Meat Industry Control Act 1946

Legislation au C1946A00037 Not in force Act

Legislation content

MEAT INDUSTRY CONTROL.

 

No. 37 of 1946.

An Act to provide for the transfer of the powers, authorities and functions conferred upon and exercised by the Controller of Meat Supplies and the Meat Canning Committee appointed under the National Security (Meat Industry Control) Regulations and the National Security (Meat Industry) Regulations respectively to the Australian Meat Board during the continuance of the National Security Act 1939-1946 and the Regulations thereunder.

[Assented to 14th August, 1946.]

BE it enacted by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—

Short title.

1. This Act may be cited as the Meat Industry Control Act 1946.

Commencement.

2. This Act shall commence on a date to be fixed by Proclamation.

Definitions.

3. In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears—

“the Board” means the Australian Meat Board constituted under this Act;


“the National Security (Meat Industry Control) Regulations” means the Regulations so entitled, being Statutory Rules 1943, No. 64, as amended by Statutory Rules 1943, Nos. 186 and 284 and by Statutory Rules 1944, No. 174;

“the National Security (Meat Industry) Regulations” means the Regulations so entitled, being Statutory Rules 1942, No. 69, as amended by Statutory Rules 1943, No. 88, by Statutory Rules 1944, No. 7, and by Statutory Rules 1945, No. 54;”

“the National Security (Prices) Regulations” means the Regulations so entitled, being Statutory Rules 1940, No. 176, as amended by Statutory Rules 1940, Nos. 219 and 294, by Statutory Rules 1941, Nos. 54 and 251, by Statutory Rules 1942, No. 513, by Statutory Rules 1943, Nos. 220, 264 and 278, by Statutory Rules 1944, Nos. 25, 83, 94, 113, 152 and 192, by Statutory Rules 1945, Nos. 7, 24, 47, 52 and 113, and by Statutory Rules 1946, Nos. 12, 19 and 71;

‘the National Security (Rationing) Regulations” means the Regulations so entitled, being Statutory Rules 1942, No. 288, as amended by Statutory Rules 1942, No. 261, by Statutory Rules 1943, Nos. 88, 154 and 308, by Statutory Rules 1944, Nos. 77 and 113, and by Statutory Rules 1945, No. 132.

Constitution of Board.

4.—(1.) For the purposes of this Act, there shall be an Australian Meat Board, and the provisions of the Meat Export Control Act 1935-1946 relating to the constitution and functioning of the Australian Meat Board constituted under that Act shall, subject to this section, apply to and in relation to the Board constituted under this Act as they apply to and in relation to the Australian Meat Board constituted under that Act.

(2.) The Board constituted under this Act shall consist of such members as constitute the Australian Meat Board under the Meat Export Control Act 1935-1946 and, during the continuance of the respective Regulations, the following additional members:—

(a) one member to represent the Commonwealth Prices Commissioner appointed under the National Security (Prices) Regulations; and

(b) one member to represent the Director of Rationing appointed under the National Security (Rationing) Regulations.

Functions of Board

5.—(1.) The Board shall have and perform all the duties, and shall have and may exercise all the powers, authorities and functions of—

(a) the Controller of Meat Supplies under the National Security (Meat Industry Control) Regulations; and

(b) the Meat Canning Committee under the National Security (Meat Industry) Regulations,


and for that purpose—

(c) the Board shall by force of this Act be substituted for, and be deemed to be, the Controller of Meat Supplies and the Meat Canning Committee;

(d) the assets of the Controller of Meat Supplies and of the Meat Canning Committee shall, by force of this Act, be vested in the Board;

(e) all rights, obligations and liabilities which, immediately prior to the commencement of this Act, were vested in or imposed on the Controller of Meat Supplies or the Meat Canning Committee shall by force of this Act be vested in or imposed on the Board; and

(f) in any contract, agreement or other instrument to which the Controller of Meat Supplies or the Meat Canning Committee was a party, any reference to the Controller of Meat Supplies or the Meat Canning Committee shall be read as a reference to the Board.

(2.) The person holding the office of Controller of Meat Supplies and members of the Meat Canning Committee shall, by force of this section, cease to hold such office or to be such members.

Saving of acts of Controller of Meat Supplies and Meat Canning Committee.

6. All restrictions, notices, notifications, directions and authorities issued, all orders, rules, provisions, determinations and recommendations made, all tables and lists prepared, all prices fixed, all licences, approvals, consents and certificates granted or given, all conditions imposed, all remissions and exemptions granted and all things prescribed, by the Controller of Meat Supplies or the Meat Canning Committee or by any person thereto authorized by or under any of the Regulations specified in the last preceding section, and in force immediately prior to the commencement of this Act, shall continue to have full force and effect, but may be revoked, altered or added to by the Board in pursuance of the powers conferred by that section.

