Australian Psychiatric Care

A History of Psychiatric Institutionalisation and Community Care in Australia c.1811-c.1990

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Australian Legislation by State

Australian Capital Territory

• 1936 - Insane Persons and Inebriates (Committal and Detention) Ordinance, 1936, No. 39
• 1937 - Insane Persons and Inebriates (Committal and Detention) Ordinance, 1937, No. 23
• 1938 - Inebriates Ordinance, 1938, No. 16
• 1938 - Lunacy Ordinance, 1938, No. 7
• 1962 - Mental Health Ordinance, 1962, No. 5
• 1983 - Mental Health Ordinance, 1983, No. 52
• 1989 - Self-Government (consequential Amendments) Act, 1989, No. 38

New South Wales

• 1843 - Dangerous Lunatics Act, 1843, 7 Vic. No. 14
• 1845 - Dangerous Lunatics Act Amendment Act, 1845, 9 Vic. No. 4
• 1846 - Dangerous Lunatics Act Further Amendment Act, 1846, 9 Vic. No. 34
• 1847 - Infants' and Lunatics' Estates in Equity Act, 1847, 11 Vic. No. 27
• 1849 - Dangerous Lunatics Act Further Amendment Act, 1849, 13 Vic. No. 3
• 1861 - Criminal Lunatics Act, 1861, 24 Vic. No. 19
• 1868 - Lunacy Act, 1868, 31 Vic. No. 19
• 1878 - Lunacy Act, 1878, 42 Vic. No. 7
• 1881 - Lunacy (Amendment) Act, 1881, 45 Vic. No. 16
• 1893 - Lunacy Act, 1893, 56 Vic., No. 23
• 1894 - Lunacy Convention, 1894, 58 Vic. No. 5
• 1898 - Lunacy Act, 1898, No. 45
• 1900 - Inebriates Act, 1900, No. 32
• 1909 - Inebriates (Amendment) Act, 1909, No. 2
• 1912 - Inebriates Act 1912, No. 24
• 1934 - Lunacy (Amendment) Act, 1934, No. 39
• 1937 - Lunacy and Inebriates (Commonwealth Agreement Ratification) Act, 1937, No. 37
• 1939 - Mental Defectives (Convicted Persons) Act, 1939, No. 19
• 1943 - Lunacy (Norfolk Island) Agreement Ratification Act), 1943, No. 32
• 1944 - Lunacy (Amendment) Act, 1944, No. 38
• 1945 - Lunacy (Amendment) Act, 1945, No. 33
• 1946 - Lunacy (Amendment) Act, 1946, No. 38
• 1948 - Ryde Mental Hospital Construction Act, 1948, No. 1
• 1949 - Farm Colony Type Mental Hospital Construction Act, 1949, No. 36
• 1949 - Mental Institutions Benefits Agreement Act, 1949, No. 43
• 1952 - Lunacy (Amendment) Act, 1952, No. 31
• 1955 - Lunacy (Amendment) Act, 1955, No. 3
• 1958 - Mental Health Act, 1958, No. 45
• 1962 - Mental Health (Commonwealth Agreement Ratification) Amendment Act, 1962, No.14
• 1964 - Mental Health (Amendment) Act, 1964, No. 69
• 1964 - New South Wales Institute of Psychiatry Act, 1964, No. 44
• 1971 - New South Wales Institute of Psychiatry (Amendment) Act, 1971, No. 46
• 1979 - Intoxicated Persons Act, 1979, no. 67
• 1979 - Inebriates (Amendment) Act, 1979, No. 68
• 1979 - Prisons (Intoxicated Persons) Amendment, 1979, No. 69
• 1980 - Intoxicated Persons (Amendment) Act, 1980, No. 1
• 1980 - New South Wales Institute of Psychiatry (Amendment) Act, 1980, No. 58
• 1982 - Mental Health (Community Welfare) Amendment Act, 1982, No. 87
• 1983 - Mental Health (Powers of Attorney) Amendment Act, 1983, No. 27
• 1983 - Mental Health Act, 1983, No. 178
• 1983 - Protected Estates Act, 1983, No. 179
• 1983 - Crimes (Mental Disorder) Amendment Act, 1983, No. 180
• 1983 - Miscellaneous Acts (Mental Health) Repeal and Amendment Act, 1983, No 181
• 1984 - Mental Health (De Facto Relationships) Amendment Act, 1984, No. 151
• 1985 - Mental Health (Patient's Accounts) Amendment Act, 1985, No. 80
• 1985 - Intoxicated Persons (Amendment) Act, 1985, No. 126
• 1986 - Mental Health (Amendment) Act, 1986, no. 92
• 1986 - Crimes (Mental Illness) Amendment Act, 1986, No. 93
• 1986 - Criminal Appeal (Mental Illness) Amendment Act 1986, No. 94
• 1987 - Mental Health (Disability Services and Guardianship) Amendment Act, 1987, No. 260
• 1987 - Protected Estates (Disability Services and Guardianship) Amendment Act, 1987, No. 261
• 1987 - Children (Care and Protection) (Disability Services and Guardianship) Amendment Act, 1987, No. 259
• 1987 - Community Welfare (Disability Services and Guardianship) Amendment Act, 1987, No. 258
• 1987 - Disability Services and Guardianship Act, 1987, No. 257
• 1987 - Miscellaneous Acts (Disability Services and Guardianship) Repeal and Amendment Act, 1987, No. 262
• 1989 - Crimes (Mental Disorder) Amendment Act, 1989, No. 100
• 1989 - Mental Health (Mental Disorder) Amendment Act, 1989, No. 101
• 1989 - Criminal Appeal (Mental Disorder) Amendment Act, 1989, No. 102
• 1990 - Miscellaneous Acts (Mental Health) Repeal and Amendment Act, 1990, No. 11
• 1990 - Mental Health Act, 1990, No. 9
• 1990 - Mental Health (Criminal Procedure) Act, 1990, No. 10

