Interpretation Ordinance 1966 (CKI)

Overview

The Interpretation Ordinance 1966 was enacted by the Governor-General in Council under the authority of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act 1955-1963 to update the existing Interpretation Ordinance 1955-1964. This legislative instrument was designed to address the need for currency updates within the legislative framework of the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Specifically, it aimed to modernise references to monetary amounts within existing ordinances by replacing references to Singapore currency with Australian currency, thereby aligning the legislative language with the actual currency in use in the Territory. The objective of this amendment was to ensure clarity and accuracy in legal documents and facilitate smoother administration of the Territory’s laws.

Scope and Application

The Interpretation Ordinance 1966 applies to all existing and future ordinances made under the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act 1955-1963, effectively covering any legislative instrument enacted in the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands. This includes references to monetary amounts within these ordinances, which are to be interpreted as Australian currency unless expressly stated otherwise. Moreover, the Ordinance modifies the conversion rate for Singapore currency to Australian currency, updating previous references within the Interpretation Ordinance 1955-1964. This adjustment ensures that monetary references are consistently aligned with the Australian monetary system. The Ordinance came into effect on 14 February 1966, providing a clear framework for the interpretation of financial terms in local legislation. There are no exclusions or exemptions specified within the text, and the Ordinance does not extend its application beyond the amendments outlined.

Key Provisions

The Interpretation Ordinance 1966 (section 1) serves as an amendment to the Interpretation Ordinance 1955-1964, and it may be cited as such. The Ordinance was made under the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act 1955-1963 and is set to come into effect on the fourteenth day of February, 1966 (section 2). This legislative instrument inserts a new section (6a) after section 6 of the Interpretation Ordinance 1955-1964, clarifying that any reference in an Ordinance made under the Act to an amount of money expressed in dollars, dollars and cents or cents should be interpreted as an amount in Australian currency, unless the contrary is clearly intended (section 3). Furthermore, section 4 amends section 20 of the Interpretation Ordinance 1955-1964 by replacing the figures and word “.147 pound” with “.294 dollar” in subsection (2). Under the Interpretation Ordinance 1966, parties and entities governed by the Act must adhere to the new provisions regarding currency interpretation and conversion. Specifically, any monetary references in Ordinances made under the Act must be interpreted in Australian currency unless expressly stated otherwise. This includes the amendment of monetary conversion rates, where references to Singapore currency are updated to reflect the new rate of.294 dollars per pound (section 4). Such obligations ensure consistency and clarity in the interpretation of monetary terms across all Ordinances governed by the Act. Failure to comply with the provisions of the Interpretation Ordinance 1966 may result in legal repercussions. Although the Ordinance itself does not explicitly detail specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences for breaches, non-compliance with legislative requirements can potentially lead to disputes and legal challenges. Given the importance of accurate monetary interpretation in legal and administrative processes, any misinterpretation due to non-compliance could result in significant legal and administrative consequences, including the potential for nullification of transactions or legal actions taken under the erroneous interpretations.