Census and Statistics Regulations (Provisional)

Legislation au C1912L00227 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

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STATUTORY RULES.

1912. No. 227.

provisional regulation under the census and STATISTICS ACT 1905.

I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby certify that, on account of urgency, the following Regulation under the Census and Statistics Act 1905 should come into immediate operation, and make the Regulation to come into operation forthwith as a “Provisional Regulation.”

Dated this 27th day of November, One thousand nine hundred and twelve.

DENMAN,

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

KING O’MALLEY,

Minister of State for Home Affairs.

Return of Trade Union Statistics.

1. (1) The Secretary, or Acting Secretary, or other officer of every Trade Union shall, within fourteen days after being required in writing by the Statistician or by an Agent and Correspondent duly appointed under Statutory Rules 1912, No. 12, so to do, furnish to the Statistician the particulars set out in the prescribed forms of return of Trade Union Statistics.

(2) In order to comply with this Regulation, the Secretary, Acting Secretary, or other officer, as the case may be, of every Trade Union, shall fill in the particulars in the prescribed forms, and shall sign the form and transmit it, either by post or otherwise, to the Statistician or to such Agent and Correspondent as aforesaid.

(3) In this Regulation “Trade Union” includes—

(a) Every Trade Union, whether registered or unregistered;

(b) Every Branch of a Trade;

(c) Every Association of the nature of a Trade Union, or having objects similar to those of a Trade Union; and

(d) Every Branch of an Association, coming within paragraph (c).

C.16428.—Price 3d.

(4) The prescribed forms of return of Trade Union Statistics are as follow:—

T.U. 18.

Office No.—

State—

Class No.—

Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics,

Labour and Industrial Branch, Melbourne.

TRADE UNION STATISTICS.

(Information required under the authority of the Census and Statistics Act 1905.)

Employment and Membership, Report for Quarter ended the

Branch Return.

This Return must be dispatched not later than the

Notice.—Individual Returns are regarded as strictly confidential, and will not be published separately or disclosed under any circumstances. Each question should be answered carefully, in order that further correspondence may be rendered unnecessary. Where the proper answer is “None,” that word or the figure “0” should be written in, so that the Bureau may know that the question has been attended to and answered by you. The information given must refer to your Branch only.

Full Name of Branch—

District or Locality covered by same—

Question.

Reply.

1. What was the Total Number of Members of your Branch on

Males.

Females.

2. (a) State, so far as you know, the Total Number of Members of your Branch who were unemployed for more than three days during the week ending the                                                                                                  , excluding those out of work through strike or lock-out…………….

(If exact numbers not available, approximate, or estimated figures will be of value.)

 

 

(b) If available, specify separately the number of such members who were unemployed—

 

 

(i.) On account of lack of work.....................

(ii.) On account of sickness or accident................

(iii.) On account of other reasons....................

(Excluding those out of work through strike or lock-out.)

3. In your opinion, was employment in your district and in your trade during the week ended the Good, Moderate, or Bad……………….

 

4. Please state “Yes” or “No” whether any changes in rates of wages or hours of labour occurred in your district and in your trade during             

5. Please state “Yes” or “No” whether any trade dispute (causing stoppage of work) occurred or was in progress in your district and in your trade during             

Were there any special circumstances affecting employment in your district and in your trade during the three months referred to? If so, give particulars—

Signature of Secretary or other Union Official supplying the above information—

Address—

Date—

(Remarks with reference to any question or matter, such as Short Time or Overtime, may be written on the back of this sheet.)

T.U. 19.

Office No.—

State—

Class No.—

Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics,

Labour and Industrial Branch, Melbourne.

TRADE UNION STATISTICS.

(Information required under the authority of the Census and Statistics Act 1905.)

Employment and Membership, Report for Quarter ended the

Head Office Return (exclusive of Country Branches).

This Return must be dispatched not later than the

Notice.—Individual Returns are regarded as strictly confidential, and will not be published separately or disclosed under any circumstances. Each question should be answered carefully, in order that further correspondence may be rendered unnecessary. Where the proper answer is “None,” that word or the figure “0” should be written in, so that the Bureau may know that the question has been attended to and answered by you. The information given must refer to your Local Organization only; separate Returns are being collected direct from your Branch Secretaries.