Northern Territory

• 1920 - Lunacy Ordinance, 1920, No. 7
• 1926 - Lunacy Ordinance (No. 2), 1926, no. 17
• 1926 - Lunacy Ordinance, 1926, No. 4
• 1940 - Mental Defectives Ordinance, 1940, No. 1
• 1941 - Mental Defectives Ordinance, 1941, No. 1
• 1955 - Mental Defectives Ordinance, 1955, No. 13
• 1957 - Mental Defectives Ordinance, 1957, No. 22
• 1964 - Mental Defectives Ordinance, 1964, No. 71
• 1967 - Mental Defectives Ordinance, 1967, No. 39
• 1969 - Mental Defectives Ordinance, 1969, No. 23
• 1979 - Mental Health Act, 1979, No 5 of 1980

Queensland

• 1843 - Dangerous Lunatics Act, 1843, 7 Vic. No. 14
• 1845 - Dangerous Lunatics Act Amendment Act, 1845, 9 Vic. No. 4
• 1846 - Dangerous Lunatics Act Further Amendment Act, 1846, 9 Vic. No. 34
• 1849 - Dangerous Lunatics Act Further Amendment Act, 1849, 13 Vic. No. 3
• 1869 - Lunacy Act, 1869, 33 Vic. No. 12
• 1871 - Lunacy Act Extension Act, 1871, 35 Vic. No. 1
• 1884 - Insanity Act, 1884, 48 Vic. No. 8
• 1896 - Inebriates Institutions Act, 1896, 60 Vic. No. 14
• 1935 - Insanity Act Amendment Act, 1935, 26 Geo. 5 No. 34
• 1938 - The Backward Persons Act, 1938, 2 Geo. 6. No. 30
• 1938 - Mental Hygiene Act, 1938, 2 Geo. 6 No. 21
• 1949 - Mental Institutions Benefits Agreement Act, 1949, 13 Geo. 6 No. 56
• 1962 - Mental Health Act, 1962, No. 46
• 1964 - Mental Health Act Amendment Act, 1964, No. 50
• 1968 - Inebriates Institutions Act Amendment Act, 1968, No. 5
• 1974 - Mental Health Act, 1974, No. 2
• 1984 - Mental Health Act, Criminal Code and Health Act Amendment Act, 1984, No. 66
• 1985 - Intellectually Handicapped Citizens Act, 1985, No. 11
• 1987 - Mental Health Services Act Amendment Act, 1987, No. 11
• 1989 - Mental Health Services Act and Another Act Amendment Act, 1989, No. 49
• 1989 - Intellectually Handicapped Citizens Act Amendment Act 1989, No. 33

