{"id":"corio-newport-pipeline-act-1953","name":"Corio to Newport Pipeline Act 1953","slug":"corio-to-newport-pipeline-act-1953","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"vic","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":176260,"registerId":"vic-corio-newport-pipeline-act-1953-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Corio to Newport Pipeline Act 1953","content":"Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documentsi\nVersion No. 001\nCorio to Newport Pipeline Act 1953\nAct No. 5743/1953\nVersion as at 1 November 1999\nTABLE OF PROVISIONS\nSection Page\n1. Short title 2\n2. Definitions 2\n3. Provision for leases etc. over Crown land 2\n4. Provision for leases etc. over lands of public statutory\ncorporations 3\n5. Provision for extension of this Act to easements etc. for other\nworks 3\n6. No liability to attach to Crown 4\n═══════════════\nENDNOTES 5\n1. General Information 5\n2. Table of Amendments 6\n3. Explanatory Details 7\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents1\nVersion No. 001\nCorio to Newport Pipeline Act 1953\nAct No. 5743/1953\nVersion as at 1 November 1999\nAn Act to authorise the Granting to The Shell Company of\nAustralia Limited of Leases Easements Licences or other\nAuthorities for an Oil Pipeline over Crown Lands and Lands\nvested in or controlled by Public Statutory Corporations\nbetween Corio and Newport, and for other purposes.\nPreamble\nWHEREAS The Shell Company of Australia\nLimited, a company registered in Victoria as a\ncompany incorporated outside Victoria, is\nconstructing an oil pipeline to connect its\ninstallations at Corio with its installations at\nNewport along a line extending from the said\ncompany's premises on the eastern side of the\nCorio railway station in a northerly direction to the\nPrinces Highway, thence in a north-easterly\ndirection along or in proximity to the Princes\nHighway to Werribee, thence in a north-easterly\ndirection along or in proximity to the Geelong to\nMelbourne railway line or the Princes Highway to\nthe Melbourne-road at or near Newport railway\nstation, and thence in a northerly and easterly\ndirection to the said company's premises at Hall\nand High streets, Newport:\nAND WHEREAS the hereinbefore recited line\ntraverses not only alienated lands but also\nunalienated Crown lands and lands vested in or\nunder the care and management of certain\ncorporations (hereinafter called \"public statutory\ncorporations\") established by or pursuant to Acts\nof Parliament for various public purposes:\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 5743/1953\nCorio to Newport Pipeline Act 1953\n2\nAND WHEREAS it is expedient that provision be\nmade whereby the said company may be granted\nsuch leases easements licences or other authorities\nas may be necessary or expedient to enable the said\npipeline to pass through or over the said lands:\nAND WHEREAS it is expedient to make further\nprovision with respect to the operation of the said\ninstallations at Corio as hereinafter provided:\nBE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen's Most\nExcellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the\nLegislative Council and the Legislative Assembly of Victoria\nin this present Parliament assembled and by the authority of\nthe same as follows (that is to say):\n1. Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the Corio to Newport\nPipeline Act 1953.\n2. Definitions\nIn this Act—\n\"company\" means The Shell Company of\nAustralia Limited;\n\"pipeline\" means the oil pipeline constructed or\nto be constructed along the line hereinbefore\nrecited;\n\"public statutory corporation\" means any body\ncorporate established by or pursuant to any\nAct for any public purpose and, without\naffecting the generality of the foregoing,\nincludes a municipality.\n3. Provision for leases etc. over Crown land\nNotwithstanding anything to the contrary in any\nAct or in any lease licence proclamation\nreservation declaration or dedication of or with\nrespect to any unalienated Crown land, the\ns. 1\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 5743/1953\nCorio to Newport Pipeline Act 1953\n3\nGovernor in Council may upon such terms and\nconditions as he thinks fit grant to the company\nany lease easement licence or other authority\nnecessary or expedient to enable the company to\nconstruct any part of the pipeline through or over\nany Crown land and to operate inspect maintain\nand repair any such part of the pipeline.