Quarantine (Animals) Regulations (Amendment)

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STATUTORY RULES

1966 No. 109

REGULATION UNDER THE QUARANTINE ACT 1908-1961.*

I, The Deputy of 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 1908-1961.

Dated this eighth day of July, 1966.

A.R.Cutler

Deputy of the

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

(sgd) A.J Forbes

Minister of State for Health.

Amendments of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations†

Notice of intended importation.

1. Regulation 6 of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations is amended by adding at the end thereof the following sub-regulation:—

“ (2.) Where an animal being poultry or a horse, ass, mule, dog or cat, is to be imported by air from New Zealand, the owner or agent of the vessel in which the animal is to be transported shall, not less than forty-eight hours before the departure of the vessel from New Zealand, give or cause to be given to the Chief Quarantine Officer of the State or Territory into which the animal is to be imported notice in writing of the estimated time of departure of the vessel from New Zealand, of its arrival at and departure from the places, if any, at which the vessel is to call before its arrival at the port at which the animal is to be landed and of its arrival at that port.”.

Horses, asses and mules from New Zealand.

2. Regulation 10 of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations is amended by adding at the end thereof the following sub-regulation:—

“ (2.) An animal, being a horse, ass or mule, imported by air from New Zealand shall not be landed unless—

(a) prior to the shipment of the animal from New Zealand, permission in writing for the importation of the animal has been obtained from the Chief Quarantine Officer of the State or Territory into which the animal is to be imported;

(b) the master of the vessel on which is the animal intended to be landed delivers or causes to be delivered to the Chief Quarantine Officer a certificate by the Port Agricultural Inspection Service of New Zealand, or a person or authority approved by the Chief Quarantine Officer, certifying that the compartment of the vessel occupied by the animal was thoroughly treated with an insecticide before and after the animal was loaded into the vessel; and

* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 14 July, 1966.

†.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; No. 15; 1955, No. 10; 1956, Nos. 36, and 111; 1958, Nos. 35 and 36; 1959, Nos. 72 and 87; 1960, No. 85; 1961, No. 23 and 1966, No. 14.

10434/62.—Price 10c (1s.) 10/1.6.1966

Dogs and cats from Great Britain and certain other countries.

3. Regulation 24 of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations is amended by adding at the end thereof the following sub-regulation:—

“(2.) An animal, being a dog or cat, imported by air from New Zealand shall not be landed, unless—

Poultry from New Zealand.

4. Regulation 25 of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations is amended by adding at the end thereof the following sub-regulation:—

“(2.) A bird referred to in the last preceding sub-regulation which is imported by air from New Zealand shall not be landed, unless—

(a) prior to the shipment of the bird from New Zealand permission in writing for the importation of the bird has been obtained from the Chief Quarantine Officer of the State or Territory into which the bird is to be imported;

(b) the master of the vessel on which is the bird intended to be landed delivers or causes to be delivered to the Chief Quarantine Officer a certificate by the Port Agricultural Inspection Service of New Zealand, or a person or authority approved by the Chief Quarantine Officer, Certifying that the compartment of the vessel occupied by the bird was thoroughly treated with an insecticide before and after the bird was loaded into the vessel; and

Hides and skins from countries of origin.

5. Regulation 72 of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations is amended by omitting the words “ or New Hebrides ” and inserting in their stead the words “, New Hebrides, the Territory of Papua or the Territory of New Guinea ”.

Hides and skins from countries not countries of origin.

6. Regulation 73 of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations is amended by omitting the words “ or the New Hebrides ” and inserting in their stead the words “, New Hebrides, the Territory of Papua or the Territory of New Guinea ”.

Hides and skins from New Zealand and certain other countries.

7. Regulation 74 of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations is amended by omitting the words “ or the New Hebrides ” and inserting in their stead the words “, New Hebrides, the Territory of Papua or the Territory of New Guinea ”.

Removal of hides and skins to a tannery.

