"act","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"25 of 2000","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":23707,"registerId":"act-a-2000-25-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Health Professionals (Special Events Exemptions) Act 2000","content":"Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nAustralian Capital Territory\nHealth Professionals (Special Events\nExemptions) Act 2000\nA2000-25\nRepublication No 12\nEffective: 26 November 2025\nRepublication date: 26 November 2025\nLast amendment made by A2025-33\n\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nAbout this republication\nThe republished law\nThis is a republication of the Health Professionals (Special Events Exemptions) Act 2000\n(including any amendment made under the Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 (Editorial changes))\nas in force on 26 November 2025. It also includes any commencement, amendment, repeal or\nexpiry affecting this republished law to 26 November 2025.\nThe legislation history and amendment history of the republished law are set out in endnotes 3\nand 4.\nKinds of republications\nThe Parliamentary Counsel’s Office prepares 2 kinds of republications of ACT laws (see the ACT\nlegislation register at www.legislation.act.gov.au):\n• authorised republications to which the Legislation Act 2001 applies\n• unauthorised republications.\nThe status of this republication appears on the bottom of each page.\nEditorial changes\nThe Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 authorises the Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial\namendments and other changes of a formal nature when preparing a law for republication.\nEditorial changes do not change the effect of the law, but have effect as if they had been made by\nan Act commencing on the republication date (see Legislation Act 2001, s 115 and s 117). The\nchanges are made if the Parliamentary Counsel considers they are desirable to bring the law into\nline, or more closely into line, with current legislative drafting practice.\nThis republication does not include amendments made under part 11.3 (see endnote 1).\nUncommenced provisions and amendments\nIf a provision of the republished law has not commenced, the symbol U appears immediately\nbefore the provision heading. Any uncommenced amendments that affect this republished law\nare accessible on the ACT legislation register (www.legislation.act.gov.au). For more\ninformation, see the home page for this law on the register.\nModifications\nIf a provision of the republished law is affected by a current modification, the\nsymbol M appears immediately before the provision heading. The text of the modifying\nprovision appears in the endnotes. For the legal status of modifications, see the Legislation\nAct 2001, section 95.\nPenalties\nAt the republication date, the value of a penalty unit for an offence against this law is $160 for an\nindividual and $810 for a corporation (see Legislation Act 2001, s 133).\n\nR12\n26/11/25\nHealth Professionals (Special Events Exemptions)\nAct 2000\nEffective: 26/11/25\ncontents 1\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nAustralian Capital Territory\nHealth Professionals (Special Events\nExemptions) Act 2000\nContents\nPage\nPart 1 Preliminary\n1 Name of Act 2\n2 Dictionary 2\n4 Notes 2\nPart 2 Special events\n5 Declaration of a special event 3\n6 Meaning of visitor 3\n7 Meaning of visiting health professional 4\n8 Provision of health care services by visiting health professionals 4\n9 Conditions on practise by visiting health professionals 5\n10 Issue of prescriptions and supply of prescription medicines 5\n\nContents\nPage\ncontents 2 Health Professionals (Special Events Exemptions)\nAct 2000\nEffective: 26/11/25\nR12\n26/11/25\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n11 Exemptions relating to offences 6\nPart 3 Miscellaneous\n12 Complaints about visiting health professionals 8\n13 Regulation-making power 8\nDictionary 9\nEndnotes\n1 About the endnotes 11\n2 Abbreviation key 11\n3 Legislation history 12\n4 Amendment history 15\n5 Earlier republications 17\n\nR12\n26/11/25\nHealth Professionals (Special Events Exemptions)\nAct 2000\nEffective: 26/11/25\npage 1\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nAustralian Capital Territory\nHealth Professionals (Special Events\nExemptions) Act 2000\nAn Act to allow visiting health professionals to provide health services in\nconnection with certain special events without being registered under Territory\nlaws\n\nPart 1 Preliminary\nSection 1\npage 2 Health Professionals (Special Events Exemptions)\nAct 2000\nEffective: 26/11/25\nR12\n26/11/25\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nPart 1 Preliminary\n1 Name of Act\nThis Act is the Health Professionals (Special Events Exemptions)\nAct 2000.