STATUTORY RULES.
1913. No. 194.
PROVISIONAL REGULATIONS UNDER THE QUARANTINE ACT 1908-1912.
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby certify that, on account of urgency, the following Regulations under the Quarantine Act 1908-1912 should come into immediate operation, and make the Regulations to come into operation on the seventh day of July, One thousand nine hundred and thirteen, as Provisional Regulations.
Dated this fourth day of July, One thousand nine hundred and thirteen.
DENMAN,
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
LITTLETON E. GROOM,
Minister of State for Trade and Customs.
1. The Master of every vessel carrying any passenger or passengers from or through the Port of Sydney must furnish on arrival at each Australian Port a full list of the names of all passengers from or through the Port of Sydney,
2. No person who has not been successfully vaccinated shall leave the proclaimed quarantine area of the metropolitan district of Sydney, in the State of New South Wales, for the purpose of journeying to any other State.
3. Every person leaving or about to leave the proclaimed quarantine area of the metropolitan district of Sydney, in the State of New South Wales, for the purpose of journeying to another State shall produce on demand of a quarantine officer a certificate of successful vaccination issued by the Department of Public Health of a State.
4. A quarantine officer may order into quarantine any person found in any other State of the Commonwealth who has left the proclaimed quarantine area of the metropolitan district of Sydney, in the State of New South Wales, and who does not on demand of a quarantine officer produce a certificate of successful vaccination issued by the Department of Public Health of a State.
5. Where a quarantine officer has ordered any person into quarantine under Regulation 4 of these regulations he may release such person under quarantine surveillance upon the production of a certificate of successful vaccination issued by the Department of Public Health of a State.
C.9173.—Price 3d.
6. Each person journeying from within the proclaimed quarantine area of the metropolitan district of Sydney, in the State of New South Wales, to any other part of Australia shall be under quarantine surveillance, and shall report himself for examination at such times and at such places as may be prescribed by either a quarantine officer or any officer appointed under the laws of any State relating to Public Health.
7. For the purposes of these regulations successful vaccination shall mean successful vaccination not more than five years prior to the commencement of these regulations.
8. Any person committing a breach of any of these regulations shall be liable on summary conviction to a penalty not exceeding 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 Provisional Regulations under the Quarantine Act 1908-1912, issued on 4 July 1913, address the urgent need to control the spread of infectious diseases across Australian states by imposing stringent quarantine measures. Enacted by the Governor-General in Council, these regulations were designed to complement the existing Quarantine Act and were introduced to ensure public health safety by preventing unvaccinated individuals from leaving a designated quarantine area in Sydney and travelling to other states. The policy objective is clearly to prevent the interstate transmission of infectious diseases through mandatory vaccination certificates and quarantine surveillance. Penalties for non-compliance with these regulations are set to a maximum of fifty pounds, emphasising the seriousness with which these measures are intended to be enforced.
Scope and Application
The Provisional Regulations under the Quarantine Act 1908-1912 apply to all vessels carrying passengers from or through the Port of Sydney and individuals attempting to travel from the proclaimed quarantine area of Sydney to other states. These regulations mandate that the master of such vessels must provide a full list of passengers from Sydney upon arrival at any Australian port. Furthermore, individuals who have not been successfully vaccinated against certain diseases are prohibited from leaving the quarantine area of Sydney unless they have a certificate of successful vaccination issued by the Department of Public Health of a state. Quarantine officers are empowered to order individuals into quarantine if they have left Sydney's quarantine area without the requisite vaccination certificate and can release them upon presentation of such a certificate. Additionally, all persons journeying from Sydney to other parts of Australia must be under quarantine surveillance and report for examination as prescribed. Successful vaccination for the purposes of these regulations is defined as vaccination not more than five years prior to the commencement of these regulations. The penalty for breaching any of these regulations is a fine not exceeding Fifty pounds on summary conviction. These regulations extend across the Commonwealth, impacting multiple states and territories, and are enforced through subordinate instruments as necessary.
Key Provisions
The Provisional Regulations under the Quarantine Act 1908-1912, effective from 7th July 1913, establish specific requirements and obligations aimed at preventing the spread of diseases through maritime travel and interstate journeys. Firstly, section 1 requires the Master of every vessel arriving at an Australian port from Sydney to provide a comprehensive list of all passengers who originated from or transited through Sydney. This ensures that health authorities can track and monitor potential health risks associated with travellers from the Sydney area. Section 2 mandates that any individual who has not been successfully vaccinated against specific diseases cannot leave the proclaimed quarantine area of Sydney, New South Wales, to travel to another state. This restriction aims to prevent the spread of contagious diseases outside the quarantine zone.
The obligations imposed by these Regulations are substantial. Under section 3, individuals leaving the quarantine area of Sydney for another state must present a certificate of successful vaccination issued by the Department of Public Health of a state upon request by a quarantine officer. This requirement ensures that travellers can demonstrate they have been vaccinated and are not a risk to public health. Furthermore, section 4 empowers quarantine officers to order any individual found in another state who has left Sydney's quarantine area without a vaccination certificate into quarantine. This authority allows for immediate action to be taken against non-compliant individuals, thereby protecting public health across the states.
In terms of penalties and consequences, section 8 stipulates that any breach of these Regulations is subject to a penalty not exceeding Fifty Pounds on summary conviction. This includes any failure to comply with the obligations outlined in sections 1 through 7. The regulations thus impose a financial penalty as a deterrent against non-compliance, ensuring that individuals and vessels adhere to the established health protocols to safeguard the nation against disease transmission. The clear delineation of offences and the associated penalties underscores the seriousness with which these health measures are regarded under the Provisional Regulations.