South Australia

• 1844 - An Ordinance to make provision for the safe custody of, and prevention of offences by, Persons dangerously Insane, and for the care and maintenance of Persons of Unsound Mind, 1844, No. 10
• 1847 - Further to provide for the Care and Maintenance of Persons of Unsound Mind, 1847, No. 2
• 1854 - An Act to authorize the sale, or mortgage, or letting of the Estates of Persons found lunatic, and for other purposes therein mentioned, 1854, No. 6
• 1864 - Lunatics Act, 1864, No. 21
• 1865 - Lunatics Act, 1865-6, No. 19
• 1868 - Lunatics Act Amendment Act, 1868, No. 1
• 1874 - Inebriates Act, 1874, 37 and 38 Vic. No. 8
• 1878 - Inebriates Act Amendment Act, 1878, 41 and 42 Vic. No. 92
• 1881 - Inebriates Act, 1881, No. 238
• 1908 - Inebriates Act, 1908, No. 954
• 1913 - Mental Defectives Act, 1913, No. 1122
• 1914 - Mental Defectives Act Amendment Act, 1914, No. 1159
• 1917 - Mental Treatment (War) Act, 1917, No. 1306
• 1920 - Inebriates Act Amendment Act, 1920, No. 1423
• 1922 - Mental Defectives Act Amendment Act, 1922, No. 1532
• 1933 - Mental Defectives Act Amendment Act, 1933, No. 2125
• 1935 - Mental Defectives Act, 1935, No. 2230
• 1936 - Statute Law Revision Act, 1936, No. 2293
• 1939 - Mental Defectives Act Amendment Act, 1939, No. 4
• 1939 - Mental Defectives Act Amendment Act (No. 2), 1939, No. 31
• 1941 - Mental Defectives Act Amendment Act, 1941, No. 42
• 1945 - Mental Defectives Act Amendment Act, 1945, No. 14
• 1948 - Mental Institutions Benefits Act, 1948, No. 52
• 1950 - Mental Defectives Act Amendment Act, 1950, No. 40
• 1953 - Mental Defectives Act Amendment Act, 1953, No. 53
• 1958 - Mental Defectives Act Amendment Act, 1958, No. 51
• 1959 - Mental Health Act Amendment Act, 1959, No. 35
• 1960 - Mental Health Act Amendment Act, 1960, No. 35
• 1961 - Mental Health Act Amendment Act, 1961, No. 32
• 1961 - Alcohol and Drug Addicts (Treatment) Act, 1961, No. 48
• 1962 - Mental Health Act Amendment Act, 1962, No. 28
• 1962 - Mental Health Act Amendment Act (No. 2), 1962, No. 29
• 1963 - Statutes Amendment (Mental Health and Prisons) Act, 1963, No. 50
• 1964 - Mental Health Act Amendment Act, 1964, No. 30
• 1964 - Alcohol and Drug Addicts (Treatment) Act Amendment Act, 1964, No. 1
• 1966 - Mental Health Act Amendment Act, 1966, No. 67
• 1967 - Mental Health Act Amendment Act (No. 2), 1967, No. 66
• 1967 - Mental Health Act Amendment Act, 1967, No. 57
• 1968 - Mental Health Act Amendment Act, 1968, No. 17 of 1969
• 1969 - Mental Health Act Amendment Act, 1969, No. 78
• 1974 - Mental Health Act Amendment Act, 1974, No. 54
• 1976 - Alcohol and Drug Addicts (Treatment) Act Amendment Act, 1976, No. 96
• 1976 - Mental Health Act, 1976-7, No. 24 of 1977
• 1978 - Alcohol and Drug Addicts (Treatment) Act Amendment Act, 1978, No. 97
• 1979 - Mental Health Act Amendment Act, 1979, No. 21
• 1985 - Mental Health Act Amendment Act, 1985, No. 122
• 1986 - Mental Health Act Amendment Act, 1986, No. 114

