Commentary

Managing emerging infectious diseases: Is a federal system an impediment to effective laws?

Genevieve Howse

Centre for Public Health Law, School of Public Health, La Trobe University, Vic, Australia

Australia and New Zealand Health Policy 2004, 1:7doi:10.1186/1743-8462-1-7

Published:	19 November 2004

Abstract

In the 1980's and 1990's HIV/AIDS was the emerging infectious disease. In 2003–2004 we saw the emergence of SARS, Avian influenza and Anthrax in a man made form used for bioterrorism. Emergency powers legislation in Australia is a patchwork of Commonwealth quarantine laws and State and Territory based emergency powers in public health legislation. It is time for a review of such legislation and time for consideration of the efficacy of such legislation from a country wide perspective in an age when we have to consider the possibility of mass outbreaks of communicable diseases which ignore jurisdictional boundaries.