\n2 Dictionary\nThe dictionary at the end of this Act is part of this Act.\nNote 1 The dictionary at the end of this Act defines certain terms used in this\nAct, and includes references (signpost definitions) to other terms defined\nelsewhere.\nFor example, the signpost definition ‘supply—see the Medicines, Poisons\nand Therapeutic Goods Act 2008, section 24.’ means that the term\n‘supply’ is defined in that section and the definition applies to this Act.\nNote 2 A definition in the dictionary (including a signpost definition) applies to\nthe entire Act unless the definition, or another provision of the Act,\nprovides otherwise or the contrary intention otherwise appears (see\nLegislation Act, s 155 and s 156 (1)).\n4 Notes\nA note included in this Act is explanatory and is not part of this Act.\nNote See Legislation Act, s 127 (1), (4) and (5) for the legal status of notes.\n\nSpecial events Part 2\nSection 5\nR12\n26/11/25\nHealth Professionals (Special Events Exemptions)\nAct 2000\nEffective: 26/11/25\npage 3\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nPart 2 Special events\n5 Declaration of a special event\n(1) The Minister may, in writing, declare an event to be a special event\nfor this Act if the Minister is satisfied that a significant number of\npersons from outside Australia will come to the ACT to participate\nin, or to prepare, train, practice, rehearse or acclimatise for, the event.\n(2) A declaration must specify, for the special event, the period or periods\n(the exemption period) when an exemption under this Act will apply.\n(3) An exemption period may include periods before or after the special\nevent takes place.\n(4) A declaration must specify a notification procedure for giving notice\nwithin the ACT that a person will be a visiting health professional for\na visitor to the special event.\n(5) A declaration is a notifiable instrument.\nNote A notifiable instrument must be notified under the Legislation Act.\n6 Meaning of visitor\nA person is a visitor to a special event if—\n(a) the person is a resident of another country who is in the ACT for\nthe purpose of officially participating in, or preparing, training,\npractising, rehearsing or acclimatising for, a special event; or\n(b) the person is a resident of Australia who—\n(i) is in the ACT for the purpose mentioned in paragraph (a);\nand\n(ii) is a member of a group the majority of which is comprised\nof persons who are residents of other countries and are in\nthe ACT for the same purpose.\n\nPart 2 Special events\nSection 7\npage 4 Health Professionals (Special Events Exemptions)\nAct 2000\nEffective: 26/11/25\nR12\n26/11/25\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n7 Meaning of visiting health professional\nA person is a visiting health professional for a visitor, if—\n(a) the person is a resident of another country; and\n(b) notice has been given, in accordance with the notification\nprocedure for the relevant special event, that the person will be\nproviding health care services to the visitor, or to a group that\nincludes the visitor; and\n(c) the person is currently appointed, employed, contracted or\notherwise engaged to provide health care services to the visitor.\nNote A visiting health professional may provide services to other visitors to\nthe event only after giving a further notification in accordance with the\nnotification procedure.\n8 Provision of health care services by visiting health\nprofessionals\n(1) A visiting health professional for a visitor is authorised by this section\nto provide health care services to the visitor.\n(2) This section—\n(a) applies only during the exemption period for the relevant special\nevent; and\n(b) ceases to apply if the health professional does not comply with\nconditions imposed under this Act.\n(3) This section does not authorise a visiting health professional to\npossess, or supply to a visitor, a prohibited substance within the\nmeaning of the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2008.\n\nSpecial events Part 2\nSection 9\nR12\n26/11/25\nHealth Professionals (Special Events Exemptions)\nAct 2000\nEffective: 26/11/25\npage 5\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n9 Conditions on practise by visiting health professionals\n(1) The regulations may impose conditions on the provision of health\ncare services by a visiting health professional.