Quarantine (Animals) Regulations (Amendment)

Legislation au C2004L00627 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

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STATUTORY RULES.

1959. No. 72.

 

REGULATIONS UNDER THE QUARANTINE ACT 1908-1950.*

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 1908-1950.

Dated this 14th day of August, 1959.

W. J. Slim

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

Minister of State for Health.

 

Amendments of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations.†

Horses, asses and mules from Great Britain, Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland.

1. Regulation 11 of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations is amended by omitting from paragraph (aa) the words “a Government” and inserting in their stead the words “an approved”.

Dogs and cats from Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland or New Zealand.

2. Regulation 24 of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations is amended—

(a) by omitting from paragraph (aa) the word “and” (last occurring); and

(b) by adding at the end thereof the following word and paragraph:—

“; and (c) in the case of a dog from New Zealand, a certificate of an approved veterinary surgeon certifying that the dog has been effectively treated for the disease Multiceps multiceps infestation by oral administration of arecoline hydrobromide and showing the date on which the dog was so treated.”.

Ship’s animals and skins.

3. Regulation 59 of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations is amended by omitting from paragraph (f) the words “, the next succeeding regulation and paragraph (c) of sub-regulation (1.) of the Quarantine (General) Regulations” and inserting in their stead the words “and of the next succeeding regulation”.

* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 20th August, 1959.

† Statutory Rules 1935, No. 71, as amended by Statutory Rules, 1936, No. 37; 1937, No. 69; 1938, No. 95; 1939, No. 139; 1941, No. 83; 1942, No. 61; 1944, No. 184; 1946, No. 17; 1950, No. 95; 1953, No. 15; 1955, No. 10; and 1956, Nos. 36, 65 and 111; and 1958, Nos. 35 and 36.

1421/59.—Price 3d. 9/3.7.1959


Meat, edible parts of animals, &c.

4. Regulation 82 of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations is amended—

(a) by inserting in sub-regulation (1a.), after the word “animals” (first occurring), the words “, other than cooked meat, and cooked edible parts, of birds (including poultry),”; and

(b) by inserting after sub-regulation (1a.) the following sub-regulation:—

“(1b.) Cooked meat, and cooked edible parts, of birds (including poultry) contained in hermetically sealed cans or tins shall not be landed unless there has been produced to the Chief Quarantine Officer—

(a) a declaration by the manufacturer stating—

(i) that, in the course of manufacture, every portion of the contents of the cans or tins has been heated to a temperature of not less than 100° Centigrade; and

(ii) the temperature of the heat used for that purpose and the length of time for which it was used; and

(b) a certificate, endorsed on the declaration, by a Government veterinary surgeon or other responsible Government officer in the country of manufacture certifying that he is familiar with process of manufacture of the goods and that he has no reason to doubt the truth of the declaration.”.

5. After regulation 95 of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations the following regulation is inserted:—

Removal within Australia of Australian meat on oversea vessels.

“95a.—(1.) Where meat is taken on board an oversea vessel at a port in the Commonwealth for removal by sea and unloading at another port in the Commonwealth, the master of the oversea vessel shall—

(a) cause the chamber in which the meat is to be carried on the oversea vessel to be cleansed by a method approved by, and to the satisfaction of, the Chief Quarantine Officer at the port at which the meat is to be taken on board; and

(b) produce to that Chief Quarantine Officer a statement, in writing under his hand, that there is no meat other than meat of Australian origin on board the oversea vessel.

“(2.) The master of an oversea vessel so removing meat by sea from a port in the Commonwealth to another port in the Commonwealth shall not land any meat at the other port unless the master produces to the Chief Quarantine Officer at the other port a certificate of the Chief Quarantine Officer at the port at which the meat to be landed was taken on board stating that—

(a) the cleansing precautions referred to in paragraph (a) of the last preceding sub-regulation had been taken to his satisfaction; and


(b) he was satisfied that there was no meat other than meat of Australian origin on board the oversea vessel at the time the meat was taken on board.