Full Name of Trade Union—

District or Locality covered by same—

Question.

Reply.

1. What was the Number of Members of your Local Organization on.....

Males.

Females.

 

 

2. (a) State, so far as you know, the Total Number of Members of your Local Organization who were unemployed for more than three days during the week ending the                                                                       excluding those out of work through strike or lock-out

(If exact numbers not available, approximate or estimated figures will be of value.)

 

 

(b) If available, specify separately the number of such members who were unemployed—

 

 

(i.) On account of lack of work.....................

(ii.) On account of sickness or accident................

(iii.) On account of other reasons....................

(Excluding those out of work through strike or lock-out.)

3. In your opinion, was employment in your district and in your trade during the week ended the                                                                       Good, Moderate, or Bad……………………………………………………….

 

 

4. Please state “Yes” or “No” whether any changes in rates of wages or hours of labour occurred in your district and in your trade during             

5. Please state “Yes” or “No” whether any trade dispute (causing stoppage of work) occurred or was in progress in your district and in your trade during             

Were there any special circumstances affecting employment in your district and in your trade during the three months referred to? If so, give particulars—

Signature of Secretary or other Union Official supplying the above information—

Address

Date

(Remarks with reference to any question or matter, such as Short Time or Overtime, may be written on the back of this sheet.)

T.U. 20.

Office No.—

State

Class No.—

Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics

Labour and Industrial Branch, Melbourne.

TRADE UNION STATISTICS.

(Information required under the authority of the Census and Statistics Act 1905.)

Employment and Membership, Report for Quarter ended the

Head Office Return for Whole State (inclusive of Branches).

This Return must be dispatched not later than the

Notice.—Individual Returns are regarded as strictly confidential, and will not be published separately or disclosed under any circumstances. Each question should be answered carefully, in order that further correspondence may be rendered unnecessary. Where the proper answer is “None,” that word or the figure “0” should be written in so that the Bureau may know that the question has been attended to and answered by you. The information given must refer to your whole Organization in your State, and must therefore include all Branches in your State.

Full Name of Trade Union—

Question.

Reply.

1. What was the Number of Members of your State Organization on.....

Males.

Females.

 

 

2. (a) State, so far as you know, the Total Number of Members of your State Organization who were unemployed for more than three days during the week ending the                                                                      , excluding those out of work through strike or lock-out……………………….

(If exact numbers not available, approximate or estimated figures will be of value.)

 

 

(b) If available, specify separately the number of such members who were unemployed—

 

 

(i.) On account of lack of work.....................

(ii.) On account of sickness or accident................

(iii.) On account of other reasons....................

(Excluding those out of work through strike or lock-out.)

3. In your opinion, was employment in your trade during the week ended the  Good, Moderate, or Bad……………….

 

4. Please state “Yes” or “No” whether any changes in rates of wages or hours of labour occurred in your trade during             

5. Please state “Yes” or No whether any trade dispute (causing stoppage of work) occurred or was in progress in your trade during             

 

Were there any special circumstances affecting employment in your trade during the three months referred to? If so, give particulars—

Signature of Secretary or other Union Official supplying the above information—

Address—

Date—

(Please furnish on the back of this sheet a list of Branches in your State for which Returns as to membership and unemployment are included in this Report. Remarks with reference to any other question or matter, such as Short Time or Overtime, may also be written on the back.)

T.U. 21.

Office No,—

State—

Class No.—

Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics,

Labour and Industrial Branch, Melbourne.

TRADE UNION STATISTICS.

(Information required under the authority of the Census and Statistics Act 1905.)

Employment and Membership, Report for Quarter ended the

This Return must be dispatched not later than the

Notice.—Individual Returns are regarded as strictly confidential, and will not be published separately or disclosed under any circumstances. Each question should be answered carefully, in order that further correspondence may be rendered unnecessary, Where the proper answer is “None,” that word or the figure “0” should be written in, so that the Bureau may know that the question has been attended to and answered by you,

Full Name of Trade Union—

District or Locality covered by same—

Question.

Reply.

1. What was the Total Number of Members of your Organization on.....

Males.

Females.

 

 

2. (a) State, so far as you know, the Total Number of Members of your Organization who were unemployed for more than three days during the week ending the                                                                      , excluding those out of work through strike or lock-out……………………….

