Quarantine Regulations 1927 (Amendment)

Legislation au C1928L00041 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

STATUTORY RULES.

1928. No. 41.

 

REGULATIONS UNDER THE QUARANTINE ACT 1908-1924.

I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulation under the Quarantine Act 1908-1924, to come into operation forthwith.

Dated this fifteenth day of May, 1928.

STONEHAVEN

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

NEVILLE HOWSE

Minister for Health.

 

Amendment of Quarantine Regulations 1927.

The Quarantine Regulations 1927 (Statutory Rules No. 8, 1927) are amended—

(1) By omitting the ninth and tenth lines of sub-regulation (1) of regulation 14 and substituting therefore the following:—

“12 days if such disease is typhus fever;

6 days if such disease is plague or yellow fever; and

5 days if such disease is cholera.”

(2) By omitting sub-regulation (3) of regulation 14 and substituting therefore the following sub-regulation:—

“(3) In the case of quarantine for small-pox any person who has been properly vaccinated under the observation or to the satisfaction of the Chief Quarantine Officer, or who on vaccination develops a reaction which, in the opinion the Chief Quarantine Officer, indicates complete immunity from small-pox, may as soon as practicable be released under quarantine surveillance or released from quarantine.”

(3) By omitting regulation 20 and substituting therefor the following regulation:—

“20. No person under quarantine surveillance shall leave the State in which he has been released without the permission of the Chief Quarantine Officer subject to such conditions as may be imposed.”

506.


(4) By omitting regulation 52 and substituting therefor the following regulation:—

“52. Letters and correspondence, printed matter, books, journals, business documents, parcels, or other articles, carried as mail matter on board any vessel from a proclaimed place or subject to quarantine or ordered into quarantine shall be exempt from disinfection unless the quarantine officer after due investigation is of opinion that they have been in contact with an infected person or infected goods or are from any other cause liable to convey infection.

Any such mail matter which has, in the opinion of the quarantine officer, been in contact with an infected person or infected goods or is from any other cause liable to convey infection shall be disinfected by surface disinfection. For the purpose of disinfection the quarantine officer may cause the corners of envelopes or of wrappers enclosing mail matter to be cut.”

(5) By omitting regulation 54 and substituting therefor the following regulation:—

“54. Every vessel which arrives in Australia from a proclaimed place shall be ordered into quarantine unless the quarantine officer after full inquiry and inspection is satisfied that no danger to public health will arise from giving such vessel pratique.”

(6) By omitting the notice form at the end of regulation 56 and substituting therefore the following form:—

“I, master of the vessel hereby give notice to the quarantine officer of the port of              that the persons named hereunder are suffering or are suspected to be suffering from the disease indicated:—

Name of Patient.

Age.

Sex.

Rating or Class.

Disease.

Date of Onset of Disease.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date

(Signed)

Master.

(7) By omitting regulation 58 and substituting therefor the following regulation:—

“Notification of Information by Wireless.

58. (a) The master of every oversea vessel equipped with wireless apparatus shall before arrival of the vessel at the first port of entry in Australia inform the quarantine officer at that port by wireless of the state of health on board the vessel.

The wireless message shall be sent not less than twelve hours before the expected time of arrival of the vessel at the first port of entry. The information given, which shall be set out in the order specified below shall include:—

(1) The name of the vessel and the expected date and time of arrival;

(2) (a) Number of passengers on the vessel;

(b) Number of crew on the vessel;

(c) Number of passengers landing at the port;

(3) Name of oversea port of departure and date of departure therefrom;

Name of the last oversea port called at and date of departure therefrom;

(4) Number and nature of cases of quarantinable* disease, and number and nature of cases of other disease specified in regulation No. 56 that have occurred during the voyage;

(5) Number and nature of any such cases on the vessel when the message is sent, and the number of such cases booked for the port the vessel is approaching;

(6) Number and nature of any cases in hospital other than those referred to in the last preceding paragraph.

(b) When a case or an additional case of quarantinable or other disease specified in regulation 56 occurs on a vessel after the despatch of the wireless message referred to in paragraph (a) above, a further wireless message shall be sent to the quarantine officer giving notice of such case or cases.

(c) When a case or an additional case of quarantinable or other disease as specified in regulation 56 occurs on a vessel after departure from the first port of entry and prior to arrival at a subsequent port of call in Australia, the master of the vessel shall send a wireless message to the quarantine officer at the next port at which the vessel is to call giving notice of such case.”

(8) By omitting paragraph (g) of regulation 63 and substituting therefor the following paragraph:—

63. “(g) protect effectively against the passage of rats or mice all openings other than doors or hatches which are liable to afford communication for rate from any hold, cargo space or other space to any other part of the vessel; and”

(9) By omitting regulation 65 and substituting therefor the following regulation:—

“65. The master or owner of any vessel on arrival at any port in Australia from any place outside Australia shall

(a) submit the vessel to fumigation and other treatment as prescribed for the destruction of rats, mice and other vermin.

 

“Quarantinable Disease” means small-pox, plague, cholera, yellow fever, or leprosy, or any disease declared by the Governor-General by proclamation to be a quarantinable disease.


Provided that the vessel may be exempted from fumigation if

(1) The master produce a certificate of deratisation or exemption made out in full detail on the form adopted by the Office International d’Hygiene Publique, and issued within the previous six months by the sanitary authority of a port which has been notified through the Office International d’Hygiene Publique as being furnished with the necessary personnel and equipment to carry out deratisation of vessels;

The certificate shall be signed by the port health officer or local quarantine officer of the port.

