Australian Capital Territory
Animal Diseases (Exotic Disease Quarantine Area) Declaration 2008 (No 1)
Disallowable Instrument DI 2008-33
made under the
Animal Diseases Act 2005, Section 19 – Exotic disease quarantine area

Explanatory Statement

Section 19 of the Animal Diseases Act 2005 provides for the Minister to make quarantine declarations.  This instrument revokes DI 2007-227 and replaces it with a new quarantine declaration dealing with equine influenza.  As the disease abates (but nonetheless remains a threat) existing quarantine measures can be relaxed.  This quarantine declaration gives effect to the new quarantine measures agreed to nationally, while maintaining a level of monitoring that is both justified and proportionate to the current risk associated with the outbreak of the disease.  

This declaration (as in previous equine influenza quarantine declarations) declares the entire geographic area of the Australian Capital Territory as a quarantine area and covers all animals in the Equidae family (eg horses, mules, donkeys etc).

The new declaration continues to permit movement of equines from areas of Australia unaffected by equine influenza (sometimes referred to as the “white zone” and the “green zone”) provided the subsequent ACT portion of the journey is registered here in the ACT.

This declaration eases restrictions on movements of equines from restricted zones (sometimes referred to as the “amber zone”, the “red zone” and the “purple zone”) in New South Wales and Queensland.  However, people who wish to move an equine from or through one of the restricted zones of those States and into the ACT must first seek the approval of the ACT Director of Veterinary Hygiene.

The new declaration authorises the riding and walking of equines within the ACT without the need to register their movement with the Department of Territory and Municipal Services, unless the equine is being ridden or walked to an equine event.

Under this instrument, movement of equines within the ACT to equine events or their movement by vehicles generally is authorised provided the animal has not displayed symptoms of respiratory infection for 30 days prior to the movement and the person registers the movement of the animal with the Department of Territory and Municipal Services prior to its movement.  It is not necessary to register the movement of equines on the property where the animal is normally kept.

Movement out of the ACT is authorised provided the portion of the journey within the ACT has been registered.  However movement within New South Wales will need to comply with New South Wales requirements.  

Arrangements for equine events remains the same as under the previous quarantine declaration, namely that before an event is held, the event organisers must register the event with the Department of Territory and Municipal Services, obtain registration details for all equines participating in the event before they participate and keep those details for 30 days after the event concludes.