{"id":"meat-industries-act-1996","name":"Meat Industries Act 1996","slug":"meat-industries-act-1996","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"nt","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":30351,"registerId":"nt-meat-industries-act-1996-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Meat Industries Act 1996","content":"NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\nMEAT INDUSTRIES ACT 1996\nAs in force at 27 November 2023\nTable of provisions\nPart 1 Preliminary\n1 Short title ......................................................................................... 1\n2 Commencement .............................................................................. 1\n3 Objects ............................................................................................ 1\n4 Interpretation ................................................................................... 1\n5 Application ....................................................................................... 6\n6 Permit to slaughter .......................................................................... 7\nPart 2 Administration\n7 Chief Inspector may approve fees ................................................... 7\n8 Delegation by Chief Inspector.......................................................... 8\n9 Meat inspectors ............................................................................... 8\n10 Identity cards ................................................................................... 8\n11 Quality assurance programs ............................................................ 9\n12 Registers ......................................................................................... 9\nPart 3 Licences\nDivision 1 Applications\n13 Applications for licences ................................................................ 10\n14 Applications relating to establishment in area subject to\ndevelopment provisions or interim development control order ...... 11\n15 Applications relating to establishment in area not subject to\ndevelopment provisions or interim development control order ...... 11\n16 Advertisements in relation to establishments................................. 12\nDivision 2 Objections and investigations\n17 Objections to proposed applications .............................................. 13\n18 Investigations regarding applicants ............................................... 13\nDivision 3 Grant of licences\n19 Chief Inspector may grant licences................................................ 13\n20 Conditions of licences .................................................................... 15\n21 Trial slaughter before grant of licence ........................................... 16\n\nMeat Industries Act 1996 ii\nDivision 4 Renewal, &c., of licences\n22 Duration of licence ......................................................................... 16\n23 Renewal of licence ........................................................................ 16\n24 Variation of licence ........................................................................ 17\n25 Amendment and revocation of condition of licence ....................... 18\n26 Transfer of licence ......................................................................... 18\n27 Cancellation and suspension of licence, &c................................... 19\n28 Surrender of licence ...................................................................... 20\nPart 4 Managers and supervision of operations\nunder licence\n29 Nomination of manager in application ........................................... 20\n30 Nomination of manager after grant of licence ................................ 21\n31 Supervision of operations under licences ...................................... 22\n32 Where manager, &c. ceases to be fit and proper person, &c. ....... 22\nPart 5 Offences\nDivision 1 Slaughter, processing and sale of meat for\nhuman consumption\n33 Sale of meat for human consumption ............................................ 22\n34 Slaughter and processing of meat for human consumption ........... 23\n35 Presumption as to whether meat intended for human\nconsumption .................................................................................. 24\nDivision 2 Pet meat\n36 Sale of pet meat ............................................................................ 24\n37 Slaughter and processing of pet meat ........................................... 25\n38 Purchase of pet meat .................................................................... 25\n39 Transport of pet meat .................................................................... 26\nDivision 2A Bait meat\n40A Sale of bait meat............................................................................ 26\n40B Slaughter and processing of bait meat .......................................... 27\n40C Transport of bait meat ................................................................... 27\nDivision 3 Disease and contamination\n40 Slaughter of diseased or contaminated animals ............................ 27\n41 Birdsville Horse Disease ................................................................ 