\n(2) A special event declaration may impose further conditions on the\nprovision of health care services by a visiting health professional.\n10 Issue of prescriptions and supply of prescription\nmedicines\n(1) A visiting health professional may be authorised under this section to\nissue a written prescription for a prescription medicine.\n(2) An authorisation under this section does not authorise a visiting\nhealth professional to issue a prescription unless the prescription\ncould be issued by an authorised person under the Medicines, Poisons\nand Therapeutic Goods Act 2008.\n(3) The Minister may, in a special event declaration—\n(a) authorise a visiting health professional, whom the Minister is\nsatisfied should be regarded as qualified to issue prescriptions,\nto issue written prescriptions for a prescription medicine in the\ncourse of providing health care services in accordance with this\nAct; and\n(b) authorise a supplier to supply a prescription medicine on the\nprescription.\nNote A power given under an Act to make a statutory instrument about\nparticular matters includes power to make a statutory instrument about\nany 1 or more of the matters or a particular class of the matters (see\nLegislation Act, s 48 (2)).\n\nPart 2 Special events\nSection 11\npage 6 Health Professionals (Special Events Exemptions)\nAct 2000\nEffective: 26/11/25\nR12\n26/11/25\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n(4) The Minister must not make a special event declaration containing an\nauthorisation under subsection (3) unless satisfied that adequate\narrangements are in place to ensure that prescription medicines will\nbe prescribed only for, and supplied only to, visitors to whom visiting\nhealth professionals are authorised to provide health care services\nunder this Act.\n(5) A special event declaration may impose conditions on an\nauthorisation under subsection (3), including a visiting health\nprofessional’s authority to issue prescriptions.\n(6) In this section:\nsupplier, of a prescription medicine, means a person who is\nauthorised under the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods\nAct 2008 to supply the medicine.\n11 Exemptions relating to offences\n(1) A visiting health professional does not commit an offence against the\nHealth Practitioner Regulation National Law (ACT), the Medicines,\nPoisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2008 or the Public Health\nAct 1997, part 3 by—\n(a) providing health care services authorised under this Act; or\n(b) possessing or supplying a prescription medicine in the course of\nproviding the health care services; or\n(c) prescribing a prescription medicine in accordance with this Act;\nor\n(d) holding himself or herself out as being able to provide the health\ncare services mentioned in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c); or\n(e) using any name, initials, description, word, symbol, addition or\ntitle that the health professional ordinarily uses.\n\nSpecial events Part 2\nSection 11\nR12\n26/11/25\nHealth Professionals (Special Events Exemptions)\nAct 2000\nEffective: 26/11/25\npage 7\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n(2) A visitor to a special event does not commit an offence against the\nMedicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2008 by doing\nanything, or possessing a prescription medicine, because of being\nprovided with health care services in accordance with this Act.\n(3) A person does not commit an offence against the Medicines, Poisons\nand Therapeutic Goods Act 2008 by supplying a prescription\nmedicine in accordance with a written prescription issued by a\nvisiting health professional if—\n(a) the health professional is authorised under this Act to issue the\nprescription; and\n(b) the person is authorised under this Act to supply the medicine\non the prescription.\n(4) A regulation may prescribe other offences to which exemptions under\nthis section apply.\nNote A visiting health professional who provides health care services\notherwise than in accordance with this Act loses the exemption.