Commerce (Meat Export) Regulations (Amendment)

Legislation au C1954L00100 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

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STATUTORY RULES.

1954. No. 100.

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REGULATIONS UNDER THE CUSTOMS ACT 1901-1953 AND THE COMMERCE (TRADE DESCRIPTIONS) ACT 1905-1950.*

I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Customs Act 1901-1953 and the Commerce (Trade Descriptions) Act 1905-1950.

Dated this twenty-fourth day of, September, 1954.

W. J. Slim

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

Minister of State for Commerce and Agriculture and for and on behalf of the Minister of State for Trade and Customs.

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Amendments of the Commerce (Meat Export) Regulations.†

Definitions.

1. Regulation 3 of the Commerce (Meat Export) Regulations is amended by omitting from sub-regulation (1) the definition of “Grader” and inserting in its stead the following definition:—

“‘Grader’ means—

(a) in relation to lamb, hogget, mutton, beef and veal, and beef and veal offal—a person authorized in writing by the Secretary to classify lamb, hogget, mutton, beef and veal, and beef and veal offal, for the purposes of these Regulations;

(b) in relation to poultry—a person authorized in writing by the Secretary to classify poultry for the purposes of these Regulations; and

(c) in relation to rabbits and hares—a person authorized in writing by the Secretary to classify rabbits and hares for the purposes of these Regulations.”.

Quality standards for rabbits.

2. Regulation 74a of the Commerce (Meat Export) Regulations is amended by inserting after the word “quality” the words “, by a grader,”.

Weight standards for rabbits.

3. Regulation 74b of the Commerce (Meat Export) Regulations is amended by inserting in sub-regulation (1.), after the word “weight” (first occurring), the words “, by a grader,”.

 

* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on , 1954.

† Statutory Rules 1923, No. 36, as amended by Statutory Rules 1923, No. 194; 1924, Nos.127 and 128; 1927 No. 130; 1933; No. 119; 1934, No. 63; 1936, No. 138; 1938, Nos. 1, 31 and 102; 1947, No. 118; 1948, Nos. 27, 99 and 161; 1950, No. 41; 1951, Nos. 134 and 145; 1952, No. 108; 1953, No. 36; and 1954, No. 49.

3208.—Price 3d. 9/13.8.1954.


Grade standards for hares.

4. Regulation 74c of the Commerce (Meat Export) Regulations is amended by inserting in sub-regulation (1.), after the word “weight” (first occurring), the words “, by a grader,”.

Preparation of boned rabbit or hare meat.

5. Regulation 74d of the Commerce (Meat Export) Regulations is amended by inserting after the word “packed” (first occurring) the words “, under the supervision of a grader,”.

Crates or boxes for rabbits, hares, &c.

6. Regulation 74e of the Commerce (Meat Export) Regulations is amended by inserting in sub-regulation (1.), after the word “packed”, the words “, under the supervision of a grader,”.

Quality and weight standard for export poultry.

7. Regulation 74i of the Commerce (Meat Export) Regulations is amended by inserting in sub-regulation (2.), after the word “classified”, the words “, by a grader,”.

Method of packing of poultry.

8. Regulation 74j of the Commerce (Meat Export) Regulations is amended by inserting in sub-regulation (2.), after the word “packed”, the words “, under the supervision of a grader,”.

Certification of lamb, hogget and mutton.

9. Regulation 82a of the Commerce (Meat Export) Regulations is amended by omitting sub-regulation (1.) and inserting in its stead the following sub-regulation:—

“(1.) Lamb, hogget and mutton intended for export, other than lamb, hogget or mutton intended to be canned for export, shall be classified by a grader in accordance with the grades and weights specified in the Second and Third Schedules to these Regulations, respectively.”.

Certification of beef, veal and offal.

10. Regulation 82b of the Commerce (Meat Export) Regulations is amended by inserting in sub-regulation (2.), after the word “classified”, the words “, by a grader,”.

Second Schedule.

11. The Second Schedule to the Commerce (Meat Export) Regulations is amended by omitting from the third column the words and figures “Under 41 lb.”, “41-50” and “51-56” (wherever occurring) and inserting in their stead the words and figures “Under 40 lb.”, “40-48” and “49-56”, respectively.

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Printed for the Government of the Commonwealth by A. J. Arthur at the Government Printing Office, Canberra.

Overview

The Statutory Rules 1954, No. 100, made under the Customs Act 1901-1953 and the Commerce (Trade Descriptions) Act 1905-1950, address the need for standardised grading and quality control for meat exports from Australia. Enacted by the Governor-General with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, these regulations aim to ensure that meat products meet specific quality and weight standards before export, thereby maintaining Australia's reputation for high-quality meat products in the international market. The policy objective is to uphold and enhance the standards of Australian meat exports through authorised grading and supervision, ensuring compliance with both domestic and international trade regulations.

Scope and Application

The Statutory Rules 1954 No. 100, made under the Customs Act 1901-1953 and the Commerce (Trade Descriptions) Act 1905-1950, pertain to amendments of the Commerce (Meat Export) Regulations, specifically focusing on the classification, grading, and quality standards for various types of meat intended for export. These regulations apply to individuals or entities involved in the meat export industry, including graders who are authorized by the Secretary to classify meat products for export purposes. The scope of the Act is national, operating within the Commonwealth of Australia, and it applies to the export of lamb, hogget, mutton, beef, veal, offal, poultry, rabbits, and hares. There are no explicit exclusions or thresholds mentioned in these regulations, but the application is limited to meat products intended for export and does not extend to domestic trade within Australia. The regulations can be further extended or restricted through subordinate instruments, which may provide additional details or specific exceptions.

Key Provisions

The legislative instrument in question amends several provisions of the Commerce (Meat Export) Regulations under the Customs Act 1901-1953 and the Commerce (Trade Descriptions) Act 1905-1950. The main operative sections of this instrument involve amendments to the definitions and standards for the classification of meat for export. Regulation 3 now defines a "Grader" as a person authorised by the Secretary to classify lamb, hogget, mutton, beef, veal, offal, poultry, rabbits, and hares for export purposes. The weight and quality standards for rabbits are now to be assessed by a grader, and the method of packing and supervision during the preparation of boned rabbit or hare meat must also be overseen by a grader. The same applies to the packing of poultry and the certification of lamb, hogget, mutton, beef, veal, and offal. These amendments impose specific obligations on meat exporters, requiring them to ensure that their products are classified by authorised graders in accordance with the stipulated grades and weights. Exporters must also ensure that the quality and weight standards for rabbits and hares are met by graders, and that the preparation and packing of boned rabbit or hare meat, as well as poultry, are done under the supervision of graders. The new definitions and standards also apply to the certification of lamb, hogget, mutton, beef, veal, and offal. Breaches of these regulations may result in legal consequences. Although the specific penalties are not detailed in the instrument, violations of the Customs Act or the Commerce (Trade Descriptions) Act could lead to fines or other penalties as prescribed by the respective Acts. Given the amendments to the Commerce (Meat Export) Regulations, non-compliance with the new standards and requirements could potentially result in the seizure of non-compliant meat products, fines, or other enforcement actions by the relevant authorities. It is important for meat exporters to familiarise themselves with these changes to avoid any legal repercussions.

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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.