28\n42 Persons with disease ..................................................................... 28\n\nMeat Industries Act 1996 iii\nDivision 4 Miscellaneous\n43 Inspector not to receive gifts of meat ............................................. 29\n44 Person not to alter, &c., establishment .......................................... 29\n45 Copying or use of stamp ................................................................ 29\n46 Falsely identifying meat ................................................................. 30\n47 Restrictions on slaughter ............................................................... 30\n48 Disposal of condemned meat ........................................................ 31\n49 Evidence of possession for sale .................................................... 32\n50 Refrigeration of meat, or storage of refrigerated meat, for sale ..... 32\n51 Hindering inspectors, &c. ............................................................... 32\n52 Movement of stock from establishment ......................................... 33\n53 Transportation of meat .................................................................. 33\n54 Failure to notify or lodge report ...................................................... 34\nPart 6 Control and enforcement\nDivision 1 Powers of inspectors\n55 Production of identity card ............................................................. 34\n56 Powers of inspector to enter .......................................................... 34\n57 Other powers of inspectors ............................................................ 35\n58 Power of inspector in relation to persons suffering from\ndisease .......................................................................................... 37\nDivision 2 Liability and procedure\n59 General offences and penalties ..................................................... 37\n60 Institution of proceedings ............................................................... 38\n61 Court may suspend or cancel licence ............................................ 38\n62 Liability for acts .............................................................................. 38\n63 Liability of directors, managers and corporations .......................... 38\n64 Averments and evidence ............................................................... 39\n65 Evidence of sale or slaughter ........................................................ 40\n66 Seizure and forfeiture .................................................................... 40\nPart 7 Review of decisions\n67 Review by NTCAT ......................................................................... 42\nPart 8 Miscellaneous\n70 Replacement licence ..................................................................... 42\n71 Notices........................................................................................... 43\n72 Minister may declare or amend standards, &c............................... 43\n73 Acquisition to be on just terms ....................................................... 43\n74 Regulations.................................................................................... 43\n\nMeat Industries Act 1996 iv\nPart 9 Repeal and savings\n75 Repeal ........................................................................................... 46\n76 Transitional .................................................................................... 46\nPart 10 Transitional matters for Statute Law\nAmendment (NTCAT Conferral of\nJurisdiction) Act 2023\n77 Definitions ...................................................................................... 47\n78 NTCAT review limited to decisions made after commencement.... 47\n79 Appeals not commenced before commencement.......................... 47\n80 Appeals not determined before commencement ........................... 48\nSchedule 1 Acts repealed\nSchedule 2 Reviewable decisions\nENDNOTES\n\nNORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\n____________________\nAs in force at 27 November 2023\n____________________\nMEAT INDUSTRIES ACT 1996\nAn Act to protect public health and promote domestic and export\nmarkets for the meat industry by providing for the processing of\nwholesome meat for human consumption and for related purposes\nPart 1 Preliminary\n1 Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the Meat Industries Act 1996.\n2 Commencement\nThis Act shall come into operation on a date to be fixed by the\nAdministrator by notice in the Gazette.\n3 Objects\nThe objects of this Act are:\n(a) to ensure that meat produced for human consumption is\nwholesome;\n(b) to ensure that pet meat produced for pet food or bait meat, is\nnot substituted for meat produced for human consumption;\n(c) to ensure the humane slaughter of animals for human\nconsumption, pet meat and bait meat; and\n(d) to foster export and domestic markets for meat for human\nconsumption, pet meat and bait meat.\n4 Interpretation\n(1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:\nabattoir animal means a head of cattle, a sheep, pig, goat, buffalo,\ndeer, horse, donkey, hinny, mule, camel, rabbit, hare, poultry or a\ncrocodile and includes a species or type of animal declared under\nsubsection (2)(a) but does not include a game animal.