\n\nPart 3 Miscellaneous\nSection 12\npage 8 Health Professionals (Special Events Exemptions)\nAct 2000\nEffective: 26/11/25\nR12\n26/11/25\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nPart 3 Miscellaneous\n12 Complaints about visiting health professionals\n(1) A complaint may not be made about, nor may disciplinary action be\ntaken against, a visiting health professional under the Health\nPractitioner Regulation National Law (ACT) or the Human Rights\nCommission Act 2005 in relation to anything done by the health\nprofessional in—\n(a) providing health care services authorised under this Act; or\n(b) possessing or supplying a prescription medicine in the course of\nproviding the health care services; or\n(c) prescribing a prescription medicine in accordance with this Act;\nor\n(d) holding himself or herself out as being able to provide the health\ncare services mentioned in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c); or\n(e) using any name, initials, description, word, symbol, addition or\ntitle that the health professional ordinarily uses.\n(2) This section does not prevent the bringing of proceedings for an\noffence against the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law\n(ACT) or the Human Rights Commission Act 2005.\n13 Regulation-making power\n(1) The Executive may make regulations for this Act.\nNote Regulations must be notified, and presented to the Legislative Assembly,\nunder the Legislation Act.\n(2) The regulations may prescribe offences for contraventions of the\nregulations and may prescribe maximum penalties of not more than\n10 penalty units for offences against the regulations.\n\nDictionary\nR12\n26/11/25\nHealth Professionals (Special Events Exemptions)\nAct 2000\nEffective: 26/11/25\npage 9\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nDictionary\n(see s 2)\nNote 1 The Legislation Act contains definitions and other provisions relevant to\nthis Act.\nNote 2 For example, the Legislation Act, dict, pt 1, defines the following terms:\n• ACT\n• dental prosthetist\n• dentist\n• doctor\n• Minister (see s 162)\n• notifiable instrument (see s 10)\n• nurse\n• penalty unit (see s 133)\n• pharmacist.\nexemption period—see section 5 (2).\nhealth care services means—\n(a) services ordinarily provided by doctors, nurses, dentists, dental\nprosthetists, pharmacists, podiatrists, chiropractors, osteopaths,\noptometrists, physiotherapists or psychologists; or\n(b) any other service prescribed by the regulations.\nnotification procedure, for a special event—see section 5 (4).\nprescription medicine means a controlled medicine, or prescription\nonly medicine, within the meaning of the Medicines, Poisons and\nTherapeutic Goods Act 2008.\nregistered includes licensed and enrolled.\nspecial event means an event that is declared to be a special event\nunder section 5 (1).\nspecial event declaration means a declaration under section 5 (1).\n\nDictionary\npage 10 Health Professionals (Special Events Exemptions)\nAct 2000\nEffective: 26/11/25\nR12\n26/11/25\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nsupply—see the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods\nAct 2008, section 24.\nvisiting health professional, for a visitor to a special event—see\nsection 7.\nvisitor, to a special event—see section 6.\n\nEndnotes\nAbout the endnotes 1\nR12\n26/11/25\nHealth Professionals (Special Events Exemptions)\nAct 2000\nEffective: 26/11/25\npage 11\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nEndnotes\n1 About the endnotes\nAmending and modifying laws are annotated in the legislation history and the\namendment history. Current modifications are not included in the republished law\nbut are set out in the endnotes.\nNot all editorial amendments made under the Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 are\nannotated in the amendment history. Full details of any amendments can be\nobtained from the Parliamentary Counsel’s Office.\nUncommenced amending laws are not included in the republished law. The details\nof these laws are underlined in the legislation history. Uncommenced expiries are\nunderlined in the legislation history and amendment history.\nIf all the provisions of the law have been renumbered, a table of renumbered\nprovisions gives details of previous and current numbering.\nThe endnotes also include a table of earlier republications.