(2) The actual conditions found on board the vessel on inspection are in the opinion of the quarantine officer satisfactory.

(b) If so ordered by a quarantine officer discharge the cargo into lighters in the stream.”

(10) By omitting the first four lines of sub-regulation (1) of regulation 69 and substituting therefore the following:—

“(1) The fees charged for the fumigation of spaces on vessels other than those specified in sub-regulation (3) of this Regulation by means of any approved mechanical appliance worked by steam, oil, or electric power and not forming part of the equipment of the vessels concerned shall be as follows:—”

(11) By omitting the first three lines of sub-regulation (2) of regulation 69 (as amended by Statutory Rules 1928, No. 13), and substituting therefor the following:—

“(2) The fees charged for the fumigation of spaces on vessels other than those specified in sub-regulation (3) of this Regulation by means of approved appliances other than those described in sub-regulation (1) if this Regulation shall be as follows:—”

(12) By omitting the first six lines of sub-regulation (3) of regulation 69 (as amended by Statutory Rules 1928, No. 13) and substituting therefore the following:—

“(3) The fees charged for fumigation or disinfection of cabins, lazarets or other enclosed spaces such as crew’s quarters, chain lockers, storerooms, passengers’ accommodation, by means of approved appliances other than those described in sub-regulation (1) of this Regulation shall be as follows:—”

 

By Authority: H. J. Green, Government Printer, Canberra.

Overview

The Statutory Rules 1928 No. 41 amends the Quarantine Regulations 1927 under the Quarantine Act 1908-1924, addressing specific issues related to quarantine procedures and disease control. Enacted by the Governor-General in Council, these amendments aimed to provide more detailed and precise regulations to better protect public health from the risk of infectious diseases entering Australia. The policy objective is to ensure a more effective and efficient system for quarantining individuals and vessels to prevent the spread of quarantinable diseases such as smallpox, plague, cholera, yellow fever, and leprosy. The amendments include changes to quarantine durations for specific diseases, procedures for the release of individuals under quarantine surveillance, restrictions on movement for those under quarantine surveillance, disinfection protocols for mail, quarantine orders for vessels, and enhanced reporting requirements for vessels equipped with wireless apparatus. These updates reflect an effort to align quarantine practices with contemporary health risks and technological advancements of the time.

Scope and Application

The Quarantine Regulations 1928, established under the Quarantine Act 1908-1924, primarily target individuals and vessels entering Australia from abroad, focusing on the prevention of the spread of quarantinable diseases such as smallpox, plague, cholera, yellow fever, and leprosy. These regulations apply to all persons and entities involved in maritime activities, specifically targeting vessels arriving from places where quarantinable diseases are prevalent. They mandate quarantine periods for individuals suspected or confirmed to be suffering from these diseases, with specific durations for different illnesses. Additionally, the regulations cover the disinfection of mail and other articles that may be carriers of infection. They also require the fumigation of vessels to eradicate vermin and outline the fees for such fumigation services. The geographic reach of these regulations is national, applying across all Australian states and territories. The regulations exclude certain mail items from disinfection if they have not been in contact with infected persons or goods, subject to the discretion of the quarantine officer. The regulations also allow for exemptions from fumigation based on specific conditions and certifications. The application of these regulations can be further defined and modified through subordinate instruments, providing flexibility to address evolving health threats.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of the Regulations under the Quarantine Act 1908-1924 (C1928L00041) pertain to the amendment of existing regulations concerning the duration of quarantine periods for certain diseases (reg. 14), the release of individuals under quarantine surveillance (reg. 14(3)), restrictions on the movement of individuals under quarantine surveillance (reg. 20), exemptions and disinfection of mail matter (reg. 52), quarantine for vessels arriving from proclaimed places (reg. 54), notification requirements for masters of vessels (reg. 58), protection against vermin (reg. 63(g)), fumigation of vessels (reg. 65), and fees for fumigation services (reg. 69). These sections provide detailed requirements for the management of public health risks associated with the introduction of quarantinable diseases into Australia. The Regulations impose several obligations and requirements on the parties and entities they govern. For example, the Chief Quarantine Officer is responsible for determining the release of individuals under quarantine surveillance based on vaccination status or immunity (reg. 14(3)). Masters of vessels are required to notify quarantine officers of the health status of passengers and crew, including the occurrence of quarantinable diseases, via wireless communication (reg. 58). Vessels arriving from proclaimed places must be ordered into quarantine unless the quarantine officer is satisfied that no danger to public health will arise (reg. 54). Additionally, vessels must be fumigated upon arrival from outside Australia, unless exempted under specific conditions (reg. 65). Failure to comply with these Regulations can result in various offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences. For instance, individuals who leave the state in which they have been released under quarantine surveillance without permission from the Chief Quarantine Officer may be subject to penalties (reg. 20). Furthermore, vessels arriving from proclaimed places without proper notification or quarantine may face enforcement actions. The specific penalties for breaches of the Regulations are not detailed in the provided text, but they could include fines, detention, or other legal repercussions as determined by applicable laws.

Legal classification tags

Instrument
Regulation
Concepts
Reporting & Disclosure Obligations
Compliance Obligations
Enforcement Powers
Catchwords
Quarantinable Disease
Disinfection

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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.