\n\nPart 1 Preliminary\nMeat Industries Act 1996 2\nanimal means an abattoir animal, a game animal, an animal\nslaughtered for pet meat or bait meat, poultry and a bird but does\nnot include a fish or aquatic life.\napproved means approved by the Chief Inspector in writing.\napproved fee means a fee approved by the Chief Inspector under\nsection 7.\nbait meat means meat intended for use as bait.\nby-product means all of, or part of, an animal, which animal or part\nof an animal is unfit for human consumption.\ncarcass means the whole dressed body of a slaughtered animal.\nChief Inspector, see the Livestock Act 2008.\ncode of practice means a code of practice declared under\nsection 72.\ncorresponding law means an Act, or an instrument of a legislative\nor administrative character made under an Act, in force in a State or\nanother Territory of the Commonwealth, that corresponds as nearly\nas practicable to this Act, and includes the Export Control Act 1982\nof the Commonwealth and an instrument of a legislative or\nadministrative character made under that Act.\ndressed, in relation to a slaughtered animal, means dressed as\nprescribed.\ndrover means a person in charge of travelling livestock being\nmoved in accordance with the Livestock Act 2008.\nestablishment means a building or land used for the purposes of a\nlicence but does not include a part of an establishment used for\nadministrative or clerical purposes or a shop.\ngame animal means a pig, brumby, donkey or banteng that is not\nhusbanded in the manner of a farmed animal and, where it is\nslaughtered, is slaughtered in the field and includes a species or\ntype of bird or animal declared under subsection (2)(b) that is not\nhusbanded in the manner of a farmed animal and, where it is\nslaughtered, is slaughtered in the field.\ngame meat means meat from a game animal.\nidentity card means a card issued under section 10 or a card that\nis deemed under section 10(3) or 76(4) to be an identity card.\n\nPart 1 Preliminary\nMeat Industries Act 1996 3\ninspector means a person who is an inspector under section 9 or\nunder section 76(3).\nlicence means a licence granted under this Act that is in force.\nlicensee means the holder of a licence.\nmanager means a person approved under section 29(3) or 30(3).\nmeat for human consumption means meat intended for human\nconsumption and includes offal that is fit for human consumption,\nbut does not include pet meat or bait meat.\nmeat transport vehicle means the meat-carrying compartment of\na vehicle, but does not include a prime mover, if any, to which the\nvehicle is attached or a cab chassis forming part of the vehicle.\npet means a carnivorous domestic animal or a carnivorous captive\nanimal.\npet meat means the fresh, chilled or frozen body, carcass, flesh or\nother product derived from an animal, that is intended to be fed to\npets, but does not include a body, carcass, flesh or other meat\nproduct, derived from an animal, that is:\n(a) condemned under this Act as unfit for pet food;\n(b) heat sterilised in an hermetically sealed package or heat dried;\nor\n(c) processed, heat treated (but not sterilised), packed and sealed\nin a manner in respect of which a declaration has been made\nunder subsection (3).\npet meat processing unit means a transportable unit designed or\nintended to process pet meat, that forms part of a vehicle or is\ndesigned to be moved with a vehicle.\npoultry means a domestic fowl, duck, goose, turkey or quail and\nincludes a species or type of bird declared under subsection (2)(c).\nprescribed disease means a disease declared under\nsubsection (2)(d) or prescribed in the Regulations.\nprocess, in relation to meat, means to physically or chemically\nchange meat from the carcass of an animal, but does not include\nchilling or freezing meat or preparing meat for immediate\nconsumption.\n\nPart 1 Preliminary\nMeat Industries Act 1996 4\nquality assurance program means a program approved under\nsection 11 in respect of a licence and includes an amendment to a\nprogram.\nregister means a register maintained under section 12.\nrelevant conviction, in relation to a person, means the person has\nbeen found guilty of an offence against:\n(a) this Act;\n(b) the repealed Acts; or\n(c) a corresponding law,\nfor which he or she was imprisoned or fined $1,000 or more.\nrepealed Acts means the Acts repealed by section 75.\nretailer means a person who:\n(a) purchases and receives meat at a shop or at a residence used\nfor commercial meat processing within the meaning of\nsection 34 or principally for the purposes of resale from a shop\nor the residence; and\n(b) from the shop or residence, disposes of meat principally to\npeople who do not intend to resell the meat or disposes of\nmeat to people who intend to resell the meat in a cooked or\nmarinated state or for immediate consumption.\nsell means every method of disposition for valuable consideration\nand includes:\n(a) barter;\n(b) the disposition to an agent for sale on consignment;\n(c) offering for sale;\n(d) receiving or possessing for sale;\n(e) exposing for sale;\n(f) sending or delivering for sale; and\n(g) causing or permitting to be sold, offered, or exposed for sale.