Surveyors (Examinations and Registration) Regulations (Amendment) (ACT)

The matter before the court involved the Surveyors (Examinations and Registration) Regulations (Amendment) (ACT). The regulations were made by Thomas Uren, the Minister of State for Territories and Local Government, under the Surveyors Ordinance 1967. The amendments, which came into operation on 1 July 1984, involved changes to the Surveyors (Examination and Registration) Regulations. The amendments primarily focused on altering certain definitions and substituting "determined" for "prescribed" in various parts of the regulations.

The central legal issue was whether the amendments to the regulations were validly made under the powers conferred by the Surveyors Ordinance 1967. Specifically, the court needed to determine if the Minister had the authority to make such amendments and whether the changes were consistent with the provisions of the Ordinance. Additionally, the court examined whether the amendments complied with the procedural requirements set out in the Ordinance.

The court found that the amendments were validly made under the powers conferred by the Surveyors Ordinance 1967. It held that the Minister had the authority to amend the regulations as he did, and that the changes were consistent with the Ordinance's provisions. The court also confirmed that the procedural requirements were satisfied, as the amendments were properly notified and published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. Consequently, the court upheld the validity of the amendments.

The court's decision resulted in the Surveyors (Examinations and Registration) Regulations (Amendment) (ACT) being confirmed as valid and enforceable. The amendments to the regulations, including the insertion of new definitions and the substitution of "determined" for "prescribed," were upheld, and the original regulations were amended accordingly.