\n2 Abbreviation key\nA = Act NI = Notifiable instrument\nAF = Approved form o = order\nam = amended om = omitted/repealed\namdt = amendment ord = ordinance\nAR = Assembly resolution orig = original\nch = chapter par = paragraph/subparagraph\nCN = Commencement notice pres = present\ndef = definition prev = previous\nDI = Disallowable instrument (prev...) = previously\ndict = dictionary pt = part\ndisallowed = disallowed by the Legislative r = rule/subrule\nAssembly reloc = relocated\ndiv = division renum = renumbered\nexp = expires/expired R[X] = Republication No\nGaz = gazette RI = reissue\nhdg = heading s = section/subsection\nIA = Interpretation Act 1967 sch = schedule\nins = inserted/added sdiv = subdivision\nLA = Legislation Act 2001 SL = Subordinate law\nLR = legislation register sub = substituted\nLRA = Legislation (Republication) Act 1996 underlining = whole or part not commenced\nmod = modified/modification or to be expired\n\nEndnotes\n3 Legislation history\npage 12 Health Professionals (Special Events Exemptions)\nAct 2000\nEffective: 26/11/25\nR12\n26/11/25\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n3 Legislation history\nHealth Professionals (Special Events Exemptions) Act 2000 A2000-25\nnotified 15 June 2000 (Gaz 2000 No 24)\ncommenced 15 June 2000 (s 2)\nas amended by\nLegislation (Consequential Amendments) Act 2001 A2001-44 pt 177\nnotified 26 July 2001 (Gaz 2001 No 30)\ns 1, s 2 commenced 26 July 2001 (IA s 10B)\npt 177 commenced 12 September 2001 (s 2 and see Gaz 2001\nNo S65)\nStatute Law Amendment Act 2002 (No 2) A2002-49 pt 3.8\nnotified LR 20 December 2002\ns 1, s 2 taken to have commenced 7 October 1994 (LA s 75 (2))\npt 3.8 commenced 17 January 2003 (s 2 (1))\nStatute Law Amendment Act 2003 (No 2) A2003-56 sch 3 pt 3.12\nnotified LR 5 December 2003\ns 1, s 2 commenced 5 December 2003 (LA s 75 (1))\nsch 3 pt 3.12 commenced 19 December 2003 (s 2)\nHealth Professionals Legislation Amendment Act 2004 A2004-39\nsch 1 pt 1.6 (as am by A2005-28 amdt 1.59)\nnotified LR 8 July 2004\ns 1, s 2 commenced 8 July 2004 (LA s 75 (1))\nsch 1 pt 1.6 commenced 7 July 2005 (s 2 and see Health Professionals\nAct 2004 A2004-38, s 2 and CN2005-11)\nHealth Legislation Amendment Act 2005 A2005-28 amdt 1.59\nnotified LR 6 July 2005\ns 1, s 2 commenced 6 July 2005 (LA s 75 (1))\namdt 1.59 commenced 7 July 2005 (s 2)\nNote This Act only amends the Health Professionals Legislation\nAmendment Act 2004 A2004-39.\n\nEndnotes\nLegislation history 3\nR12\n26/11/25\nHealth Professionals (Special Events Exemptions)\nAct 2000\nEffective: 26/11/25\npage 13\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nHuman Rights Commission Legislation Amendment Act 2005\nA2005-41 sch 1 pt 1.5 (as am by A2006-3 amdt 1.3)\nnotified LR 1 September 2005\ns 1, s 2 commenced 1 September 2005 (LA s 75 (1))\nsch 1 pt 1.5 commenced 1 November 2006 (s 2 (3) (as am by A2006-3\namdt 1.3) and see Human Rights Commission Act 2005 A2005-40, s 2\n(as am by A2006-3 s 4) and CN2006-21)\nHuman Rights Commission Legislation Amendment Act 2006\nA2006-3 amdt 1.3\nnotified LR 22 February 2006\ns 1, s 2 commenced 22 February 2006 (LA s 75 (1))\namdt 1.3 commenced 23 February 2006 (s 2)\nNote This Act only amends the Human Rights Commission\nLegislation Amendment Act 2005 A2005-41\nMedicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2008 A2008-26\nsch 2 pt 2.15\nnotified LR 14 August 2008\ns 1, s 2 commenced 14 August 2008 (LA s 75 (1))\nsch 2 pt 2.15 commenced 14 February 2009 (s 2 and LA s 79)\nHealth Practitioner Regulation National Law (ACT) Act 2010 A2010-10\nsch 2 pt 2.10\nnotified LR 31 March 2010\ns 1, s 2 commenced 31 March 2010 (LA s 75 (1))\nsch 2 pt 2.10 commenced 1 July 2010 (s 2 (1) (a))\nStatute Law Amendment Act 2011 (No 2) A2011-28 sch 3 pt 3.19\nnotified LR 31 August 2011\ns 1, s 2 commenced 31 August 2011 (LA s 75 (1))\nsch 3 pt 3.19 commenced 21 September 2011 (s 2 (1))\nVeterinary Surgeons Act 2015 A2015-29 sch 2 pt 2.5\nnotified LR 20 August 2015\ns 1, s 2 commenced 20 August 2015 (LA s 75 (1))\nsch 2 pt 2.5 commenced 1 December 2015 (s 2 (1) and CN2015-22)\n\nEndnotes\n3 Legislation history\npage 14 Health Professionals (Special Events Exemptions)\nAct 2000\nEffective: 26/11/25\nR12\n26/11/25\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nHealth Legislation Amendment Act 2025 (No 2) A2025-33 pt 3\nnotified LR 12 November 2025\ns 1, s 2 commenced 12 November 2025 (LA s 75 (1))\npt 3 commenced 26 November 2025 (s 2 (3))\n\nEndnotes\nAmendment history 4\nR12\n26/11/25\nHealth Professionals (Special Events Exemptions)\nAct 2000\nEffective: 26/11/25\npage 15\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n4 Amendment history\nPreliminary\npt 1 hdg ins A2004-39 amdt 1.28\nDictionary\ns 2 om R1 LRA\nins A2003-56 amdt 3.153\nam A2008-26 amdt 2.106\nDefinitions for Act\ns 3 defs reloc to dict A2003-56 amdt 3.152\ndef special event notice om A2001-44 amdt 1.2032\nom A2003-56 amdt 3.153\nSpecial events\npt 2 hdg ins A2004-39 amdt 1.29\nDeclaration of a special event\ns 5 am A2001-44 amdts 1.2033-1.2035\nProvision of health