“(3.) For the purpose of this regulation—

‘meat’ means meat or edible parts of animals, other than meat or edible parts of animals contained in hermetically sealed cans or tins or rendered fat;

‘oversea vessel’ does not include a vessel that trades exclusively between Australia and New Zealand.”.

 

By Authority: A. J. Arthur, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.

Overview

The Statutory Rules 1959, No. 72, made under the Quarantine Act 1908-1950, introduce amendments to the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations to address specific issues concerning the importation of animals and animal products from certain countries. Enacted by the Governor-General in Council, these regulations aim to update and refine the quarantine measures to ensure the health and safety of animals and animal products entering Australia. The primary objective of these amendments is to maintain stringent quarantine controls, particularly for animals and goods that pose a potential risk of introducing diseases into the country. This includes updating the certification requirements for animals such as horses, dogs, and cats, as well as setting stricter conditions for the importation of meat and animal products.

Scope and Application

The Quarantine (Animals) Regulations, amended under the Quarantine Act 1908-1950, primarily concern the importation of animals, animal products, and related materials into Australia. These regulations apply to entities and individuals involved in the importation of animals such as horses, asses, mules, dogs, and cats from specified regions including Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and New Zealand. The regulations also cover the importation of ship’s animals, skins, and meat products, including the requirement for cooked meat and edible parts of birds to be hermetically sealed and certified. Additionally, the regulations mandate specific procedures for the removal of Australian meat on overseas vessels within Australia, including the cleansing of the vessel's meat chamber and the production of certificates at both the departure and destination ports. These provisions are designed to ensure the safety and quality of imported animal products, thereby protecting Australia from the introduction of diseases and pests. The regulations are applicable nationwide within the Commonwealth of Australia, extending to the importation of animals and related products from specified overseas territories.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of the Statutory Rules 1959, No. 72 (Legislative instrument) involve amendments to the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations. These amendments pertain to horses, asses and mules from Great Britain, Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland (Regulation 11), dogs and cats from Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland or New Zealand (Regulation 24), ship's animals and skins (Regulation 59), meat, edible parts of animals and cooked edible parts of birds (Regulations 82 and 95a). For horses, asses and mules, Regulation 11 now requires an approved entity, rather than a government, to issue the necessary documentation (paragraph 1). For dogs and cats, Regulation 24 now includes a requirement for a certificate of treatment for Multiceps multiceps infestation for dogs from New Zealand (paragraph 2). Regulation 59 has been amended to remove certain references, streamlining the regulation (paragraph 3). Regulation 82 has been expanded to include cooked meat and edible parts of birds, and requires a declaration from the manufacturer and a certificate from a Government veterinary surgeon for such goods to be landed (paragraph 4). Regulation 95a introduces new provisions for the removal of Australian meat on oversea vessels, including cleansing requirements and certification by the Chief Quarantine Officer (paragraph 5). These regulations impose several obligations on the parties and entities they govern. For horses, asses and mules, an approved entity must issue the necessary documentation for entry into Australia (Regulation 11). For dogs and cats from New Zealand, a certificate of treatment for Multiceps multiceps infestation must be provided (Regulation 24). Manufacturers of cooked meat and edible parts of birds must provide a declaration and a certificate from a Government veterinary surgeon (Regulation 82). Masters of oversea vessels carrying Australian meat must ensure the chamber is cleansed and provide a written statement to the Chief Quarantine Officer, as well as a certificate from the Chief Quarantine Officer at the port of origin (Regulation 95a). These obligations ensure that animals and animal products entering Australia meet specific health and safety standards. Breaches of these regulations can result in various offences and penalties. While the document does not explicitly state the penalties, it is reasonable to assume that violations could lead to legal action under the Quarantine Act 1908-1950, which may include fines or imprisonment. The specifics of the penalties would be determined by the courts based on the nature and severity of the breach. It is essential for parties and entities governed by these regulations to comply with the requirements to avoid potential legal consequences.

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