Employees of the Controller of Meat Supplies and the Meat Canning Committee.

7. All persons in the employment of the Controller of Meat Supplies or the Meat Canning Committee immediately prior to the commencement of this Act shall, by force of this Act, be in the employment of the Board and be deemed to have been employed under this Act, but, until the terms and conditions of their employment are determined in pursuance of this Act, they shall be deemed to be employed upon the same terms and conditions as those upon which they were employed by the Controller of Meat Supplies or the Meat Canning Committee, as the case may be.

Pending applications.

8. Any application made to the Controller of Meat Supplies or the Meat Canning Committee and pending immediately prior to the commencement of this Act shall be deemed to have been made to the Board.

Overview

The Meat Industry Control Act 1946 was enacted to address the need for streamlined control over the meat industry during the period of the National Security Act 1939-1946. This Act was introduced to transfer the powers, authorities, and functions of the Controller of Meat Supplies and the Meat Canning Committee to the Australian Meat Board, ensuring that these responsibilities were consolidated under one governing body. The Act was assented to on 14th August 1946 by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia. The policy objective of this legislation was to ensure efficient and coordinated oversight of the meat industry during a time of national security concerns, thereby maintaining the continuity and effectiveness of meat industry controls. The Act facilitated the transfer of assets, rights, obligations, and liabilities from the previous authorities to the Australian Meat Board, ensuring that the transition was smooth and that existing regulations and orders remained in effect until altered by the Board.

Scope and Application

The Meat Industry Control Act 1946 applies to the transfer of powers, authorities, and functions from the Controller of Meat Supplies and the Meat Canning Committee to the Australian Meat Board during the continuance of the National Security Act 1939-1946 and the regulations under it. This Act encompasses the entire Commonwealth of Australia and is applicable to the meat industry, including the regulation of meat supplies and canning processes. The Act incorporates existing regulations and makes them applicable to the Board, ensuring continuity in enforcement and compliance. Employees of the Controller of Meat Supplies and the Meat Canning Committee are transferred to the Board, maintaining their employment terms until formally reviewed. The Act provides for the continuation of any pending applications made to the Controller of Meat Supplies or the Meat Canning Committee, treating them as if they were submitted to the Board. The Board has the authority to revoke, alter, or add to any existing restrictions, notices, and determinations made under the prior regulations.

Key Provisions

The Meat Industry Control Act 1946 (C1946A00037) primarily serves to transfer certain powers and functions from the Controller of Meat Supplies and the Meat Canning Committee to the Australian Meat Board during the duration of the National Security Act 1939-1946 and its associated regulations. The key provisions of this Act are outlined in sections 4 through 8. Section 4 establishes the Australian Meat Board, which is constituted in accordance with the provisions of the Meat Export Control Act 1935-1946, with additional members representing the Commonwealth Prices Commissioner and the Director of Rationing. Section 5 grants the Board all the powers, authorities, and functions of the Controller of Meat Supplies and the Meat Canning Committee, including the ability to revoke, alter, or add to any regulations or determinations made by the previous bodies. Section 6 ensures that all actions taken by the Controller of Meat Supplies and the Meat Canning Committee prior to the Act’s commencement remain in effect unless altered or revoked by the Board. Section 7 transfers all employees of the Controller of Meat Supplies and the Meat Canning Committee to the Board, maintaining their existing terms and conditions of employment until otherwise specified by the Act. Finally, Section 8 stipulates that any applications pending before the Controller of Meat Supplies or the Meat Canning Committee at the Act’s commencement are considered to have been made to the Board. The Meat Industry Control Act 1946 imposes specific obligations on the Australian Meat Board. The Board is mandated to perform all duties and exercise all powers, authorities, and functions previously held by the Controller of Meat Supplies and the Meat Canning Committee. This includes the authority to make, revoke, alter, or add to any regulations, orders, or determinations made by the previous bodies. Additionally, the Board is required to determine the terms and conditions of employment for employees transferred from the Controller of Meat Supplies and the Meat Canning Committee. The Board must also manage the assets, rights, obligations, and liabilities of the previous bodies, ensuring continuity in the regulation and control of the meat industry. The Act does not explicitly outline specific offences or penalties for breaches of its provisions. However, given the context of the National Security Act 1939-1946 and its regulations, any failure to comply with the Meat Industry Control Act 1946 could potentially be subject to the penalties and consequences outlined in those broader regulations. Typically, violations under such wartime control legislation could result in substantial fines or imprisonment, depending on the severity and impact of the breach on national security and the regulated industry. The precise penalties would be determined in accordance with the relevant provisions of the National Security Act and its subsidiary regulations.

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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.