Biosecurity (Entry Requirements—Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) Determination (No. 2) 2021

Administered by Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

Legislation au F2021L01620 Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

Biosecurity (Entry Requirements—Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) Determination (No. 2) 2021

made under subsection 44(2) of the

Biosecurity Act 2015

Compilation No. 1

Compilation date: 7 December 2021

Includes amendments up to: F2021L01718

Registered: 6 January 2022

About this compilation

This compilation

This is a compilation of the Biosecurity (Entry Requirements—Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) Determination (No. 2) 2021 that shows the text of the law as amended and in force on 7 December 2021 (the compilation date).

The notes at the end of this compilation (the endnotes) include information about amending laws and the amendment history of provisions of the compiled law.

Uncommenced amendments

The effect of uncommenced amendments is not shown in the text of the compiled law. Any uncommenced amendments affecting the law are accessible on the Legislation Register (www.legislation.gov.au). The details of amendments made up to, but not commenced at, the compilation date are underlined in the endnotes. For more information on any uncommenced amendments, see the series page on the Legislation Register for the compiled law.

Application, saving and transitional provisions for provisions and amendments

If the operation of a provision or amendment of the compiled law is affected by an application, saving or transitional provision that is not included in this compilation, details are included in the endnotes.

Editorial changes

For more information about any editorial changes made in this compilation, see the endnotes.

Modifications

If the compiled law is modified by another law, the compiled law operates as modified but the modification does not amend the text of the law. Accordingly, this compilation does not show the text of the compiled law as modified. For more information on any modifications, see the series page on the Legislation Register for the compiled law.

Self-repealing provisions

If a provision of the compiled law has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law, details are included in the endnotes.

 

 

 

Contents

Part 1—Preliminary

1 Name

3 Authority

4 Definitions

Part 2—Passenger statements

5 Passenger statements

Endnotes

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

Endnote 3—Legislation history

Endnote 4—Amendment history

 

Part 1—Preliminary

 

1  Name

  This instrument is the Biosecurity (Entry Requirements—Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) Determination (No. 2) 2021.

3  Authority

  This instrument is made under subsection 44(2) of the Biosecurity Act 2015.

4  Definitions

Note: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in the Act, including the following:

(a) Agriculture Department;

(b) Australian territory;

(c) landing place;

(d) passenger.

  In this instrument:

Act means the Biosecurity Act 2015.

Home Affairs Department means the Department administered by the Minister administering the Australian Border Force Act 2015.

relevant international flight means a flight:

 (a) that commences outside Australian territory and is intended to arrive at a landing place in Australian territory; and

 (b) for which the scheduled departure time is at or after:

 (i) if this instrument commences before 12.01 am on 28 November 2021 in the place where the flight commences—12.01 am on 28 November 2021 in the place where the flight commences; or

 (ii) if this instrument does not commence before 12.01 am on 28 November 2021 in the place where the flight commences—12.01 am on 29 November 2021 in the place where the flight commences; and

 (c) that is not an Australian Government facilitated flight; and

 (d) that is not an emergency medical evacuation flight.

relevant official means any of the following:

 (a) a biosecurity officer;

 (b) a chief human biosecurity officer;

 (c) a human biosecurity officer;

 (d) an APS employee in the Agriculture Department;

 (e) an APS employee in the Home Affairs Department.

Part 2—Passenger statements

 

5  Passenger statements

 (1) This section applies to an individual who is entering Australian territory:

 (a) at a landing place in accordance with Division 2 of Part 4 of Chapter 4 of the Act; and

 (b) as a passenger of an aircraft on a relevant international flight.

Ability to produce evidence of statement made before boarding

 (2) The individual must be able to produce, to a relevant official, evidence that, before the individual boarded the aircraft, the individual made a written statement:

 (a) using an electronic system maintained by the Home Affairs Department; or

 (b) if exceptional circumstances prevented the individual from using an electronic system maintained by the Home Affairs Department—in paper form;

that included:

 (c) a declaration setting out the individual’s international travel history for the 14 days before the day the relevant international flight was scheduled to commence; and

 (d) the following information for the individual:

 (i) name;

 (ii) date of birth;

 (iii) passport number;

 (iv) phone number while in Australian territory;

 (v) intended address while in Australian territory;

 (vi) email address; and

 (e) a declaration that the individual is aware of:

 (i) the quarantine and testing requirements relating to the coronavirus known as COVID19 that apply in the State or Territory in which the landing place is located; and

 (ii) the penalties for noncompliance with those requirements; and

 (f) for a statement made in paper form—a declaration that exceptional circumstances prevented the individual from using an electronic system maintained by the Home Affairs Department.

