Australian Centre for Disease Control (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2025

This Act is the Australian Centre for Disease Control (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2025.

Legislation that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect according to its terms.

Schedule 1—Amendments

Part 1—Amendment of the Biosecurity Act 2015

Biosecurity Act 2015

1 Subsection 9(1)

Insert:

Australian Centre for Disease Control means the Australian Centre for Disease Control established by section 7 of the Australian Centre for Disease Control Act 2025.

Director‑General of the CDC means the Director‑General of the Australian Centre for Disease Control appointed under section 10 of the Australian Centre for Disease Control Act 2025.

2 Section 33

Omit “Director of Human Biosecurity”, substitute “Director‑General of the CDC”.

3 Subsection 42(1)

Omit “Director of Human Biosecurity may, in writing, determine that a human disease is a listed human disease if the Director”, substitute “Director‑General of the CDC may, in writing, determine that a human disease is a listed human disease if the Director‑General”.

4 Subsection 42(2)

Omit “Director of Human Biosecurity”, substitute “Director‑General of the CDC”.

5 At the end of subsection 42(2)

Add:

; and (c) the Director of Human Biosecurity.

6 At the end of section 114

Add:

; and (c) the Director‑General of the CDC.

7 Subsection 169(5)

Omit “Director of Human Biosecurity”, substitute “Director‑General of the CDC”.

8 Subsection 544(1)

Omit “Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer”, substitute “Health Secretary”.

9 Section 544A

Repeal the section, substitute:

The Director of Human Biosecurity may, in writing, delegate any or all of the Director’s functions or powers under this Act to an SES employee, or an acting SES employee, in the Health Department.

Note 1: The expressions SES employee and acting SES employee are defined in section 2B of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901.

Note 2: See also sections 34AA to 34A of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901, which contain extra rules about delegations.

The functions or powers that may be delegated under subsection (1) include functions or powers the Director of Human Biosecurity has as an authorised applicant or authorised person for the purposes of a provision of the Regulatory Powers Act because of this Act.

However, the Director of Human Biosecurity must not delegate the Director’s functions or powers under any of the following provisions:

section 113 (human health response zones);

section 570 (issuing identity cards);

section 618 (declared movements).

Also, the Director of Human Biosecurity may delegate a function or power under Part 3 of Chapter 2 (human biosecurity control orders) only to an SES employee, or an acting SES employee, in the Health Department who is a human biosecurity officer.

A human biosecurity officer cannot, under a delegation to which subsection (4) applies, perform a function or exercise a power under section 72 in relation to a human biosecurity control order if the human biosecurity officer:

imposed the order under paragraph 60(1)(b); or

made the request under subsection 71(3) in relation to the order.

In performing any functions or exercising any powers under a delegation made under subsection (1), the delegate must comply with any directions of the Director of Human Biosecurity.

10 After subparagraph 563(1)(a)(i)

Insert:

an officer or employee of the Australian Centre for Disease Control; or

11 Subsection 570(1)

Omit “Health Secretary”, substitute “Director of Human Biosecurity”.

12 Paragraph 570(1)(a)

Repeal the paragraph.

13 Paragraph 570(2)(a)

Omit “Health Secretary”, substitute “Director of Human Biosecurity”.

14 After paragraph 644(6)(da)

Insert:

the Director‑General of the CDC;

15 After paragraph 644(6)(i)

Insert:

an officer or employee of the Australian Centre for Disease Control;

Part 2—Amendment of the National Health Security Act 2007

National Health Security Act 2007

16 Subsection 3(1)

Insert:

Australian Centre for Disease Control means the Australian Centre for Disease Control established by section 7 of the Australian Centre for Disease Control Act 2025.

Director‑General of the CDC means the Director‑General of the Australian Centre for Disease Control appointed under section 10 of the Australian Centre for Disease Control Act 2025.

17 Subsection 3(1) (definition of Secretary)

Repeal the definition.

18 Paragraph 11(5)(a)

Omit “Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer”, substitute “Director‑General of the CDC”.

19 Subsection 12(1)

Omit “Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer” (first occurring), substitute “Director‑General of the CDC”.

20 Subsection 12(1)

Omit “Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer” (second occurring), substitute “Director‑General”.

21 Paragraph 12(3)(a)

Omit “Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer”, substitute “Director‑General of the CDC”.

22 Paragraph 12(6)(a)

Omit “Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer”, substitute “Director‑General of the CDC”.

23 After section 24

Insert: