STATUTORY RULES.
1943. No. 113.
REGULATIONS UNDER THE NATIONAL SECURITY ACT 1939-1940.*
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 National Security Act 1939-1940.
Dated this third day of May, 1943.
GOWRIE
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
F. M. FORDE
for and on behalf of the Minister of State for Defence.
Amendments of the National Security (Racing Restriction) Regulations.†
1. Regulation 7 of the National Security (Racing Restriction) Regulations is repealed and the following regulation inserted in its stead:—
Hours of holding of meetings.
“7. A race at a race-meeting or at a meeting for greyhound-racing shall not commence—
(a) during the period during which, under any law, summer time is observed—earlier than fifteen minutes before two o’clock in the afternoon nor later than fifteen minutes after five o’clock in the afternoon on any day; or
(b) during any other period—earlier than fifteen minutes after one o’clock in the afternoon nor later than fifteen minutes before five o’clock in the afternoon on any day.
Number of meetings not to be increased.
2. Regulation 8 of the National Security (Racing Restriction) Regulations is amended by adding at the end thereof the following proviso:—
“Provided that, where a club or association, which was in existence before the first day of January, One thousand nine hundred and forty-two, did not conduct any race-meeting during the previous period, the Premier of any State may authorize the club or association to conduct such number of race-meetings in that State (not exceeding four in any year) as he thinks fit.”.
* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 4th May, 1943.
† Statutory Rules, 1942, No. 398, as amended by Statutory Rules 1942, Nos. 419 and 434; and 1943, No. 88.
By Authority: L. F. Johnston, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.
2736.—Price 3d.
Overview
The Statutory Rules of 1943, No. 113, comprise Regulations made under the National Security Act 1939-1940. Enacted during World War II, this legislation aimed to address the need for stringent measures to conserve resources and maintain national security. The regulations were issued by the Governor-General in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, and were signed on behalf of the Minister of State for Defence, illustrating the urgency and gravity of the situation. The overarching policy objective of these regulations was to impose restrictions on racing activities to ensure they did not conflict with national priorities during a time of war. The specific amendments to the National Security (Racing Restriction) Regulations illustrate the targeted approach to managing the timing and frequency of race meetings to align with broader wartime constraints.
Scope and Application
The Regulations under the National Security Act 1939-1940, specifically amending the National Security (Racing Restriction) Regulations, apply to the conduct of race-meetings and greyhound-racing meetings throughout the Commonwealth of Australia. This legislative instrument imposes restrictions on the timing of such meetings to align with national security measures during a period of heightened alert, presumably in the context of the Second World War. The regulations affect entities such as clubs and associations that were established prior to January 1, 1942, and that may have been granted special permissions by state Premiers to hold a limited number of meetings annually. The regulations provide specific timeframes for when races can commence, with adjustments made for daylight saving periods. While the primary focus is on the regulation of racing activities, the geographic reach of these regulations is national, affecting all states and territories within the Commonwealth of Australia. The regulations also include provisions for exemptions and special authorisations by state Premiers, indicating a layered approach to enforcement and flexibility in application based on specific historical and operational circumstances of racing clubs and associations.
Key Provisions
The Regulations under the National Security Act 1939-1940, particularly the National Security (Racing Restriction) Regulations, have been amended by Statutory Rules. 1943, No. 113, which was notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 4th May, 1943. These regulations primarily pertain to the scheduling of horse and greyhound racing events in Australia during a period of national security concern. Regulation 7 sets specific hours for the commencement of races, ensuring that they do not occur too early or too late in the day, depending on whether daylight saving time is observed. Specifically, races cannot commence earlier than fifteen minutes before 2:00 pm or later than fifteen minutes after 5:00 pm during daylight saving time. During other periods, races cannot start earlier than fifteen minutes after 1:00 pm or later than fifteen minutes before 5:00 pm. Regulation 8 has been amended to allow clubs or associations that did not hold any races before 1st January 1942 the potential to conduct up to four race meetings per year, subject to the approval of the relevant State Premier.
The obligations imposed by these regulations primarily concern race organisers and racing clubs, requiring them to adhere to the specified timings for the commencement of races. This includes ensuring that no race begins outside the permissible hours, thereby maintaining a consistent and orderly schedule of events. For clubs that were not previously active in racing, the regulations provide a conditional opportunity to resume activities, subject to approval from the Premier of the relevant state. This oversight is intended to ensure that any resumption of racing activities is within the bounds set by the regulations and does not exceed the permitted number of events.
Failure to comply with these regulations may result in legal consequences. Although the specific penalties are not detailed within the text of the regulations, breaches of the National Security Act 1939-1940 or any subsidiary regulations could potentially lead to criminal charges, fines, or other penalties as prescribed by the relevant legislation. The exact nature and severity of these penalties would be determined by the courts, taking into account the specific circumstances of each case. It is also worth noting that non-compliance with national security regulations can have broader implications, including potential reputational damage for the clubs involved and disruption to the orderly conduct of racing events.