Wine Grapes Charges (Repeal) Act 1979

Overview

The Wine Grapes Charges (Repeal) Act 1979 was enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia to address the need for the repeal of multiple outdated Acts related to wine grapes charges. The primary purpose of this Act was to streamline legislation by consolidating and repealing several older Acts concerning wine grapes charges. This repeal aimed to simplify the legal framework governing these charges and to ensure that the legislative process is current and efficient. The Act was passed by the Queen, in and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Representatives, and it came into effect on 1 July 1979. By repealing the previous Wine Grapes Charges Acts, the legislation aimed to eliminate redundancy and confusion in the legal system while maintaining the applicability of the 1929 Act to certain existing charges.

Scope and Application

The Wine Grapes Charges (Repeal) Act 1979 effectively repeals multiple earlier enactments related to wine grape charges, namely the Wine Grapes Charges Acts from 1929 through to 1973. This repeal applies to the Commonwealth of Australia, with a specific focus on the viticulture industry, particularly those involved in the production and handling of wine grapes. The Act removes the legislative framework that previously imposed charges on wine grapes, streamlining the legal environment for this sector. It is noteworthy that while the Act repeals the specified Acts, it maintains the applicability of the original Wine Grapes Charges Act 1929 for grapes on which a charge was payable before the commencement of the Repeal Act. This ensures continuity for ongoing transactions and obligations that were already in process prior to the effective date of the repeal. The geographic scope of this legislation is national, as it pertains to federal law, and it does not introduce new charges or alter existing ones outside the specific repeal provisions outlined.

Key Provisions

The Wine Grapes Charges (Repeal) Act 1979 (section 1) provides for the repeal of several prior Acts, collectively known as the Wine Grapes Charges Acts, while allowing the 1929 Act to continue to apply in specific circumstances. Section 2 stipulates the commencement date of this Act as 1 July 1979. Section 3 details the repeal of the Wine Grapes Charges Act 1929, as well as other subsequent Acts up until 1973. However, it also maintains that the 1929 Act will still apply to grapes for which a charge was payable before the commencement of this Act. The Act imposes certain obligations on the entities it governs. For example, it requires that the repealed Acts are no longer in effect as of the commencement date, except where grapes were already subject to a charge under the 1929 Act. This means that for any transactions or charges related to wine grapes that were ongoing or pending before 1 July 1979, the provisions of the 1929 Act will still apply, ensuring continuity for those specific obligations. There are no explicit offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences detailed within the Act itself. The primary focus of the Act is the repeal of the specified legislation, with the specific exception noted in section 3(2). Therefore, while the Act governs the cessation of certain legal provisions, it does not introduce new sanctions or penalties for non-compliance with its terms. It is worth noting, however, that failure to adhere to the remaining provisions of the 1929 Act, as they continue to apply to certain transactions, could result in consequences under that Act.