Note: The following are examples of exceptional circumstances for subsection (2):

(a) the electronic system was not available to the individual;

(b) the electronic system was not available to the individual in a language that the individual understands.

Providing statements made in paper form

 (3) If the individual made a statement as mentioned in subsection (2) in paper form, the individual must provide the statement to a relevant official.

Producing evidence of electronic statements on request

 (4) If the individual made a statement as mentioned in subsection (2) electronically, the individual must produce evidence that the individual made the statement if a relevant official asks the individual to do so.

Where requirements apply

 (5) The requirements in this section apply at the landing place.

Note 1: An individual who fails to comply with a requirement that applies to the individual under this section may contravene a civil penalty provision (see section 46 of the Act).

Note 2: A person may commit an offence or contravene a civil penalty provision if the person provides false or misleading information or documents (see sections 137.1 and 137.2 of the Criminal Code and sections 532 and 533 of the Act).

Note 3: For protections for children or incapable persons who are subject to the requirement in subsection (2), see Subdivision B of Division 2 of Part 1 of Chapter 2 of the Act.

Note 4: Part 2 of Chapter 11 of the Act deals with confidentiality of personal information collected under the Act.

Endnotes

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

The endnotes provide information about this compilation and the compiled law.

The following endnotes are included in every compilation:

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

Endnote 3—Legislation history

Endnote 4—Amendment history

Abbreviation key—Endnote 2

The abbreviation key sets out abbreviations that may be used in the endnotes.

Legislation history and amendment history—Endnotes 3 and 4

Amending laws are annotated in the legislation history and amendment history.

The legislation history in endnote 3 provides information about each law that has amended (or will amend) the compiled law. The information includes commencement details for amending laws and details of any application, saving or transitional provisions that are not included in this compilation.

The amendment history in endnote 4 provides information about amendments at the provision (generally section or equivalent) level. It also includes information about any provision of the compiled law that has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law.

Editorial changes

The Legislation Act 2003 authorises First Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial and presentational changes to a compiled law in preparing a compilation of the law for registration. The changes must not change the effect of the law. Editorial changes take effect from the compilation registration date.

If the compilation includes editorial changes, the endnotes include a brief outline of the changes in general terms. Full details of any changes can be obtained from the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.

Misdescribed amendments

A misdescribed amendment is an amendment that does not accurately describe the amendment to be made. If, despite the misdescription, the amendment can be given effect as intended, the amendment is incorporated into the compiled law and the abbreviation “(md)” added to the details of the amendment included in the amendment history.

If a misdescribed amendment cannot be given effect as intended, the abbreviation “(md not incorp)” is added to the details of the amendment included in the amendment history.

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

ad = added or inserted

o = order(s)

am = amended

Ord = Ordinance

amdt = amendment

orig = original

c = clause(s)

par = paragraph(s)/subparagraph(s)

C[x] = Compilation No. x

/subsubparagraph(s)

Ch = Chapter(s)

pres = present

def = definition(s)

prev = previous

Dict = Dictionary

(prev…) = previously

disallowed = disallowed by Parliament

Pt = Part(s)

Div = Division(s)

r = regulation(s)/rule(s)

ed = editorial change

reloc = relocated

exp = expires/expired or ceases/ceased to have

renum = renumbered

effect

rep = repealed

F = Federal Register of Legislation

rs = repealed and substituted

gaz = gazette

s = section(s)/subsection(s)

LA = Legislation Act 2003

Sch = Schedule(s)

LIA = Legislative Instruments Act 2003

Sdiv = Subdivision(s)

(md) = misdescribed amendment can be given

SLI = Select Legislative Instrument

effect

SR = Statutory Rules

(md not incorp) = misdescribed amendment

SubCh = SubChapter(s)

cannot be given effect

SubPt = Subpart(s)

mod = modified/modification

underlining = whole or part not

No. = Number(s)

commenced or to be commenced

 

Endnote 3—Legislation history

 

Name

Registration

Commencement

Application, saving and transitional provisions

Biosecurity (Entry Requirements—Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) Determination (No. 2) 2021

28 Nov 2021 (F2021L01620)

10.26 am (A.C.T.) 28 Nov 2021 (s 2(1) item 1)

 

