Section 26 of the Health Act 1911 empowers and places responsibility on local government to administer the Act, its regulations and local laws, within its district.

The Shire of Harvey’s Environmental Health Plan is consistent with both the goals and strategies of its Plan for the Future and the values and strategic intentions of its Plan of Principal Activities.  In combination, all of these plans provide a mechanism for the Shire to satisfy its obligations under the Health Act.

Council’s Environmental Health Department, administers the Environmental Health Plan. Although the Health Act is the source of numerous environmental health strategies, other strategies relate to legislation that has an affinity to (rather than a focus on) environmental health issues. For example Council’s waste services, which include kerbside refuse and recycling, landfill site operations, septage disposal site operations.  

Environmental Health activities are not restricted to the pursuit of legislation. Considerable effort is directed at communicating and negotiating good health practice. The laws are to reinforce good health practices where communication fails to alter behaviour.  Microbiological food surveys, mosquito control and food safety promotions are examples of activities undertaken for the benefit of the public without particular regard to legislation.