Environmental Health

For Food safety regulations please click here

What is immunisation?

Immunisation refers to both receiving a vaccine and becoming 'immune' to a disease as a result of that vaccination.

Immunisation is a simple, safe and effective way of protecting children and adults against certain diseases. It stimulates the body’s natural defence mechanism – the "immune response" – to develop resistance to specific infections/disease without having to be exposed to the disease itself. If/when a person comes into contact with that disease in the future, the body will respond fast enough to either prevent the disease developing or ensure the person only receives a “mild” dose of the illness.

Routine vaccination is now available for many once prevalent and often deadly diseases. For more information on immunisation; vaccines available; and for answers to many frequently asked questions about immunisation, please click on the following link to the Australian Government’s Immunise Australia web page.

Council does not hold regular immunisation clinics for infants however Mr Michael Lees in Oatlands undertake immunisations (by appointment).

School Immunisations

Council undertakes an annual school immunisation program at the two high schools within the Southern Midlands for both Grade 7 and Grade 10 students. This is a free service.

Immunisations are provided in accordance with the National Immunisation Program, information of which is available at the National Immunise Program Schedule.

Records

Council keeps records for vaccinations provided through the school immunisation program, a copy of which is available free of charge from Council’s Kempton office.

For further information please contact Council’s Environmental Health Officer, at Council’s Development & Environmental Services office, located at Kempton.

On-site wastewater management systems are used for the treatment of wastewater in those areas where connection to a reticulated sewerage scheme is not available. sewage.

Prior to installation of a domestic on-site wastewater management system approval must be obtained from Council. This is achieved by gaining the expertise of a suitably qualified person to undertake a site and soil evaluation and design a system for you. This report must then be submitted to Council with a Special Plumbing Permit application.

Please note that the installation of an on-site wastewater system must only occur after a Special Plumbing Permit and Plumbing Permit has been applied for and approved by Council.

Once the system is installed the owner must ensure that it complies with all conditions placed on the permit, and that it does not create a nuisance.

Council does not have a By-Law in relation to Incinerators/Backyard Burning, and this means that the Environmental Management and Pollution Control (Distributed Atmospheric Emissions) Regulations 2007 cover backyard burning in the open and in incinerators.

A pamphlet summarising the provisions relating to backyard burning can be reached through the following link Backyard Burning Pamphlet

Heat Pumps (reverse cycle air conditioners) are designed and built to Australian Standards in order to minimise inherently noisy designs entering the market. The sound output of each unit will usually be indicated on a descriptive plate as a Sound Pressure Level, for example 50dB(A). Before installing a heat pump the effects of noise from the unit on your property, as well as neighbouring properties should be considered. Noise problems usually occur when the effects of noise emission from the outdoor unit are not carefully considered when selecting its location, such as facing the unit directly at a neighbour’s window.

Heat Pump Installation Guidelines

Excessive noise can be considered an environmental nuisance and is legislated under the Environmental Management and Pollution Control (Noise) Regulations 2016

Regulations about the permitted hours of use for particular types of vehicles, machinery, equipment, heat pumps, and music for further information can be found on the EPA website. 

Who deals with noise Complaints

Noise pollution or nuisance is generally investigated by Council's Environmental Health Officer during normal office hours and Tasmania Police after hours and on weekends.  You also have the option of calling the Environmental Protection Authority for repeated noise issues.

How to make a Complaint

A complaint must be in writing and include the address where the noise is coming from, be able to describe the sort of noise, its volume, duration and other relevant information. You should also attempt to keep a history, log or diary of the noise, as this will assist the investigation and may be considered evidence in some cases.

What will Council do about the Noise

When dealing with noise complaints Council strongly encourage both parties to discuss the issue before becoming involved.  Sometimes the creator of the noise does not even realise that they are causing a problem and the matter can often be resolved at this point without Council or police involvement. 

Council Officers will first attempt to discuss the issue with the other party.  If negotiations fail or the noise nuisance continues then Council will take whatever action deemed necessary under the Act.

In some circumstances, Council may require the complaint attendance in court.

For further information please contact Council’s Environmental Health Officer, at Council’s Development & Environmental Services office, located at Kempton.

Under section 199 of the LGA, a nuisance is anything that:

causes, or is likely to cause, danger or harm to the health, safety or welfare of the public; or
causes, or is likely to cause, a risk to public health; or
gives rise to unreasonable or excessive levels of noise or pollution; or
is, or is likely to be, a fire risk; or
constitutes an unsightly article or rubbish.