Tasmania

• 1858 - Insane Persons Hospitals Act (Mental Hospitals Act), 1858, 22 Vic. No. 23
• 1873 - Inebriates Act, 1873, 37 Vic. No. 16
• 1885 - Inebriates Act, 1885, 49 Vic. No. 17
• 1885 - Insane Persons Hospitals Act Amendment Act (Mental Hospitals Act Amendment Act), 1885, 49 Vic. No. 35
• 1892 - Inebriate Hospitals Act, 1892, 56 Vic. No. 20
• 1915 - Mental Diseases Hospitals Act, 1915, 6 Geo. 5 No. 8
• 1920 - Mental Deficiency Act, 1920, 11 Geo. 5, No. 50
• 1925 - Mental Deficiency Act, 1925, 16 Geo. 5, No. 51
• 1926 - Mental Diseases Hospitals Act, 1926, 17 Geo. 5 No. 40
• 1929 - Mental Diseases Hospitals Act, 1929, 20 Geo. 5, No. 29
• 1929 - Mental Deficiency Act, 1929, 20 Geo. No. 10
• 1939 - Mental Hospitals Act, 1939, 3 and 4 Geo. 6 No. 37
• 1941 - Inebriate Hospitals Act, 1941, 5 Geo. 5 No. 16
• 1942 - Mental Hospitals Act, 1942, 6 Geo. 6 No. 27
• 1951 - Mental Hospitals Act, 1951, No. 10
• 1951 - Mental Deficiency Act, 1951, No. 5
• 1960 - Mental Hospitals Act, 1960, No. 35
• 1963 - Mental Health Act, 1963, No. 63
• 1967 - Mental Health Services Act, 1967, No. 24
• 1968 - Alcohol and Drug Dependency Act, 1968, No. 61
• 1971 - Alcohol and Drug Dependency Act, 1971, No. 65
• 1972 - Mental Health Services Act, 1972, No. 6
• 1973 - Mental Health Services Act, 1973, No. 52
• 1977 - Mental Health Services Act, 1977, No. 9
• 1977 - Alcohol and Drug Dependency Act, 1977, No. 48
• 1977 - Mental Health Act, 1977, No. 124
• 1981 - Mental Health Amendment Act, 1981, No. 84
• 1984 - Mental Health Amendment Act, 1984, No. 16
• 1986 - Alcohol and Drug Dependency Amendment Act, 1986, No. 6
• 1986 - Mental Health Services Amendment Act, 1986, No. 70
• 1987 - Alcohol and Drug Dependency Amendment Act, 1987, No. 24
• 1987 - Mental Health Services Amendment Act, 1987, No. 84
• 1989 - Mental Health Amendment Act, 1989, No. 8

