Quarantine (Influenza) Regulations (No. 2) 1919

Legislation au C1919L00084 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

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STATUTORY RULES.

1919. No. 84.

 

REGULATIONS UNDER THE QUARANTINE ACT 1908–1915

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 1908-1915 to come into operation on the sixteenth day of April, 1919.

Dated this twelfth day of April, 1919.

R. M. FERGUSON,

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

E. J. RUSSELL,

for Minister of State for Trade and Customs.

 

Quarantine (Influenza) Regulations (No. 2) 1919.

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Quarantine (Influenza) Regulations (No. 2) 1919.

2. No person shall travel from any quarantine area to any part of the Commonwealth which is not within a quarantine area unless—

(a) he has during the seventy-two hours immediately preceding his departure undergone a medical inspection by a Quarantine Officer or by a medical practitioner authorized for that purpose, on two occasions not less than 48 hours apart;

(b) he has within 24 hours before his departure made a declaration in writing in the following form, before a Quarantine Officer or an officer authorized for that purpose:—

Declaration.

Solemnly and sincerely believing the same to be true, I hereby declare that I have not been in contact with any case of influenza during the seven days immediately preceding this date.

Signature.........................

Signed in my presence this.............day of.................1919.

Officer.......................

(c) he has, within 24 hours before his departure, but subsequently to the making of the declaration referred to in paragraph (b) of this regulation, received an official permit in writing in the following form from a Quarantine Officer or from an officer authorized for the purpose:—

Commonwealth of Australia.

Quarantine service.

Permit.

Mr........................., of..................whose signature appears hereunder, is hereby permitted to travel from

 

.......................to................, together with the members of his family under the age of fifteen years, in accordance with the Regulations under which this permit is issued.

Dated the.......................day of.................., 1919.

........................,

Quarantine Officer.

Signature of person to whom permit is issued—

.........................

(d) he has undergone such other medical inspection as may be required for the purposes of these Regulations by a Quarantine Officer.

3. No person having charge or custody of any other person shall permit such person to travel from any port or place in one quarantine area to any port or place in any part of the Commonwealth which is not within a quarantine area unless the provisions of the foregoing Regulations have been complied with in all respects by or on behalf of such person, and unless such person has been medically inspected as aforesaid.

4. Any person intending to travel to Tasmanian ports, other than Hobart, or by rail to Western Australia, shall perform quarantine at a Quarantine Station at his own expense for such period as may be required for the purposes of these Regulations, subject to his receiving authority for admission to such Quarantine Station from a Quarantine Officer, or from an officer authorized for the purpose.

5. Every person travelling—

(a) in any quarantine area to any part of the Commonwealth which is not within a quarantine area; or

(b) in any such part of the Commonwealth from any quarantine area,

shall, upon demand by a Quarantine Officer, or by an officer authorized for the purpose, produce the official permit granted to him in respect of the voyage or journey on which he is then engaged.

6. Every person who arrives at any part of the Commonwealth which is not within a quarantine area from any port or place in any quarantine area shall remain subject to quarantine and to quarantine surveillance, and shall be subject to the provisions of the Quarantine Regulations 1917 (Statutory Rules 1917, No. 112) or any amending regulation relating to quarantine surveillance.

7. Any person may be required by any officer appointed under the Quarantine Act to verify in writing any statement as to his liability to convey infection or as to his movements and past or prospective addresses.

8. Any person committing a breach of any of these Regulations shall be liable on summary conviction to a penalty not exceeding Fifty pounds.

9. Any person who in any declaration or answer made or given for the purposes of these Regulations makes any statement which is false in any particular shall be guilty of an offence.

Penalty: Fifty pounds.

 

Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett Government Printer for the State of Victoria.

Overview

The Quarantine (Influenza) Regulations (No. 2) 1919 were established under the Quarantine Act 1908-1915 to address the issue of controlling the spread of influenza within the Commonwealth of Australia. Enacted by the Governor-General in Council, these regulations aimed to ensure that individuals travelling from areas quarantined due to influenza outbreaks underwent necessary medical inspections and declarations to prevent the spread of the disease. The policy objective was to impose strict travel restrictions and medical checks on people departing from quarantine areas to safeguard public health. Penalties for non-compliance and making false declarations were set to enforce adherence to these regulations.

Scope and Application

The Quarantine (Influenza) Regulations (No. 2) 1919, made under the Quarantine Act 1908-1915, apply to any individual intending to travel from a designated quarantine area to any part of the Commonwealth outside of a quarantine area. This includes individuals who have charge or custody of others, imposing a collective responsibility to ensure compliance with the regulations. These regulations cover the entire Commonwealth, thereby extending to all states and territories. The regulations mandate that individuals must undergo medical inspections, submit written declarations stating they have not been in contact with cases of influenza, and obtain official travel permits to move between quarantine and non-quarantine areas. The penalties for breaches of these regulations include fines of up to Fifty Pounds for both the act of non-compliance and the provision of false statements. Further, individuals travelling to Tasmanian ports, excluding Hobart, or by rail to Western Australia must undergo quarantine at their own expense. These regulations reflect a comprehensive approach to managing the spread of influenza across the Commonwealth during a period of heightened public health concern.

Key Provisions

The Quarantine (Influenza) Regulations (No. 2) 1919, as made under the Quarantine Act 1908-1915, impose stringent travel restrictions during an influenza outbreak to prevent the spread of the disease across Australia. Section 2 specifies that any individual intending to travel from a quarantine area to an area not under quarantine must undergo a series of checks before departure. This includes undergoing medical inspections on two separate occasions at least 48 hours apart (2(a)), making a written declaration that they have not been in contact with any case of influenza in the preceding seven days (2(b)), and obtaining an official travel permit from a Quarantine Officer (2(c)). Additional medical inspections may also be required as deemed necessary under the Regulations (2(d)). Furthermore, Section 3 mandates that those in charge of other individuals must ensure these same requirements are met for their travel, and Section 4 requires individuals travelling to Tasmanian ports (other than Hobart) or by rail to Western Australia to quarantine at a designated Quarantine Station at their own expense. These Regulations impose several obligations on the parties they govern. Individuals seeking to travel from a quarantine area must comply with the medical inspection requirements and obtain the necessary declarations and permits, as outlined in Sections 2 and 4. Those in charge of others must ensure these obligations are met on behalf of those they are responsible for (Section 3). Additionally, any person arriving from a quarantine area into an area not under quarantine must adhere to quarantine and surveillance provisions (Section 6). Officers appointed under the Quarantine Act have the authority to request written verification of statements related to the potential conveyance of infection or personal movements and addresses (Section 7). Violating these Regulations can lead to significant penalties. Section 8 establishes that any breach of the Regulations is liable to a penalty not exceeding Fifty pounds on summary conviction. Furthermore, Section 9 specifies that providing false statements in any declaration or answer made for the purposes of these Regulations constitutes an offence, with the same penalty of Fifty pounds applying. These provisions underscore the seriousness with which the Regulations are to be enforced to maintain public health and safety during the influenza outbreak.

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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.