Who is responsible for quarantine in Australia?

Human quarantine has been a big issue in Australia since the days when visiting ships could bring infectious diseases into the colonies.

In fact, quarantine was the only health power given to the new Federation in 1901 and has been used to deal with threats ranging from smallpox to the ravages of the Spanish Flu in 1919.

Fast forward to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic last year and the decision in March to require all overseas arrivals to quarantine for 14 days.

A deal was struck between Prime Minister Scott Morrison and state and territory leaders.

The states and territories agreed to run hotel quarantine as part of their broader responsibility for public health, despite it being a federal role under the constitution.

The states also…