STATUTORY RULES
1915. No. 47.
PROVISIONAL REGULATIONS UNDER WAR PRECAUTIONS ACT 1914.
The War Precautions Regulations 1914—Regulation 4—Amendment.
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby certify that, on account of urgency, the following Regulation should come into immediate operation, and make the Regulation to come into operation forthwith as a Provisional Regulation.
Dated this twenty-third day of April, One thousand nine hundred and fifteen.
R. M. FERGUSON,
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
G. F. PEARCE.
THE WAR PRECAUTIONS REGULATIONS 1914.
Amendment.
Regulation 4, which reads as follows:—
“4. No person shall obstruct or otherwise interfere with or impede or withhold any information in his possession which he may reasonably be required to furnish from any officer or other person who is carrying out the orders of the competent naval or military authority, or who is otherwise acting in accordance with his duty under these Regulations.”
is cancelled, and the following substituted therefor:—
“4. No person shall obstruct or otherwise interfere with or impede or withhold any information in his possession which he may reasonably be required to furnish from any officer or other person who is carrying out the orders of the competent naval or military authority, or who is authorized in that behalf by the Minister, or who is otherwise acting in accordance with his duty under these Regulations.”
Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.
C.3315.—Price 3d.
Overview
The War Precautions Regulations 1914, as amended by Statutory Rules 1915, No. 47, were introduced to address the urgent need to facilitate the efficient operation of military and naval authorities during the First World War. Enacted by the Governor-General in Council, these regulations aimed to ensure that any necessary information could be promptly obtained from the public, thereby supporting the war effort. The specific amendment to Regulation 4 broadened the scope of authorised officers to include those specifically authorised by the Minister, thereby providing greater flexibility in the execution of the regulations and ensuring a smoother and more effective operation in wartime conditions.
Scope and Application
The War Precautions Regulations 1914, as amended by Statutory Rules 1915, No. 47, apply to all persons within the Commonwealth of Australia. These regulations pertain specifically to conduct that may obstruct, interfere with, impede, or withhold information from officers or persons acting under the authority of naval or military commands, or those authorised by the Minister, in the execution of their duties under the War Precautions Act 1914. The regulations extend to all individuals and entities within Australia's jurisdiction, ensuring compliance with the overarching intent to facilitate the efficient operation of military and naval authorities during a declared period of war precautions. The amended Regulation 4 clarifies the scope of authorised personnel who can request information, thus broadening the reach of compliance to include those specifically designated by the Minister. These regulations do not specify exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds but are subject to further refinement and application through subordinate instruments, thereby allowing for the dynamic adjustment of specific measures as required by the evolving circumstances of national security.
Key Provisions
The War Precautions Regulations 1914, specifically as amended by Statutory Rules 1915, No. 47, include significant changes to Regulation 4 (section 1). Regulation 4 previously required individuals to furnish any information reasonably requested by officers or persons executing orders from the competent naval or military authority. However, the amendment now extends this requirement to include any person authorized by the Minister, in addition to the original scope. This expansion is aimed at ensuring a more streamlined flow of information pertinent to national security during times of urgency.
Under the amended Regulation 4 (section 2), the obligations imposed on individuals are clear: they must provide any information that might be reasonably requested by authorized personnel, whether they are officers executing orders from naval or military authorities or persons specifically authorized by the Minister. This includes not only providing the information but also refraining from any actions that would obstruct, interfere with, impede, or withhold such information. The regulation underscores the importance of cooperation and compliance in safeguarding national security.
The consequences for non-compliance with Regulation 4 (section 3) are severe, as the failure to furnish requested information, or the deliberate obstruction of such requests, could be construed as an interference with national security measures. While the specific penalties for breaching these provisions are not detailed in the provided text, it is reasonable to infer that penalties could be significant, given the context of war precautions and the critical nature of the information involved. Such breaches could potentially result in criminal charges, reflecting the gravity of the obligations placed on individuals by the regulation.