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Commonwealth legislation
This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.
Australia's regulations set a comprehensive border quarantine system to prevent importation and spread of disease via ships, people, animals and plants. They impose duties on ship masters, importers and arriving travellers, requiring health reports, quarantine or medical surveillance, prescribed disinfection and pest-control treatments, and inspection, testing and certification of animals and plant goods. The rules include fees, standard forms and penalties to enforce public‑health protection at ports and entry points.
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Direct links to the current provisions in Quarantine Regulations 1922.
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
STATUTORY RULES.
1923. No. 18.
––––––
REGULATIONS UNDER THE QUARANTINE ACT 1908–1920.
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Quarantine Act 1908–1920, to come into operation forthwith.
Dated this twenty-sixth day of February, 1923.
FORSTER,
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
R. V. WILSON,
for Minister for Health.
Part I.—Preliminary.
Citation.
1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Quarantine Regulations 1922.
Repeal.
(2) All Regulations under the Quarantine Act [except the Quarantine (Plague) Regulations 1922 (Statutory Rules No. 162 of 1922)] in force at the making of these Regulations (Statutory Rules No. 112 of 1917; No. 116, 135, 227, and 280 of 1918; No. 77, 288 and 289 of 1919; No. 16, 46 and 192 of 1920; No. 48, 76, 98, 105, 106, 186, and 187 of 1921; and No. 2, 73, 104, 117, 120, 170, 174, and 180 of 1922) are hereby repealed.
Parts.
2. These Regulations are divided into Parts as follows:—
Part I.—Preliminary.
Part II.—General Provisions.
Part III.—Quarantine of Vessels, Persons, and goods generally.
Part IV.—Special Measures against Plague and Cholera.
Part V.—Miscellaneous.
Part VI.—Quarantine of Animals.
Part VII.—Quarantine of Plants.
C.17748.—Price 1s. 3d.
Part II.—General Provisions.
Quarantine Signal—Section 23.
3. The Quarantine Signal* shall be—
(1) From sunrise to sunset:—
(a) For oversea vessels requiring pratique, the flag known as flag Q, being a yellow flag of six breadths of bunting hoisted at the mainmast-head;
(b) For vessels having or suspected of having a quarantinable disease on board or actually performing quarantine, the flag known as the Commercial flag L, being a large flag of yellow and black, borne quarterly, hoisted at the mainmast-head;
(c) In the case of vessels having no mainmast the flags referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Regulation shall be displayed at least 20 feet above the highest deck structure as near amidships as practicable.
(2) From sunset to sunrise, three lights (two red and one white, each being not less than eight inches in diameter) of such a character as to be visible on a clear night all round the horizon for a distance of two miles, and placed as nearly as practicable amidships, at distances of six feet apart, in the form of an equilateral triangle with the apex (the white light) above.
Part III.—Quarantine of Vessels, Persons, and Goods Generally.
Hours of Clearance of Vessels subject to Quarantine.
The following are the sections of the Act relating to the Quarantine signal:—
21. The master of every vessel subject to quarantine shall—
(a) display the quarantine signal on his vessel before she comes within one league of any port;
(b) keep the quarantine signal displayed on his vessel while entering or being in any port or quarantine station; and
(c) in the case of a vessel engaged on navigation by air, display and keep displayed the prescribed signal.
Penalty: One hundred pounds.
22. (1) When—
(a) any eruptive disease; or
(b) any disease attended with fever and glandular swellings; or
(c) any disease which he believes or suspects, or has reason to believe or suspect, to be a quarantinable disease—
has broken out on board any vessel, the master of the vessel shall forthwith (unless the vessel is actually performing quarantine under the supervision of a quarantine officer)—
(a) notify a quarantine officer of the breaking out of the disease, and
(b) display the quarantine signal on his vessel, and keep it so displayed until he is authorized by a quarantine officer to remove it or until the vessel is released from quarantine.
Penalty: Fifty pounds.