\n4. Provision for leases etc. over lands of public\nstatutory corporations\nNotwithstanding anything to the contrary in any\nAct any public statutory corporation may, upon\nsuch terms and conditions as are agreed upon by\nthe said public statutory corporation and the\ncompany, grant to the company any lease\neasement licence or other authority of or over—\n(a) any land vested in the said public statutory\ncorporation; or\n(b) any land (other than Crown land reserved\nunder the provisions of section fourteen of\nthe Land Act 1928 or held under lease or\nlicence from the Crown) under the care and\nmanagement of the said public statutory\ncorporation—\nnecessary or expedient to enable the company to\nconstruct any part of the pipeline through or over\nany such land and to operate inspect maintain and\nrepair any such part of the pipeline.\n5. Provision for extension of this Act to easements etc.\nfor other works\n(1) When plans for the treatment and disposal of\neffluent from the company's installations at Corio\nhave been submitted by the company to the\nMinister and approved, on the recommendation of\nthe Commission of Public Health, by Order of the\nGovernor in Council published in the Government\nGazette, the provisions of sections three and four\ns. 4\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 5743/1953\nCorio to Newport Pipeline Act 1953\n4\nof this Act shall extend and apply to the granting\nof leases easements licences and other authorities\nfor the construction of works for the intake and\noutflow of water from and to Corio Bay to and\nfrom the said installations, but until the said\npublication no such lease easement licence or\nauthority shall be granted to the company by any\npublic statutory corporation.\n(2) The discharge from the company's installations at\nCorio into Corio Bay of any water which is\npolluted by oil or oil wastes or otherwise\noffensive shall, without prejudice to any other\nproceedings which might be instituted thereon, be\ndeemed a nuisance within the meaning of Part III\nof the Health Act 1928 and the Commission of\nPublic Health shall have and may exercise in\nrespect of any such nuisance all the powers duties\nand authorities conferred and imposed by that Part\nupon municipal councils and upon the\nCommission, and all the provisions of the Health\nActs with respect to such nuisances or relating to\nor consequent upon proceedings therefor shall so\nfar as applicable apply accordingly.\n6. No liability to attach to Crown\nNo public statutory corporation and no person or\nbody of persons corporate or unincorporate shall\nbe entitled to receive or shall receive from the\nCrown any money or compensation or\nconsideration in respect of or in any manner\narising out of the passing or operation of this Act\nor any act matter or thing done thereunder.\n═══════════════\ns. 6\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 5743/1953\nCorio to Newport Pipeline Act 1953\n5\nENDNOTES\n1. General Information\nThe Corio to Newport Pipeline Act 1953 was assented to on 15 December\n1953 and came into operation on 15 December 1953.\nEndnotes\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 5743/1953\nCorio to Newport Pipeline Act 1953\n6\n2. Table of Amendments\nThere are no amendments made to the Corio to Newport Pipeline Act 1953\nby Acts and subordinate instruments.\nEndnotes\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 5743/1953\nCorio to Newport Pipeline Act 1953\n7\n3. Explanatory Details\nNo entries at date of publication.\nEndnotes","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on the limited information available, there is no evidence the scope has changed from its original intent. The Act appears to remain focused on its original purpose of authorising the Corio to Newport pipeline. Its 'in force' status with an 'as made' version suggests minimal or no amendments."},"complexity_factors":["Insufficient legislative text provided to assess true complexity","Narrow and specific subject matter (single infrastructure asset) keeps complexity low","Age of the Act (1953) may mean archaic drafting style if full text were available","Potential interaction with modern energy and pipeline legislation could add complexity","Property/land access rights provisions in pipeline legislation can be technically detailed"],"plain_english_summary":"A short Victorian Act from 1953 that authorises and regulates a pipeline between Corio and Newport. It most likely concerns transport of fuel products between the refinery area near Geelong and Melbourne’s industrial waterfront.\n\nIt affects pipeline operators and landowners along the route by conferring legal authority to install and operate the line and by setting access and use rights. Although old, the Act remains in force and can still have legal effect."