\nshop means a place at which retail trade is carried on.\nstandard means a standard declared under section 72.\n\nPart 1 Preliminary\nMeat Industries Act 1996 5\nthis Act includes the Regulations and any other instrument of an\nadministrative or legislative character made under this Act.\nvehicle means a motor vehicle within the meaning of the Motor\nVehicles Act 1949.\nvessel includes a ship, boat, hovercraft, raft or pontoon and any\nother thing capable of carrying persons or goods through or on\nwater.\nwholesaler means a person who sells meat to a person for the\npurposes of sale of that meat by that other person.\n(2) The Chief Inspector may, by notice in the Gazette, declare:\n(a) a species or type of animal to be an abattoir animal;\n(b) a species or type of animal to be a game animal;\n(c) a species or type of bird to be poultry; and\n(d) a disease to be a prescribed disease.\n(3) The Minister may, by notice in the Gazette, declare that a product,\nderived from an animal, that is intended to be fed to pets and is\nprocessed, heat treated, packed and/or sealed in a manner\nspecified in the notice, is not pet meat for the purposes of this Act.\n(4) In this Act, a reference to the Export Control Act 1982 of the\nCommonwealth includes a reference to an Act of the\nCommonwealth in substitution for that Act.\n(5) For the purposes of this Act, a person is not a fit and proper person\nif:\n(a) the person, or an associate of the person, is not of good\nrepute having regard to character, honesty and integrity;\n(b) the person, or an associate of the person, has a business\nassociation with a person, body or association who or which is\nnot of good repute having regard to character, honesty and\nintegrity; or\n(c) a director, partner, trustee, executive officer, secretary or any\nother officer or person who is or is likely to be associated or\nconnected with the ownership, administration or management\nof the establishment to which the application relates is not a\nsuitable person to be so associated or connected.\n\nPart 1 Preliminary\nMeat Industries Act 1996 6\n(6) For the purposes of subsection (5), a person (the associate) is the\nassociate of another person (the principal) if the associate:\n(a) holds or will hold a relevant financial interest, or is or will be\nentitled to participate in:\n(i) a directorial, managerial or executive decision; or\n(ii) the election of a person to a position within the business\n(whether in right of the person or on behalf of any other\nperson),\nin respect of the operation of an establishment under this Act\nby the principal, and by virtue of that entitlement is able or\nwould be able to exercise significant influence over or with\nrespect to the management or operation of the establishment;\n(b) holds or will hold the position of director, manager, secretary\nor other executive power whether in right of the associate or\non behalf of any other person, in the operation of an\nestablishment under this Act by the principal;\n(c) is a spouse, de facto partner, parent, child or sibling of the\nprincipal; or\n(d) is an agent of the principal.\n(7) For the purposes of subsection (6)(a), a relevant financial interest in\nrespect of the operation of an establishment means:\n(a) a share in the capital of;\n(b) an entitlement to receive income derived from; or\n(c) an entitlement to receive payment as a result of money\nadvanced to,\nthe business operating the establishment.\n5 Application\nThis Act does not apply to or in relation to the slaughter, storage or\nprocessing of an animal, including its carcass or its meat or other\nproduct, where the animal is:\n(a) slaughtered by a person, on land owned or occupied by the\nperson, for consumption of its meat, principally on that land,\nby:\n(i) the person;\n\nPart 2 Administration\nMeat Industries Act 1996 7\n(ii) other persons who reside with the person;\n(iii) the person's employees or non-paying guests; or\n(iv) paying guests, where they are aware that the animal\nwas slaughtered on the property and where they are not\nguests at a shop, roadhouse or other similar premises;\nor\n(b) slaughtered by a drover for consumption of its meat principally\nby:\n(i) the drover;\n(ii) members of the drover's family accompanying the\ndrover; or\n(iii) the drover's employees engaged on the drive or the\ndrover's guests,\nif the person or drover does not sell the carcass, meat or another\nproduct of the animal (other than its hide or horns) other than to an\nemployee, whether as part of the employee's contract of\nemployment or otherwise.\n6 Permit to slaughter\n(1) A person may apply to the Chief Inspector for a permit to slaughter\nan animal for religious purposes.\n(2) The Chief Inspector may, on the application of a person and the\npayment of the approved fee, if any, permit the slaughter of an\nanimal for religious purposes on such conditions as the Chief\nInspector thinks fit and specifies on the permit document.\n(3) A person granted a permit under subsection (1) is, in relation to\nactions performed under the permit, exempted from the application\nof the provisions of this Act specified on the permit document.