War Precautions Regulations 1915 (Amendment) (Provisional)

Legislation au C1916L00048 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

STATUTORY RULES.

1916. No. 48.

 

PROVISIONAL REGULATIONS UNDER THE WAR PRECAUTIONS ACT 1914-1915.

War Precautions Regulations 1915—Regulation 28a—Amendment.

I, SIR ARTHUR STANLEY, Governor of the State of Victoria and its Dependencies in the Commonwealth of Australia, acting as the Deputy of the Governor-General in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby certify that, on account of urgency, the following Regulation under the War Precautions Act 1914-1915 should come into immediate operation, and make the Regulation to come into operation forthwith as a Provisional Regulation.

Dated this fifth day of April, One thousand nine hundred and sixteen.

A. L. STANLEY,

Deputy of the Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

G. F. PEARCE.

 

War Precautions Regulations 1915.

Amendment.

Regulation 28a (inserted as a Provisional Regulation by Statutory Rule No. 228 of 1915, dated 24th November, 1915) which reads as follows:—

Submission of matter before printing of publication.

“28a. (i) The Chief of the General Staff or the Deputy Chief Censor, or any person whom the Chief of the General Staff or the Deputy Chief Censor may authorize to exercise the powers conferred by this Regulation, may by order in writing require the editor or printer or publisher of any newspaper or periodical, or the author or printer or publisher of any matter intended to be printed and published, to submit before publication any matter (whether in manuscript or print) intended for publication which relate to any of the subjects mentioned in Regulation 19, or the publication of which would be an offence under Regulation 28.

(ii) An order may be given under this paragraph in respect of a particular subject, or of all the subjects or matters referred to in sub-paragraph (1) of this Regulation, and in the case of a newspaper or periodical may be given in respect of a particular issue or of all the issue for a specified period of such newspaper or periodical.

(iii) Any person who fails to comply with an order given under this Regulation shall be guilty of an offence against the Act.”

is cancelled and the following substituted:

Submission of matter before printing of publication.

“28a. (1) The Chief of the General Staff or the Deputy Chief Censor, or any person whom the Chief of the General Staff or the Deputy Chief Censor may authorize to exercise the power conferred by sub-regulation (1) of this Regulation, may by order in


writing require the editor or printer or publisher of any newspaper or periodical, or the author or printer or periodical of any matter intended to be printed and published, to submit before publication to any person named in the order any matter (whether in manuscript or print) intended for publication which relates as refers to the present war or to any subject connected there with or arising therefrom or to any of the subjects mentioned in Regulation 19, or the publication of which would be an offence under Regulation 28.

(2) An order may be given under this Regulation in respect of a particular subject, or of all the subjects or matters referred to in sub-regulation (1) of this Regulation and in the case of a newspaper or periodical may be given in respect of a particular issue or of all the issues for a specified period of such newspaper or periodical.

(3) Any person who fails to comply with an order given under this Regulation shall be guilty of an offence against the Act.

(4) In any case in which an order has been given under this Regulation in respect of any newspaper or periodical or other publication the Minister may give authority for any person or persons appointed by the Chief of this General Staff or the Deputy Chief Censor or any person whom the Chief of the General Staff or the Deputy Chief Censor may authorize to exercise the powers conferred by sub-regulation (1) of this Regulation—

(a) to enter any premises in which any part of any such publication is being set up or printed; and

(b) to remain in such premises so long as there is therein any type or other appliance which has been or is being used or is intended to be used or is in a condition adapted for use in the production of such publication; and

(c) if any such publication contains or is intended to contain—

(i) any matter to which this Regulation relates and which has not been submitted in accordance with this Regulation; or

(ii) any matter to which this Regulation relates and which has been submitted in accordance with this Regulation but which is printed or is intended to be printed either without the permission of the person to whom such matter has been submitted or with alterations not approved by such person.

to seize all copies of such publication or of any part thereof and any type or other appliance which has been or is being used or is intended to be used or is in a condition adapted for use in the production of such copies and may retain them during the Minister’s pleasure.”

 

Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.

C. 4488.—Price 8d.

 

Overview

The War Precautions Regulations 1915 were enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia to address the urgent need for control over the dissemination of information during wartime, particularly in the context of World War I. These regulations were introduced to prevent the publication of sensitive information that could be detrimental to national security or the war effort. The regulations were enacted by the Federal Executive Council, acting with the advice of the Governor of the State of Victoria and its Dependencies in the capacity of the Deputy of the Governor-General, as permitted by the Constitution. The primary policy objective was to ensure that any matter intended for publication that related to the war or subjects connected to it was subject to prior scrutiny to prevent unauthorised disclosure.

Scope and Application

The War Precautions Regulations 1915, as amended by Statutory Rule No. 48 of 1916, apply to any person involved in the publication of newspapers, periodicals, or any other printed material intended for publication. This includes editors, printers, and publishers, as well as authors of any matter intended for publication. The scope of the Regulation extends to any content that relates to the ongoing war or subjects connected or arising from it, as well as matters specified in Regulation 19 or those that would be an offence under Regulation 28. The authority to enforce these regulations lies with the Chief of the General Staff, the Deputy Chief Censor, or any authorised person who may require the submission of any matter for review before publication. Failure to comply with these requirements constitutes an offence under the War Precautions Act 1914-1915. The regulation also allows authorised persons to enter and remain on premises where publications are being produced and to seize any material that does not comply with the regulation, including unauthorised or altered content. This regulation is applicable within the Commonwealth of Australia and is designed to control and monitor the dissemination of information during a period of war.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of these Provisional Regulations under the War Precautions Act 1914-1915 include Regulation 28a, which has been amended to provide greater authority and flexibility in controlling the content of publications during wartime. Regulation 28a(1) now allows the Chief of the General Staff or the Deputy Chief Censor, or any person authorised by them, to require editors, printers, or publishers of newspapers, periodicals, or authors of any matter intended for publication to submit any content related to the present war, subjects connected with it, or matters listed in Regulation 19 before publication. This includes content that would be an offence to publish under Regulation 28. Regulation 28a(2) specifies that such orders can apply to specific issues or all issues for a specified period. Failure to comply with these orders results in an offence against the Act as per Regulation 28a(3). These Regulations impose specific obligations on editors, printers, publishers, and authors to ensure that any content intended for publication that falls under the purview of Regulation 28a is submitted for review before publication. The authorised persons can issue written orders requiring the submission of manuscripts or printed materials. Additionally, they have the authority to appoint individuals to enter premises where publications are being produced, remain there as long as printing equipment is in use, and seize copies of publications that contain unapproved or altered content as per Regulation 28a(4). This allows for stringent control over the dissemination of information during wartime. The Regulations also outline the consequences for non-compliance. According to Regulation 28a(3), any person who fails to comply with an order issued under Regulation 28a commits an offence against the Act. The specific penalties for such offences are not detailed within these Regulations but would be governed by the broader provisions of the War Precautions Act 1914-1915 and any related legislation. The power to seize publications and printing equipment, as provided in Regulation 28a(4), further emphasises the serious nature of non-compliance and the potential for significant disruption to the publication process.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
National Security Law
Instrument
Regulation
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Enforcement Powers
Offence Provisions

Interactions

Authorises

All Versions

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.