ADELAIDE, Australia - March 13, 2010 - Health officials in gas masks bashing through front doors is the kind of scenario usually reserved for science fiction movies. But it is now a reality for which health planners warn the public must prepare as the state confronts a bewildering array of modern public health issues.

The proposed South Australian Public Health Bill, with its new tough stand against everything from the obesity epidemic to swine flu, sent shockwaves through the public health sector when released late last year. Experts now have had the chance to respond to the draconian measures, and some warn individual rights are being overlooked.

The 59 responses released by the Health Department this week show the plan has received a mixed reaction from health professionals and those who must implement the new measures. Many concerns will make their way into the final legislation.

The bill, which reviews the outdated 1987 Act and has been in the pipeline since 2000, includes ideas as diverse as using public transport to stop obesity and locking up people to stop a disease outbreak.

When the current Act was written, attempts to stop the spread of AIDS were limited to TV commercials, the obesity epidemic was only being revealed in scientific journals and many of the threats were unknown or little known. Think meningococcal, swine flu, bird flu, SARS, terrorist anthrax attacks or mad cow disease.

Desperate times require desperate measures, advocates argue. The gas-masked official storming through your front door would be the new all-powerful Chief Public Health Officer or one of his deputies, and for this scenario to occur, you would have to pose an extreme threat to the health of others.

The bill reads, "For example, they can ask questions, inspect articles or substances found in a premise or vehicle, remove samples, require papers, books or specifications to be produced, examine, copy or take extracts, and so on. They may forcibly enter any premises or vehicles if they have a magistrate's warrant."