Part 1
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Commonwealth legislation
This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.
This law mandates COVID-19 health screening for travellers leaving Australia for specific Pacific Island nations.
Who it affects: Passengers flying from Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Gold Coast, Melbourne or Sydney airports to: Cook Islands, Fiji, Nauru, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga or Vanuatu.
What passengers must do: Before boarding, travellers must be screened by biosecurity officers to check if they have (or recently had) human coronavirus with pandemic potential (the legal term for COVID-19). Screening can involve:
Why it exists: To prevent COVID-19 from spreading to vulnerable Pacific Island communities during the pandemic.
Penalties: Refusing screening can result in fines (civil penalties) under the Biosecurity Act 2015.
Want the full deep dive?
Zoe can write the in-depth analysis on top of the summary above: how it works, who it affects and what each part actually does.
Direct links to the current provisions in Biosecurity (Exit Requirements) Determination 2020.
This instrument is the Biosecurity (Exit Requirements) Determination 2020.
This instrument is made under subsection 45(2) of the Biosecurity Act 2015.
(1) This section applies to an individual who is leaving Australian territory on an aircraft if: (a) the individual is bound for any of the following countries: (i) Cook Islands; (ii) Fiji; (iia) Nauru; (iii) New Caledonia; (iv) Papua New Guinea; (v) Samoa; (vi) Solomon Islands; (vii) Timor‑Leste; (viii) Tonga; (ix) Vanuatu; and (b) the aircraft is departing from any of the following landing places: (i) Brisbane International Airport; (ii) Cairns International Airport; (iii) Darwin International Airport; (iv) Gold Coast International Airport; (v) Melbourne International Airport; (vi) Sydney International Airport. (2) The individual must be screened by a biosecurity officer or a human biosecurity officer (whether by equipment or by being required to answer questions or provide information in writing) for the purpose of establishing whether the individual may be, or may have been, infected with human coronavirus with pandemic potential.
Note: An individual who fails to comply with this requirement may contravene a civil penalty provision (see section 46 of the Biosecurity Act 2015).
(3) The requirement in subsection (2) applies at the landing places mentioned in paragraph (1)(b).
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
This instrument is the Biosecurity (Exit Requirements) Determination 2020.
This instrument is made under subsection 45(2) of the Biosecurity Act 2015.
(1) This section applies to an individual who is leaving Australian territory on an aircraft if: (a) the individual is bound for any of the following countries: (i) Cook Islands; (ii) Fiji; (iia) Nauru; (iii) New Caledonia; (iv) Papua New Guinea; (v) Samoa; (vi) Solomon Islands; (vii) Timor‑Leste; (viii) Tonga; (ix) Vanuatu; and (b) the aircraft is departing from any of the following landing places: (i) Brisbane International Airport; (ii) Cairns International Airport; (iii) Darwin International Airport; (iv) Gold Coast International Airport; (v) Melbourne International Airport; (vi) Sydney International Airport. (2) The individual must be screened by a biosecurity officer or a human biosecurity officer (whether by equipment or by being required to answer questions or provide information in writing) for the purpose of establishing whether the individual may be, or may have been, infected with human coronavirus with pandemic potential.
Note: An individual who fails to comply with this requirement may contravene a civil penalty provision (see section 46 of the Biosecurity Act 2015).
(3) The requirement in subsection (2) applies at the landing places mentioned in paragraph (1)(b).