Dear Friends,

On 19 September 2025, the 2024 amendments to the International Health Regulations (Pandemic Regulations) came into force for Australia and most other countries.
These are legally binding rules adopted by the World Health Assembly in June 2024.
Australia did not reject or reserve against these amendments before the 19 July 2025 deadline, so the new obligations now apply from yesterday, 19 September, 2025.

In Short:
From 19 September 2025, Australia is legally bound by the WHO’s amended Pandemic Regulations. That means:

��Expansion of powers to make decisions beyond human related public health emergencies
��A new federal authority reporting to the WHO
��Expanded surveillance and censorship powers
��WHO-driven digital health document standards (Digital ID pathway)
��Compulsory testing, tracing, and possible quarantine/vaccination at borders
��Health data sharing internationally
��A new global financing mechanism – with the cost carried at home

What Changes for Australia?
1. A New National IHR Authority
Australia must establish a National IHR Authority to coordinate all implementation and report to the WHO (IHR Art. 4).
2. Surveillance & Censorship
States must build core public-health capacities within 5 years, including surveillance systems and “risk communication … addressing misinformation and disinformation” (Annex 1).
This links directly with domestic “mis/disinformation” legislation now under debate in Australia.
3. Digital Health Documents & ID Standards
Health documents (e.g. vaccine or prophylaxis certificates) may be issued in digital or paper form, but must meet the WHO authenticity standards. The WHO is tasked with setting the technical specifications (IHR Art. 35–36).
This is the policy hook for Digital IDs linked to health status.
4. Tracking, Testing & Tracing
Countries must notify the WHO within 24 hours of potential outbreaks (IHR Art. 6).
Travellers may be required to hand over contact information, undergo medical exams, and be subject to contact tracing (IHR Art. 23, 18).
5. Traveller Powers: Testing, Quarantine, Vaccination
While invasive exams or vaccination are not a general condition of entry, if there is evidence of risk or an imminent threat, States may compel the least-intrusive exam, vaccination, prophylaxis, isolation, or quarantine (IHR Art. 31–32).
6. Data & Privacy
Personal health data if deemed “essential” for managing a risk may no longer be confidential and can be disclosed and shared internationally (IHR Art. 45).
7. The Cost
A new Coordinating Financial Mechanism has been created under the WHO to fund IHR implementation (IHR Art. 44 bis).
Even if Australia isn’t a net recipient, building surveillance systems, digital verification, and border controls carries a major budget impact for Commonwealth and State governments.


Not Just Theory – Look at South Australia
In August 2025, South Australia passed sweeping new emergency laws allowing:
��Emergency powers even without an actual emergency — on the basis that an emergency might occur.

��Authorised officers to issue directions by SMS or email that override existing laws.
��Powers to enter, seize, destroy, isolate, quarantine or compel medical measures against individuals or entire classes of people.

Only one MP — Sarah Game (One Nation MLC) — opposed the Bill. She warned it was a “significant power grab” stripping away safeguards, and noted how similar laws in Victoria during COVID created permanent pandemic-style powers.
“We can now employ all those powers without even having an emergency… just the thought of an emergency coming is enough.” – Sarah Game MLC, SA Parliament, Aug 2025
This is exactly the kind of legislative change States will be pressured to enact to align with the new IHR obligations.


Why It Matters

Parliamentary oversight bypassed: The Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCOT) inquiry into the IHR amendments lapsed before reporting. These amendments entered into force without full scrutiny by Parliament.
States will bear the brunt: Emergency powers, quarantine enforcement, and digital document checks are largely legislated at State level. South Australia already passed sweeping “state of alert” powers in August 2025.
Deadlines: Core capacities must be built within 5 years (extendable). Reservations or “can’t implement fully” declarations must be made by 19 March 2026, but Australia has not yet used this safeguard.

To understand which nations have rejected or have expressed reservation on these changes, read this article by James Roguski ��https://open.substack.com/pub/jamesroguski/p/the-updated-international-health?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

With gratitude,
Barbara Mavridis
Vice-CEO
Aligned Council of Australia