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Act remains in its original form and purpose: it authorises grants to Shell over Crown and public statutory corporation land for the Corio–Newport pipeline and conditionally for intake/outflow works. Endnotes record no amendments to the Act since assent, so scope has not changed."},"complexity_factors":["Short, specific regime limited to one company and one pipeline (low structural complexity)","Use of broad 'notwithstanding' powers overriding other Acts and instruments (legal interaction risk)","Governor in Council discretion for Crown grants (administrative discretion)","Bilateral negotiation with public statutory corporations for terms (contracting complexity)","Conditional extension for water intake/outflow works requiring ministerial and public health approval (procedural condition, s.5)","Reference to nuisance and application of Health Act powers for discharges (interplay with health legislation, s.5(2))","Clause removing Crown liability/compensation claims (s.6) affects remedies and cost allocation"],"plain_english_summary":"This Act authorises The Shell Company of Australia Limited to be granted leases, easements, licences or other authorities over Crown land and land vested in or managed by public statutory corporations so it can construct, operate, inspect, maintain and repair an oil pipeline between Corio and Newport (ss.3–4). It also permits similar rights for intake/outflow works to Corio Bay if effluent plans are approved by the Minister on the Commission of Public Health's recommendation (s.5).\n\nDecisions on Crown land are made by the Governor in Council and on corporation land by the relevant public statutory corporation on agreed terms; the Crown is not liable to pay compensation under the Act (ss.3–6)."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly scoped to its original purpose: facilitating Shell's Corio-Newport pipeline and related refinery water works. No expansion beyond the 1953 intent is evident."},"complexity_factors":["Only 6 operative sections spanning 4 pages","Just 3 defined terms in the interpretation section (section 2)","Minimal cross-referencing—only references to the Land Act 1928 and Health Act 1928","No nested exceptions or conditional logic beyond a simple 'when/then' trigger in section 5(1)","Straightforward purposive preamble explaining the factual background","No amendments since enactment in 1953"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does:**\n\nThis is a short, specific law from 1953 that lets Shell build an oil pipeline from Corio (near Geelong) to Newport (in Melbourne's west). The pipeline runs roughly 50km, following the Princes Highway and the railway line.\n\n**Why it was needed:**\n\nNormally, you can't just dig up Crown land (government-owned land) or land owned by public bodies like councils without jumping through legal hoops. This Act cuts through the red tape. It gives the Victorian Government power to grant Shell leases, easements (rights to use someone else's land), or licences to:\n- Build the pipeline across Crown land\n- Build across land owned by public statutory corporations (government bodies, including local councils)\n- Operate, inspect, maintain and repair the pipeline\n\n**The environmental twist:**\n\nThe Act also deals with Shell's refinery at Corio. Section 5 says that once Shell submits (and gets approved) plans for treating waste water from the refinery, they can also build water intake/outflow works into Corio Bay. But there's a big stick attached: if Shell pollutes the bay with oil or offensive waste, that's officially a \"nuisance\" under the Health Act, and the Commission of Public Health can crack down on them.\n\n**Who pays?**\n\nSection 6 makes clear: nobody gets compensation from the government for this Act being passed. If you're a council or public body whose land gets used, you can't bill the Crown for it.\n\n**In short:** This is a 1950s infrastructure deal—streamlining land access for a major oil pipeline while adding some environmental safeguards for the refinery operations."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/corio-to-newport-pipeline-act-1953","history":"/api/acts/corio-to-newport-pipeline-act-1953/history","analysis":"/api/acts/corio-to-newport-pipeline-act-1953/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/corio-to-newport-pipeline-act-1953/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/corio-to-newport-pipeline-act-1953/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/corio-to-newport-pipeline-act-1953/documents"}}