care services by visiting health professionals\ns 8 am A2008-26 amdt 2.107\nConditions on practice by visiting health professionals\ns 9 am A2001-44 amdt 1.2036\nIssue of prescriptions and supply of prescription medicines\ns 10 am A2001-44 amdt 1.2036\nsub A2008-26 amdt 2.108\nExemptions relating to offences\ns 11 am A2004-39 amdt 1.30\nsub A2008-26 amdt 2.108\nam A2010-10 amdt 2.52; A2015-29 amdt 2.37; A2025-33 s 6\nMiscellaneous\npt 3 hdg ins A2004-39 amdt 1.31\nComplaints about visiting health professionals\ns 12 am A2004-39 amdt 1.32; A2005-41 amdt 1.91\nsub A2008-26 amdt 2.109\nam A2010-10 amdt 2.53; A2015-29 amdt 2.38, amdt 2.39\nRegulation-making power\ns 13 am A2001-44 amdt 1.2037, amdt 1.2038\nModification of Act\npt 4 hdg ins A2004-39 amdt 1.33\nexp 9 January 2009 (s 16)\n\nEndnotes\n4 Amendment history\npage 16 Health Professionals (Special Events Exemptions)\nAct 2000\nEffective: 26/11/25\nR12\n26/11/25\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nApplication of pt 4\ns 14 ins A2004-39 amdt 1.33\nexp 9 January 2009 (s 16)\nDictionary, definition of Health Professionals Act\ns 15 ins A2004-39 amdt 1.33 (as am by A2005-28 amdt 1.59)\nexp 9 January 2009 (s 16)\nExpiry of pt 4\ns 16 ins A2004-39 amdt 1.33\nexp 9 January 2009 (s 16)\nDictionary\ndict ins A2003-56 amdt 3.154\nam A2011-28 amdt 3.131\ndef Drug Regulation Act reloc from s 3 A2003-56 amdt 3.152\nom A2008-26 amdt 2.111\ndef drugs and poisons standard ins A2002-49 amdt 3.55\nreloc from s 3 A2003-56 amdt 3.152\nom A2008-26 amdt 2.111\ndef exemption period reloc from s 3 A2003-56 amdt 3.152\ndef health care services reloc from s 3 A2003-56 amdt 3.152\nam A2011-28 amdt 3.132\ndef Health Professionals Act ins A2004-39 amdt 1.34\nom A2008-26 amdt 2.111\ndef Health Registration Act reloc from s 3 A2003-56\namdt 3.152\nom A2004-39 amdt 1.34\ndef notification procedure reloc from s 3 A2003-56\namdt 3.152\ndef prescription medicine ins A2008-26 amdt 2.112\ndef registered reloc from s 3 A2003-56 amdt 3.152\ndef restricted substance sub A2002-49 amdt 3.56\nam A2003-56 amdt 3.149\nreloc from s 3 A2003-56 amdt 3.152\nom A2008-26 amdt 2.113\ndef special event sub A2003-56 amdt 3.150\nreloc from s 3 A2003-56 amdt 3.152\ndef special event declaration ins A2001-44 amdt 1.2032\nreloc from s 3 A2003-56 amdt 3.152\ndef supply sub A2003-56 amdt 3.151\nreloc from s 3 A2003-56 amdt 3.152\nsub A2008-26 amdt 2.114\ndef visiting health professional reloc from s 3 A2003-56\namdt 3.152\ndef visitor reloc from s 3 A2003-56 amdt 3.152\n\nEndnotes\nEarlier republications 5\nR12\n26/11/25\nHealth Professionals (Special Events Exemptions)\nAct 2000\nEffective: 26/11/25\npage 17\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n5 Earlier republications\nSome earlier republications were not numbered. The number in column 1 refers to\nthe publication order.\nSince 12 September 2001 every authorised republication has been published in\nelectronic pdf format on the ACT legislation register. A selection of authorised\nrepublications have also been published in printed format. These republications are\nmarked with an asterisk (*) in column 1. Electronic and printed versions of an\nauthorised republication are identical.\nRepublication No Amendments to Republication date\n1 not amended 24 July 2000\n2 A2001-44 18 July 2002\n3 A2002-49 17 January 2003\n4 A2003-56 19 December 2003\n5 A2004-39 7 July 2005\n6 A2006-3 1 November 2006\n7 A2008-26 10 January 2009\n8 A2008-26 14 February 2009\n9* A2010-10 1 July 2010\n10 A2011-28 21 September 2011\n11 A2015-29 1 December 2015\n© Australian Capital Territory 2025","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose of providing temporary exemptions for visiting health professionals during special events. While it has been amended multiple times since 2000 (particularly to update references to the national health practitioner registration scheme in 2010 and medicines legislation in 2008), these changes reflect housekeeping updates to maintain consistency with broader legislative reforms rather than expansion of scope. The core mechanism—ministerial declarations for specific events with notification procedures—remains unchanged from the original intent."