(If exact numbers not available, approximate or estimated figures will be of value.)

 

 

(b) If available, specify separately the number of such members who were unemployed—

 

 

(i.) On account of lack of work.....................

(ii.) On account of sickness or accident................

(iii.) On account of other reasons....................

(Excluding those out of work through strike or lock-out.)

3. In your opinion, was employment in your trade during the week ended the , Good, Moderate, or Bad…………………………………………………

 

 

4. Please state “Yes” or No” whether any changes in rates of wages or hours of labour occurred in your trade during             

5. Please state “Yes” or “No” whether any trade dispute (causing stoppage of work) occurred or was in progress in your trade during             

Were there any special circumstances affecting employment in your trade during the three months referred to? If so give particulars—

Signature of Secretary or other Union Official supplying the above information—

Address

Date

(Remarks with reference to any question or matter, such as Short Time or Overtime, may be written on the back of this sheet.)

 

Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett, Acting Government Printer for the State of Victoria.

Overview

The Provisional Regulation under the Census and Statistics Act 1905, enacted in 1912, was introduced to address the need for accurate and timely statistical data concerning trade unions. This legislative instrument aimed to gather specific information from trade unions to inform policy and economic analysis. The regulation was enacted by the Governor-General in the Federal Executive Council, recognising the urgency of obtaining this data. The policy objective was to ensure that the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics could collect comprehensive and confidential trade union statistics, thereby aiding in the formulation of informed economic and social policies.

Scope and Application

The Provisional Regulation under the Census and Statistics Act 1905 applies to all trade unions, including registered and unregistered unions, branches of trades, and associations having objects similar to those of a trade union. The regulation requires these entities to furnish particulars of their trade union statistics to the Statistician or an appointed agent within fourteen days of a written request. The geographic scope of this regulation is national, as it applies to trade unions across the Commonwealth of Australia. The regulation mandates the collection of specific information such as membership numbers, employment status, and reasons for unemployment, among other labour-related details. Notably, the collected data is treated as strictly confidential and will not be published or disclosed under any circumstances. This regulation does not specify any exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds and is implemented directly under the authority of the Census and Statistics Act 1905 without the need for further subordinate instruments.

Key Provisions

Section 1(1) of the regulation requires the Secretary, Acting Secretary, or other officer of every Trade Union to furnish to the Statistician particulars set out in the prescribed forms of return of Trade Union Statistics within fourteen days of being required in writing by the Statistician or an appointed Agent and Correspondent. This provision ensures that relevant statistical data is collected from all trade unions in a timely manner. Section 1(2) specifies that the forms must be filled in, signed, and transmitted by post or other means to the Statistician or designated Agent and Correspondent. This ensures that the information provided is complete and authentic. Section 1(3) defines "Trade Union" broadly to include every Trade Union, whether registered or unregistered, every Branch of a Trade, every Association of the nature of a Trade Union, or having objects similar to those of a Trade Union, and every Branch of an Association falling under the previous categories. The Act imposes several obligations on the parties it governs. Firstly, Trade Unions must ensure that the designated officers are aware of their responsibility to provide the required statistical information upon request. This includes ensuring that the prescribed forms are filled out accurately and submitted within the stipulated timeframe. Furthermore, Trade Unions must maintain records and information that enable them to provide the requested statistics promptly. The Act also places an obligation on the Statistician and appointed Agents and Correspondents to request the required information from Trade Unions and ensure that it is received, processed, and stored in accordance with the confidentiality and disclosure provisions outlined in the regulation. Failure to comply with the requirements set out in the regulation may result in legal consequences. While the regulation does not explicitly state specific offences or penalties for non-compliance, the underlying Census and Statistics Act 1905 may provide for such provisions. Under the Act, non-compliance with a requirement to provide information or statistics can be considered an offence, and penalties may be imposed. The maximum penalty for an offence under the Act is generally a fine of up to 100 penalty units, which, at the time of writing, equates to approximately AUD 11,000. In more serious cases, an individual may face imprisonment for up to two years. Additionally, civil consequences may arise if the non-compliance results in the misuse or unauthorised disclosure of confidential information, potentially leading to further legal action.

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Statistics & Data Collection
Instrument
Regulation
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Definitions & Interpretation
Reporting & Disclosure Obligations
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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.