QUARANTINE.

No. 19 of 1947.

An Act to amend the Quarantine Act 1908–1924.

[Assented to 4th June, 1947.]

BE it enacted by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—

Short title and citation.

1.—(1.)     This Act may be cited as the Quarantine Act 1947.

(2.)     The Quarantine Act 1908–1924 is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.

(3.)     The Principal Act, as amended by this Act, may be cited as the Quarantine Act 1908–1947.

Commencement

2.  This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

General definitions

3.  Section five of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by omitting from the definition of “Disease” (first occurring) the words “any disease” and inserting in their stead the words “any disease, parasite or pest”; and

(b) by omitting from the definition of “Pest” the words “as well as” and inserting in their stead the word “and”.

Proclamation of ports of entry, &c.

4.  Section thirteen of the Principal Act is amended by inserting in sub-section (1.), after paragraph (f), the following paragraph:—

“(fa) prohibit the bringing into any port or place in Australia of any animals;”.

Master and medical officer to answer questions.

5.  Section twenty-eight of the Principal Act is amended by inserting in sub-section (1.), after the word “with”, the words “, touching the existence, at any time, of any animals on his vessel,”.

Order to perform quarantine.

6.  Section thirty-five of the Principal Act is amended by inserting after sub-section (1.) the following sub-section:—

“(1a.) A quarantine officer may, by order in writing, order into quarantine any person, being a person who is or has been on board an oversea vessel, who fails to satisfy the quarantine officer that he has been successfully vaccinated or inoculated against any prescribed disease.”.

Penalty for Importing contrary to proclamation.

7.  Section sixty-seven of the Principal Act is amended by inserting in sub-section (1.), after the word “import”, the words “, or bring into any port or place in Australia,”.

Forfeiture of animals, plants, &c., unlawfully Imported, &c.

8.  Section sixty-eight of the Principal Act is amended by inserting after the word “Australia” the words “, or brought into any port or place in Australia,”.

9.  After section sixty-eight of the Principal Act the following section is inserted:—

Destruction of certain animals.

“68a. Where the master of any vessel fails to comply with the directions of the Chief Quarantine Officer or the prescribed conditions relating to the control or confinement of an animal which has been brought into a port or place in Australia but is not intended or permitted to be imported into Australia, a quarantine officer may destroy that animal.”.