The South Australian Public Health Act 2011 (SA) (‘Public Health Act’) provides certain powers regarding the identification and regulation of particular medical conditions.

Under Part 10, the Chief Public Health Officer has a range of powers to require examination, testing, counselling, quarantine and detention in relation to controlled notifiable conditions such as Hepatitis, Measles, Salmonella and COVID-19 – see Controlled notifiable conditions.

On 24 May 2022, the South Australian Government amended the Public Health Act to enable COVID-19 restrictions generally, and for COVID-19 cases and close contacts, to be directions issued pursuant to the Public Health Act instead of the directions previously issued pursuant to the Emergency Management Act 2004 (SA) – see COVID-19 arrangements and directions.