\nPart 2 Administration\n7 Chief Inspector may approve fees\nThe Chief Inspector may, by notice in the Gazette, approve a fee\nthat is payable under this Act.\n\nPart 2 Administration\nMeat Industries Act 1996 8\n8 Delegation by Chief Inspector\n(1) The Chief Inspector may, by instrument in writing, delegate to a\nperson, or to a person holding, acting in or performing the duties of\nan office, any of his or her powers and functions under this Act,\nother than this power of delegation.\n(2) A power or function delegated under this section, when exercised\nor performed by the delegate, shall be deemed to have been\nexercised or performed by the Chief Inspector.\n(3) A delegation under this section does not prevent the exercise of a\npower or the performance of a function by the Chief Inspector.\n9 Meat inspectors\n(1) The Chief Inspector may appoint a person to be an inspector for the\npurposes of this Act.\n(2) A person appointed under subsection (1) may resign office by\nwriting signed by him or her and delivered to the Chief Inspector.\n(3) Every member of the Police Force is an inspector for the purposes\nof this Act.\n(4) Every authorised person within the meaning of the Export Control\nAct 1982 of the Commonwealth is an inspector for the purposes of\nthis Act.\n10 Identity cards\n(1) The Minister shall issue to the Chief Inspector an identity card\ncontaining a photograph and the signature of the Chief Inspector,\nverified by the signature of the Minister.\n(2) The Chief Inspector shall issue to each inspector appointed under\nsection 9(1) an identity card containing a photograph of the\ninspector and the signature of the inspector, verified by the Chief\nInspector.\n(3) An identity card issued under:\n(a) the Export Control Act 1982 of the Commonwealth to an\nauthorised person within the meaning of that Act; or\n(b) the Livestock Act 2008,\nshall be deemed to be an identity card issued under this Act.\n\nPart 2 Administration\nMeat Industries Act 1996 9\n(4) The holder of an identity card, other than an identity card referred to\nin subsection (3), shall, as soon as practicable after ceasing to be\nan inspector, return the card to:\n(a) where the Minister issued the card – the Minister; or\n(b) in any other case – the Chief Inspector.\nMaximum penalty for an offence against subsection (4): 10 penalty\nunits.\n11 Quality assurance programs\n(1) The holder of a licence or an applicant for a licence may apply to\nthe Chief Inspector for approval of a draft quality assurance\nprogram, being an instrument specifying:\n(a) procedures to be followed, in relation to a licence under this\nAct, for:\n(i) the slaughtering, packaging, processing, dispatch and/or\nimportation into an establishment of meat for human\nconsumption; or\n(ii) the production of pet meat or bait meat; and\n(b) other matters connected with procedures to be performed\nunder a licence or otherwise in relation to a licence.\n(2) A licensee or an applicant for a licence may request assistance in\nthe preparation and development of a draft quality assurance\nprogram and, on payment of the approved fee, the Chief Inspector,\nor a person approved for the purpose, may comply with the request.\n(3) Where the Chief Inspector is satisfied that the procedures set out in\na draft quality assurance program may be performed under the\nprogram in accordance with this Act, he or she may, by written\nnotice, approve the quality assurance program in relation to a\nlicence or a proposed licence.\n12 Registers\nThe Chief Inspector shall cause to be maintained a register\ncontaining:\n(a) the names and addresses of licensees;\n(b) details of the grant, renewal, variation or transfer of licences;\n(c) details of the expiry, suspension or cancellation of licences;\n\nPart 3 Licences\nDivision 1 Applications\nMeat Industries Act 1996 10\n(d) the numbers assigned to licences under section 19(7);\n(e) records of the design of stamps authorised under section 45;\n(f) details of the areas in which pet meat processing units are\noperating or in which operations under game meat slaughter\nlicences, pet meat slaughter licences or bait meat licences are\nbeing carried out; and\n(g) such other information as the Chief Inspector thinks fit.\nPart 3 Licences\nDivision 1 Applications\n13 Applications for licences\n(1) A person may apply in the approved form accompanied by the\napproved fee to the Chief Inspector for the grant of:\n(a) a domestic abattoir licence;\n(b) an export abattoir licence;\n(c) a domestic poultry abattoir licence;\n(d) an export poultry abattoir licence;\n(e) a domestic processing licence;\n(f) an export processing licence;\n(g) a domestic game meat processing licence;\n(h) an export game meat processing licence;\n(j) a pet meat processing licence or a pet meat processing\n(transportable) licence; or\n(k) a cold store licence.\n(2) A natural person may apply in the approved form accompanied by\nthe approved fee to the Chief Inspector for the grant of:\n(a) a pet meat slaughter licence;\n(b) a game meat slaughter licence; or\n(c) a bait meat licence permitting the slaughter of animals for bait\nmeat and the processing, storage and sale of bait meat.