Biosecurity Legislation Amendment (Emergency and Entry Requirements) Determination 2021

6 Dec 2021 (F2021L01718)

Sch 2 (item 4): 7 Dec 2021 (s 2(1) item 3)

 

Endnote 4—Amendment history

 

Provision affected

How affected

Part 1

 

s 2.....................

rep LA s 48D

Part 2

 

s 5.....................

am F2021L01718

 

 

Overview

The Biosecurity (Entry Requirements—Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) Determination (No. 2) 2021 was made under subsection 44(2) of the Biosecurity Act 2015 by the Minister for Home Affairs. This legislative instrument was introduced to address the heightened risks posed by the entry of individuals potentially infected with a human coronavirus with pandemic potential into Australian territory, thereby preventing the spread of such diseases and protecting public health. The determination requires individuals entering Australia on international flights, commencing outside Australian territory and scheduled to arrive at a designated landing place in Australian territory after 12.01 am on 28 November 2021, to make a written statement before boarding the aircraft, declaring their international travel history for the 14 days prior to the flight's scheduled commencement and providing personal information. This statement must be made using an electronic system maintained by the Home Affairs Department or, in exceptional circumstances, in paper form. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in contravention of civil penalty provisions under the Biosecurity Act 2015.

Scope and Application

The Biosecurity (Entry Requirements—Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) Determination (No. 2) 2021 applies to individuals entering Australian territory as passengers on relevant international flights, requiring them to produce evidence of a written statement made before boarding. This statement must include their international travel history for the 14 days prior to the flight, personal information such as name, date of birth, passport number, and contact details, and a declaration of awareness of quarantine and testing requirements and penalties for non-compliance related to COVID-19. The statement can be made electronically via a system maintained by the Home Affairs Department or in paper form if exceptional circumstances prevent the use of the electronic system. The requirements under this determination are enforced at the landing place by relevant officials, including biosecurity officers and other specified personnel. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in civil penalties or criminal offences under the Biosecurity Act 2015 and the Criminal Code. The application of this legislation is specifically tied to Commonwealth jurisdiction and is designed to manage the entry of passengers into Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on mitigating the risk of virus transmission. It does not explicitly exclude any categories of persons or entities, but its provisions are tailored to address the public health emergency context. The scope of the legislation is further extended through subordinate instruments, which may modify or clarify the requirements as necessary. This determination operates alongside other biosecurity measures and is subject to amendment through additional legislative instruments, ensuring its flexibility in response to evolving pandemic conditions.

Key Provisions

The Biosecurity (Entry Requirements—Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) Determination (No. 2) 2021, made under subsection 44(2) of the Biosecurity Act 2015, mandates specific entry requirements for individuals arriving in Australia on international flights. Section 5 of the Determination requires individuals entering Australian territory as passengers on relevant international flights to provide a written statement, made before boarding, containing certain information about their travel history and personal details. This statement must be produced to a relevant official upon request. If the statement is made in electronic form, the individual must be able to provide evidence of it, while if it is made in paper form, the individual must physically present the statement to a relevant official. These requirements apply at the landing place. The Determination imposes several obligations on individuals entering Australia. Firstly, they must make a written statement before boarding, either electronically or in paper form, detailing their international travel history for the 14 days prior to the flight. This statement must include personal information such as their name, date of birth, passport number, and contact details in Australia. Additionally, the statement must contain a declaration of awareness about the quarantine and testing requirements for COVID-19, as well as the penalties for non-compliance. If the statement is made in electronic form, the individual must be prepared to produce evidence of its completion when requested by a relevant official. Failure to comply with the requirements outlined in Section 5 may result in legal consequences. Specifically, an individual who fails to comply with these requirements may contravene a civil penalty provision as outlined in Section 46 of the Biosecurity Act 2015. Furthermore, providing false or misleading information or documents can result in offences or contraventions of civil penalty provisions under Sections 137.1 and 137.2 of the Criminal Code and Sections 532 and 533 of the Biosecurity Act 2015. These provisions underscore the seriousness of non-compliance and the importance of accurate information provision. The penalties for breaching these provisions can be significant. Under the Criminal Code, individuals found providing false or misleading information may face criminal charges, which can result in substantial fines or imprisonment. Similarly, under the Biosecurity Act, contraventions of civil penalty provisions can lead to hefty fines. The exact penalties depend on the severity of the breach and are determined by the relevant courts. These legal consequences highlight the importance of adhering to the entry requirements and the potential ramifications of non-compliance.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.