Victoria

• 1834 - Adopting Act, 1834, 5 Will. 4. No. 8
• 1843 - Custody of Lunatics Act (Dangerous Lunatics Act?), 1843, 7 Vic. No. 14
• 1845 - Custody of Lunatics Act Amendment Act, 1845, 9 Vic. No. 4
• 1846 - Custody of Lunatics Act Further Amendment Act, 1846, 9 Vic. No. 34
• 1849 - Custody of Lunatics Act Further Amendment Act, 1849, 13 Vic. No. 3
• 1852 - Removal of Lunatics Act, 1852, 16 Vic. No. 8
• 1867 - Lunacy Statute, 1867, 31 Vic. No. 309
• 1867 - Victoria. Parliamentary Debates, Legislative Council, vol. 3. Melbourne: John Ferres, Government Printer, 1867. (1867 - )
• 1867 - Victoria. Parliamentary Debates, Legislative Assembly, vol. 3. Melbourne: John Ferres, Government Printer, 1867. (1867 - )
• 1869 - Lunacy Statute Amendment, 1869, 33 Vic. No. 342
• 1872 - Inebriates Act, 1872, 36 Vic. No. 449
• 1877 - Inebriates Amendment Act, 1877, 41 Vic. No. 578
• 1878 - Lunacy Statute Amendment, 1878, 42 Vic. No. 628
• 1888 - Lunacy Amendment Act, 1888, 52 Vic. No. 986
• 1888 - Inebriates Asylums Act, 1888, 52 Vic. No. 1009
• 1890 - Inebriates Act, 1890, 54 Vic. No. 1101
• 1890 - Lunacy Act, 1890, No. 1113
• 1903 - Lunacy Act, 1903, No. 1873
• 1904 - Inebriates Act, 1904, 4 Edw. 7. No. 1940
• 1915 - Mental Treatment Act, 1915, No. 2600 [Repatriation]
• 1915 - Inebriates Act, 1915, 6 Geo. 5. No. 2669
• 1915 - Lunacy Act, 1915, No. 2687
• 1916 - Lunacy Act, 1916, No. 2886
• 1917 - Lunacy Act, 1917, No. 2899
• 1919 - Mental Treatment Act, 1919, No. 3009 [Repatriation]
• 1920 - Mental Treatment Act, 1920, No. 3062 [Repatriation]
• 1921 - Lunacy Act, 1921, No. 3142
• 1923 - Lunacy Act, 1923-4, No. 3293
• 1923 - Inebriates Act, 1923, No. 3305
• 1928 - Lunacy Act, 1928, No. 3721
• 1928 - Inebriates Act, 1928, No. 3703
• 1933 - Mental Hygiene Act, 1933, No. 4157
• 1939 - Mental Deficiency Act, 1939, No. 4704
• 1941 - Mental Hygiene Act, 1941, No. 4821
• 1943 - Mental Hygiene Act, 1943, No. 4948
• 1943 - Mental Hygiene (Mode of Citation) Act, 1943, No. 4963
• 1949 - Mental Institution Benefits Act, 1949, No. 5365
• 1950 - Mental Hygiene Authority Act, 1950, No. 5519
• 1954 - Mental Hygiene (Maintenance) Act, 1954, No. 5819
• 1955 - Mental Hygiene (Amendment) Act, 1955, No. 5923
• 1958 - Inebriates Act, 1958, No. 6278
• 1958 - Mental Deficiency Act, 1958, No. 6313
• 1958 - Mental Hygiene Act, 1958, No. 6314
• 1959 - Mental Health Act, 1959, No. 6605
• 1967 - Mental Health (Pathological Examinations) Act, 1967, No. 7598
• 1968 - Alcoholics and Drug-dependent Persons Act, 1968, No. 7772
• 1969 - Mental Health (Chairmanship) Act, 1969, No. 7851
• 1972 - Mental Health (Admissions) Act, 1972, No. 8312
• 1976 - Mental Health (Amendment) Act, 1976, No. 8863
• 1981 - Alcoholics and Drug-dependent Persons (Amendment) Act, 1981, No. 9656
• 1983 - Mental Health (Amendment) Act, 1983, No. 9907
• 1983 - Mental Health (Further Amendment) Act, 1983, No. 9977
• 1986 - Intellectually Disabled Persons' Services Act, 1986, No. 53
• 1986 - Mental Health Act, 1986, No. 59
• 1987 - Intellectually Disabled Persons' Services (Amendment) Act, 1987, No. 74
• 1988 - Mental Health (Amendment) Act, 1988, No. 42
• 1989 - Intellectually Disabled Persons' Services (Amendment) Act, 1989, No. 60
• 1990 - Mental Health (General Amendment) Act, 1990, No. 32

Western Australia

• 1871 - Lunacy Act, 1871, 34 Vic. No. 9
• 1889 - Federal Council Referring Act, 1889, 53 Vic. No. 20
• 1903 - Lunacy Act, 1903, No. 15
• 1912 - Inebriates Act, 1912, No. 47
• 1914 - Lunacy Act Amendment Act, 1914, No. 28 of 1915
• 1917 - Mental Treatment Act, 1917, no. 9 [Repatriation]
• 1919 - Mental Treatment Act Amendment Act, 1919, No. 16
• 1919 - Inebriates Act Amendment Act, 1919, No. 29
• 1920 - Lunacy Act Amendment Act, 1920, No. 42
• 1926 - Lunacy Act Amendment Act, 1926, No. 46
• 1927 - Mental Treatment Act, 1927, No. 13
• 1940 - Mental Treatment Act Amendment Act, 1940, No. 40
• 1941 - Mental Treatment (War Service Patients) Act, 1941, No. 6
• 1950 - Lunacy Act Amendment Act, 1950, No. 74
• 1956 - Mental Treatment Act Amendment Act, 1956, No. 46
• 1962 - Mental Health Act, 1962, No. 46
• 1963 - Convicted Inebriates' Rehabilitation Act, 1963, No. 63
• 1974 - Alcohol and Drug Authority Act, 1974, No. 32
• 1974 - Convicted Inebriates' Rehabilitation Act Amendment Act, 1974, No. 33
• 1981 - Acts Amendment (Mental Health) Act, 1981, No. 52
• 1981 - Mental Health Act, 1981, No. 51