(2) The master of a vessel in port shall forthwith give notice in writing to a quarantine officer of every case of any prescribed disease which was on his vessel when she arrived in the port or which has arisen on his vessel since she arrived in the port.
Penalty: Fifty pounds.
23. The quarantine signal shall be as prescribed, and shall be displayed in the prescribed manner.
Health Report—Section 27.
5. (1) The Primary Health Report relating to any vessel at its first port of entry to the Commonwealth shall be in accordance with the following form:—
Commonwealth of Australia.
Quarantine Act 1908–1920.
Health report and answers to questions as to the present and recent state of the health of all persons on board, and as to the history and sanitary circumstances of the undermentioned vessel during the current voyage, by
Master* of the said vessel,
and by Medical Officer of the said vessel.
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="width:100%; margin-bottom:0pt; border-collapse:collapse"><tbody><tr style="height:1pt"><td rowspan="3" style="width:11.88%; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Name, Description, Tonnage, and Nationality of Vessel.</span></p></td><td rowspan="3" style="width:12.28%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Port from which Vessel started, and Date of sailing therefrom.</span></p></td><td colspan="3" style="border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Ports at which Vessel has called and Dates of arrival and departure.</span></p></td><td colspan="4" style="border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Number of Persons now on Board.</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:1pt"><td rowspan="2" style="width:11.9%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Port.</span></p></td><td colspan="2" style="border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-top:3pt; margin-bottom:3pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Date.</span></p></td><td colspan="2" style="border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-top:3pt; margin-bottom:3pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Passengers.</span></p></td><td colspan="2" style="border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-top:3pt; margin-bottom:3pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Crew.</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:1pt"><td style="width:7.02%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Arrival.</span></p></td><td style="width:7.34%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Departure.</span></p></td><td style="width:14.66%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Class.</span></p></td><td style="width:6.72%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Number.</span></p></td><td style="width:18.7%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Rating.</span></p></td><td style="width:6.4%; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Number.</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:1pt"><td style="width:13.44%; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Name.</span></p></td><td rowspan="3" style="width:13.82%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif"></span></p></td><td rowspan="13" style="width:11.9%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif"></span></p></td><td rowspan="13" style="width:7.02%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif"></span></p></td><td rowspan="13" style="width:7.34%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif"></span></p></td><td rowspan="2" style="width:14.66%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:bottom"><p style="margin-bottom:12pt; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">First</span><span style="width:27.36pt; font-family:'Lucida Console', monospace; display:inline-block">....</span></p></td><td rowspan="2" style="width:6.72%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif"></span></p></td><td rowspan="2" style="width:18.7%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-left:7.2pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:-7.2pt; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Officers, including master, medical officer, and pursers</span><span style="width:30.7pt; text-indent:0pt; display:inline-block"></span></p></td><td rowspan="2" style="width:6.4%; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif"></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:12.65pt"><td rowspan="2" style="width:13.44%; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif"></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:12.65pt"><td rowspan="2" style="width:14.66%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Second</span><span style="width:16.26pt; font-family:'Lucida Console', monospace; display:inline-block">..</span></p></td><td rowspan="2" style="width:6.72%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif"></span></p></td><td rowspan="2" style="width:18.7%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-left:7.2pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:-7.2pt; text-align:justify; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Engineers</span><span style="width:23.11pt; text-indent:0pt; font-family:'Lucida Console', monospace; display:inline-block">...</span></p></td><td rowspan="2" style="width:6.4%; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif"></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:12.65pt"><td rowspan="2" style="width:13.44%; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Description.</span></p></td><td rowspan="3" style="width:13.82%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Terminal Port of Voyage.</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:12.65pt"><td rowspan="3" style="width:14.66%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif">Third</span><span style="width:23.48pt; font-family:'Lucida Console', monospace; display:inline-block">...</span></p></td><td rowspan="3" style="width:6.72%; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center; line-height:normal; font-size:10pt"><span style
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