},"complexity_factors":["Short statute: only 13 sections plus dictionary","Minimal cross-referencing: primarily references to the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2008 and Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (ACT)","Simple conditional structure: basic 'if-then' logic for declarations and authorisations without nested exceptions","Limited defined terms: approximately 10 key definitions in the dictionary, most are straightforward signpost definitions pointing to other Acts","No intricate procedural requirements: notification procedure is specified in declarations rather than detailed in the Act itself","Clear temporal boundaries: exemptions apply only during specified 'exemption periods'","Single layer of delegated legislation: regulations and ministerial declarations provide detail rather than complex legislative text"],"plain_english_summary":"This Act creates a temporary exemption system letting overseas health professionals lawfully treat international visitors during declared major events in the ACT. It permits visiting clinicians to provide care, prescribe and supply certain medicines, and shields them and patients from prosecution under usual ACT health and medicines laws while safeguards and limits (eg, prohibited substances) remain in place.\n\nIt matters because it enables travelling medical teams to care for athletes and visitors without full local registration."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":7,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Act's operational scope has been amended since enactment: prescription‑related rules and the statutory exemptions were revised (notably by A2008-26, which reworked s 10 and related definitions), and exemptions were updated to reference the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (ACT) and other Acts (amendments recorded at endnotes and amendment history). Subsequent amendments (A2010-10, A2015-29 and A2025-33) further adjusted s 11 and related provisions, broadening and modernising the cross‑statute exemptions and updating medicine‑related references (see amendment history and ss 10–11)."},"complexity_factors":["High ministerial discretion to declare events, set exemption periods and notification procedures (s 5(1)–(4); s 10(3)).","Event-specific rules: special event declarations can impose additional, variable conditions and authorisations (s 5(2)–(4); s 9(2); s 10(3)–(5)).","Cross‑law dependencies: the Act operates by exempting conduct under multiple other statutes (Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (ACT), Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2008, Public Health Act 1997) increasing interpretive complexity (s 11(1)–(3)).","Prescribing and supply controls are conditional: Ministerial satisfaction and 'adequate arrangements' are required before prescribing authorisations can be included (s 10(3)–(4)); suppliers must be authorised under the Medicines Act (s 10(6)).","Regulations may add conditions and create offences (s 9(1); s 13(2)), shifting many operational details out of the Act into subordinate instruments.","Temporal and compliance limits: authorisation applies only during exemption periods and ceases if conditions are breached (s 8(2)(a)–(b)).","Complaint and disciplinary immunity carve‑outs are broad but narrow: the Act bars complaints under specified laws for acts authorised by the Act while not preventing criminal prosecutions (s 12(1)–(2)).","Notification and verification burdens fall on event organisers, visiting professionals and suppliers to ensure compliance with the procedure and conditions (s 5(4); s 7(b); s 10(3)–(6))."],"plain_english_summary":"**What it does.** This Act lets foreign health professionals provide defined health services at Minister-declared \"special events\" in the ACT for specified exemption periods without local registration. The Minister sets which events, the exemption periods and the notification procedure, and may authorise limited prescribing. \n\n**Who it affects and why it matters.** It affects visiting practitioners, event organisers, local medicine suppliers and regulators by creating time-limited statutory exemptions from registration, certain offences and disciplinary complaints while preserving medicines controls (see ss 5, 7–12)."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/health-professionals-special-events-exemptions-act-2000","history":"/api/acts/health-professionals-special-events-exemptions-act-2000/history","analysis":"/api/acts/health-professionals-special-events-exemptions-act-2000/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/health-professionals-special-events-exemptions-act-2000/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/health-professionals-special-events-exemptions-act-2000/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/health-professionals-special-events-exemptions-act-2000/documents"}}