Spirits
No. 25 of 1972
An Act to amend the Spirits Act 1906-1969.
[Assented to 17 May 1972]
BE it enacted by the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—
Short title and citation.
1.—(1.) This Act may be cited as the Spirits Act 1972.
(2.) The Spirits Act 1906-1969 is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.
(3.) The Principal Act, as amended by this Act, may be cited as the Spirits Act 1906-1972.
Commencement.
2. This Act shall come into operation on the first day of July, One thousand nine hundred and seventy-two.
Interpretation.
3. Section 3 of the Principal Act is amended—
(a) by inserting before the definition of “Article of food or drink” the following definition:—
“‘Alcohol’ means ethyl alcohol;”;
(b) by omitting from paragraph (a) of the definition of “Pure Australian Standard Brandy” the words “at a strength not exceeding forty-five per cent. over proof” and inserting in their stead the words “and contain not more than eighty-three per cent. by volume of alcohol”;
(c) by omitting from paragraph (a) of the definition of “Australian Blended Brandy” the words “at a strength not exceeding forty-five per cent. over proof” and inserting in their stead the words “and contains not more than eighty-three per cent. by volume of alcohol”;
(d) by omitting from paragraph (a) of the definition of “Australian Standard Malt Whisky” the words “at a strength not exceeding forty-five per cent. over proof” and inserting in their stead the words “and contain not more than eighty-three per cent. by volume of alcohol”;
(e) by omitting from paragraph (a) of the definition of “Australian Blended Whisky” the words “at a strength not exceeding forty-five per cent. over proof” and inserting in their stead the words “and contains not more than eighty-three per cent. by volume of alcohol”;
(f) by omitting from paragraph (a) of the definition of “Australian Standard Rum” the words “at a strength not exceeding forty-five per cent. over proof” and inserting in their stead the words “and contain not more than eighty-three per cent. by volume of alcohol”; and
(g) by adding at the end thereof the following sub-section:—
“(2.) For the purposes of this Act—
(a) the volume of alcohol contained in spirits shall be taken to be the volume that would be the volume of that alcohol if the alcohol were measured at a temperature of twenty degrees Celsius; and
(b) a calculation made for the purpose of ascertaining the volume of alcohol by reference to the specific gravity of alcohol shall be made on the basis that, at a temperature of twenty degrees Celsius and in vacuum, the specific gravity of alcohol in relation to water is 0.79067.”.
Schedule.
4. The Schedule to the Principal Act is amended by omitting the words “be of a strength not less than sixty-five degrees over proof” (wherever occurring) and inserting in their stead the words “contain not less than ninety-four per cent. by volume of alcohol”.