8. Regulation 75 of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations is amended by omitting from sub-regulation (1.) the words “ or the New Hebrides ” and inserting in their stead the words “, New Hebrides, the Territory of Papua or the Territory of New Guinea ”.

Furred skins.

9. Regulation 76 of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations is amended by omitting from sub-regulation (1.) the words “ or the New Hebrides ” and inserting in their stead the words “, New Hebrides, the Territory of Papua or the Territory of New Guinea ”.

10. Regulation 81 of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations is repealed and the following regulations are inserted in its stead:—

Feathers.

“ 81. Feathers shall, immediately after landing, be removed to a place approved by the Director and there be treated by a method approved by the Chief Quarantine Officer, unless—

(a) the feathers are imported from New Zealand and there is produced to the Chief Quarantine Officer a certificate by a Government veterinary surgeon or other responsible Government officer in New Zealand, certifying that the feathers are the produce of New Zealand; or

(b) the Chief Quarantine Officer is satisfied that the feathers have been effectively cleaned and are free from skin tissue.

Cheese.

“ 81a. Cheese shall not be landed unless there has been delivered to the Chief Quarantine Officer—

(a) a declaration by the manufacturer stating—

(i) the brand and identifying marks on the cheese and cheese containers;

(ii) that the milk from which the cheese was manufactured has been effectively pasteurized or that the cheese has been effectively pasteurized or heated after manufacture;

(iii) the temperature of the heat used and the length of time for which it was used to effect the pasteurization or heating referred to in the last preceding paragraph;

(iv) that representative samples of—

(a) the milk from which the cheese was manufactured; or

(b) the cheese, where the cheese was heated after manufacture,

were taken after the milk was pasteurized or the cheese was heated, as the case may be, and were subjected to the phosphatase test, with negative results in the case of each sample tested;

(v) that the cheese does not contain meat; and

(vi) that the cheese is not packed in urinary bladders or other animal tissue; 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—

(i) he is familiar with the process of manufacture of the cheese and the process by which the milk from which the cheese was manufactured has been pasteurized or by which the cheese has been pasteurized or heated;

(ii) he has examined the written result of the phosphatase tests to which samples of the cheese, or the milk from which the cheese was manufactured, have been subjected; and

(iii) after due enquiry, he has no reason to doubt the truth of the declaration.”.

Meat, edible parts of animals, &c.

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

(a) by omitting sub-regulation (1.) and inserting in its stead the following sub-regulations:—

“ (1.) Meat or edible parts of animals (other than cooked meats and cooked edible parts of animals contained in hermetically sealed cans or tins and animal casings) shall not be landed unless there has been produced to the Chief Quarantine Officer—

(a) a certificate by a Government veterinary surgeon certifying—

(i) that the goods were derived from animals slaughtered for human consumption in the country in which the certificate is issued;

(ii) that the animals from which the goods were derived were subjected to ante mortem and post mortem veterinary inspection at the time of slaughter and were free from contagious and infectious disease;

(iii) that the goods were not exposed to infection prior to exportation;

(iv) in the case of meat and edible parts of animals (other than poultry), that the diseases foot and mouth disease, rinderpest and swine fever do not exist in the country in which the certificate is issued;

(v) in the case of carcases of poultry, that the disease fowl pest in any of its varieties does not exist in the country in which the certificate is issued;

(vi) that the cargo compartment in which the goods are transported was, before the goods were loaded into it, thoroughly cleaned with a two per centum solution of sodium hydroxide or a four per centum solution of sodium carbonate (soda ash); and

(vii) that the cargo compartment referred to in the last preceding sub-paragraph did not contain meat other than meat of Australian or New Zealand origin; and

(b) a declaration by the master of the vessel in which the goods were transported—

(i) that no meat, other than meat of New Zealand origin, was placed in the cargo compartment referred to in the last preceding paragraph after the compartment had been cleaned in the manner referred to in sub-paragraph (vi) of the last preceding paragraph;

(ii) that that cargo compartment was locked immediately after the goods including meat of New Zealand origin, if any, were stowed; and

(iii) that that cargo compartment was only opened after the vessel had arrived in Australia.

“ (1aa.) Sub-paragraphs (vi) and (vii) of paragraph (a), and paragraph (b), of the last preceding sub-regulation do not apply to and in relation to meat or edible parts of animals transported in a vessel that trades exclusively between Australia and New Zealand.

“ (1ab.) Animal casings shall not be landed unless there has been produced to the Chief Quarantine Officer a certificate by a Government veterinary surgeon certifying—

(a) that the goods were derived from animals slaughtered for human consumption in the country in which the certificate is issued;

(b) that the animals from which the goods were derived were subjected to ante mortem and post mortem veterinary inspection at the time of slaughter and were free from contagious and infectious disease; and

(b) by omitting from sub-regulation (1a.) the words “ Cooked meats ” and inserting in their stead the words “ Subject to sub-regulation (1c.) of this regulation, cooked meats ”;

(c) by omitting from sub-regulation (1b.) the words “ Cooked meat ” and inserting in their stead the words “ Subject to the next succeeding sub-regulation, cooked meat ”;

(d) by inserting in sub-regulation (1b.) after the words “ (including poultry) ” the words “ other than such meat and parts prepared in and imported from New Zealand ”; and

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

“ (1c.) Cooked meats or cooked and edible parts of animals referred to in either of the last two preceding sub-regulations shall not be landed unless the Chief Quarantine Officer is satisfied that the temperature of the heat used and the length of time for which it was used to heat the contents of the cans or tins, as shown in the declaration under this regulation relating to the cooked meats or cooked and edible parts, is sufficient to ensure that every portion of the contents of the cans or tins has been heated to a temperature of not less than 100° centigrade.”.

12. After Regulation 85A of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations the following regulation is inserted:—

Animal fodder of plant origin.

“ 85b. Animal fodder of plant origin packed in bags shall not be landed unless there has been delivered to the Chief Quarantine Officer a declaration by the exporter that the bags were, at the time the fodder was packed into them, new bags.”.

Disinfectants.

13. Regulation 87 of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations is amended—

(a) by omitting from sub-regulation (1.) the words “ The following solutions ” and inserting in their stead the words “ Subject to sub-regulation (2a.) of this regulation, the following solutions ”;

(b) by omitting from sub-regulation (2.) the words “ The following solutions ” and inserting in their stead the words “ Subject to the next succeeding sub-regulation, the following solutions ”;

“ (2a.) The Director or the Chief Quarantine Officer may, in any case, direct that a solution, mixture, dip or wash that is, in his opinion, at least as effective as a solution, mixture, dip or wash referred to in either of the last two preceding sub-regulations be used instead of that last-mentioned solution, mixture, dip or wash.”; and

(d) by inserting in sub-regulation (3.) after the word “ appears ” the words “ or a Chief Quarantine Officer otherwise directs ”.

Disinfection of vehicles.

14. Regulation 88 of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations is amended by adding at the end thereof the following sub-regulation:—

“ (2.) The person in charge of a vehicle in or on which an imported hide or skin is removed to a tannery or place approved under regulation 78 of these Regulations shall, before the vehicle leaves that tannery or place, clean and disinfect the vehicle as directed by a quarantine officer.”.

Third Schedule.

15. The Third Schedule to the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations is amended by omitting paragraph (2.) in the Second Column of item 1 in the First Column and inserting in its stead the following paragraph:—

(2.) Animals of the following kinds imported from New Zealand:—
Horses, asses, mules, cattle—
(a) for a single animal or for the first animal in a consignment ..........	2.10
(b) for each animal other than the first in a consignment ..............	0.20
Sheep, swine, goats, dogs, cats—
(a) for a single animal or for the first animal in a consignment ..........	1.00
(b) for each animal other than the first in a consignment ..............	0.20
Rabbits, fowls, ducks, geese, turkeys, guinea fowls, pigeons (other than “ day-old ” chicks, ducklings, goslings and turkey poults)—
(a) for a single animal or for the first animal in a consignment..........	0.50
(b) for each animal other than the first in a consignment ..............	0.10
“ Day-old ” chicks, ducklings, goslings, or turkey poults—for each consignment	1.00
Bees—for each queen bee and its escort bees .....................	1.00

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

Overview

The Quarantine (Amendment) Regulations 1966, enacted under the Quarantine Act 1908, aim to update and refine existing regulations concerning the importation of animals and animal products into Australia. These amendments were introduced to address evolving biosecurity concerns and to ensure the continued protection of Australia's agricultural and ecological systems from pests and diseases. The regulations were made by the Deputy of the Governor-General in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, with the intent to enhance the efficacy of Australia's quarantine measures. The policy objective behind these amendments is to maintain stringent control over the importation of animals and related products to safeguard public health and prevent the introduction of foreign animal diseases and pests.

Scope and Application

The Quarantine (Animals) Regulations, 1966, made under the Quarantine Act 1908-1961, govern the importation of animals and animal products into Australia. These regulations apply to individuals and entities importing specific animals and animal products, including horses, asses, mules, dogs, cats, poultry, hides, skins, feathers, cheese, meat, edible parts of animals, animal casings, and animal fodder. The regulations also apply to the vessels and vehicles used for transporting these goods. They cover the entire Commonwealth of Australia, with specific emphasis on imports from New Zealand, Great Britain, and other specified countries. Notably, these regulations do not apply to meat and edible parts of animals transported exclusively between Australia and New Zealand. The regulations mandate prior written permission from the Chief Quarantine Officer for certain animals, certificates from approved veterinary authorities, and specific treatment and disinfection procedures. They also establish fees for the importation of various animals. The application and enforcement of these regulations may be extended or modified through subordinate instruments issued by the Director or the Chief Quarantine Officer, allowing for adjustments based on specific circumstances or emerging health risks.

Key Provisions

The key provisions of the Quarantine (Animals) Regulations 1966 (as amended) require specific actions for the importation of certain animals and animal products from particular countries, particularly New Zealand. Regulation 6(2) mandates that owners or agents of vessels transporting poultry or specific animals (horses, asses, mules, dogs, or cats) from New Zealand must notify the Chief Quarantine Officer at least 48 hours before departure, providing details of the estimated departure time, intermediate stops, and arrival at the final destination. For horses, asses, and mules imported from New Zealand, Regulation 10(2) stipulates that prior written permission from the Chief Quarantine Officer is necessary, along with a certificate from the Port Agricultural Inspection Service of New Zealand or an approved authority, confirming the vessel's compartment was treated with insecticide before and after loading. Regulation 24(2) imposes similar conditions for dogs and cats, while Regulation 25(2) applies to poultry, requiring written permission and an insecticide treatment certificate. For hides and skins, Regulations 72, 73, and 74 have been amended to include New Hebrides, the Territory of Papua, and the Territory of New Guinea, expanding the list of countries from which these items can be imported. Regulation 75(1) and 76 also incorporate these territories, affecting the movement of hides and furred skins. The obligations imposed by these regulations require meticulous documentation and compliance. Importers must obtain necessary permissions and certificates, ensure their vessels meet sanitary standards, and follow specific treatment protocols for animal compartments. For example, meat and edible parts of animals must be accompanied by certificates from government veterinary surgeons and declarations from vessel masters, ensuring the meat is sourced from disease-free animals and that the transport compartment was properly cleaned. Cooked meats must also meet specific heat treatment standards. Violations of these regulations can result in serious consequences. The act does not explicitly state penalties but implies that non-compliance could lead to refusal of entry for the animals or products, potential fines, or other legal actions under the overarching Quarantine Act 1908-1961. Such penalties would be determined in the context of the broader legislative framework, potentially including substantial fines or imprisonment for more severe breaches.

Area of Law: Environmental Law
Instrument: Legislative Instrument
Concepts: Definitions & Interpretation; Reporting & Disclosure Obligations; Enforcement Powers; Compliance Obligations; Licensing & Registration; Prohibited Conduct

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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.

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