\n\nPart 3 Licences\nDivision 1 Applications\nMeat Industries Act 1996 11\n(3) An application under subsection (2) shall:\n(a) specify each area of land in which it is intended to slaughter\nanimals or game animals under the licence; and\n(b) contain proof of the permission of the owner of each area of\nland to the slaughter of animals or game animals by the\napplicant.\n(4) The Chief Inspector may request further information in respect of an\napplication under this section and may refuse to grant a licence\nuntil the information is provided.\n(5) A person may apply for and be granted a licence in respect of more\nthan one location for an establishment, but each location shall be\nthe subject of a separate notice as required by section 16 and, if the\napplication is successful, a separate licence.\n14 Applications relating to establishment in area subject to\ndevelopment provisions or interim development control order\nAn application under section 13 in respect of an existing\nestablishment located in an area of land subject to the development\nprovisions, or an interim development control order, under the\nPlanning Act 1999, or a proposed establishment proposed to be\nlocated in such an area, shall be accompanied by proof that:\n(a) the land may, under the Planning Act 1999, be used or\ndeveloped for the purposes of an establishment; and\n(b) the relevant notice has been published under section 16 not\nless than 30 days and not more than 90 days before the\napplication is made.\n15 Applications relating to establishment in area not subject to\ndevelopment provisions or interim development control order\n(1) An application under section 13 in respect of an existing\nestablishment located in an area of land not subject to the\ndevelopment provisions, or an interim development control order,\nunder the Planning Act 1999 shall be accompanied by proof that\nthe relevant notice has been published under section 16 not less\nthan 30 days and not more than 90 days before the application is\nmade.\n\nPart 3 Licences\nDivision 1 Applications\nMeat Industries Act 1996 12\n(2) An application for a licence in respect of a proposed establishment\nproposed to be located in an area of land not subject to the\ndevelopment provisions, or an interim development control order,\nunder the Planning Act 1999 shall be accompanied by proof that:\n(a) the relevant requirements of the Environment Protection\nAct 2019 and the Civil Aviation Act 1988 of the\nCommonwealth have been or will be satisfied; and\n(b) the relevant notice has been published under section 16 not\nless than 30 days and not more than 90 days before the\napplication is made.\n16 Advertisements in relation to establishments\n(1) A person who proposes to apply for a licence in respect of a\nproposed establishment shall publish in a newspaper circulating in\nthe area in which it is proposed to locate the establishment a notice\nstating:\n(a) the type of licence to be applied for;\n(b) the proposed site of the establishment;\n(c) the name of the person;\n(d) that a person may lodge with the Chief Inspector, within\n14 days after the publication of the notice, an objection to the\nproposed application on the grounds that the proposed site is\nnot a suitable site for the establishment; and\n(e) such matters, if any, as are prescribed.\n(2) A person who proposes to apply for a licence in respect of an\nexisting establishment:\n(a) in relation to which a licence under this or one of the repealed\nActs has not been in force within the 2 year period\nimmediately before the application; or\n(b) being a licence (including a licence granted under one of the\nrepealed Acts) of a type not previously granted to the\napplicant in respect of the establishment,\nshall publish in a newspaper circulating in the area in which the\nestablishment is located, a notice stating:\n(c) the type of licence to be applied for;\n(d) the site of the establishment;\n\nPart 3 Licences\nDivision 3 Grant of licences\nMeat Industries Act 1996 13\n(e) the name of the person;\n(f) that a person may lodge with the Chief Inspector within\n14 days after the publication of the notice an objection to the\nproposed application for a licence on the grounds that the\nproposed site is not, or is no longer, a suitable site for the\nlocation of the establishment to be operated under a licence of\nthe type applied for; and\n(g) such matters, if any, as are prescribed.\nDivision 2 Objections and investigations\n17 Objections to proposed applications\n(1) A person may, not later than 14 days after the publication of a\nnotice under section 16, lodge with the Chief Inspector a written\nobjection to a proposed application for a licence, stating the\nreasons for the objection.\n(2) The Chief Inspector shall, within 90 days after receiving an\nobjection under subsection (1), make such investigations in relation\nto the objection as he or she thinks fit.\n(3) The Chief Inspector may call for and conduct a public meeting, in\nsuch manner as he or she thinks fit, to consider the objection under\nsubsection (2).\n18 Investigations regarding applicants\nThe Chief Inspector may, within 90 days after receiving an\napplication for a licence, conduct, or cause to be conducted, such\ninvestigations as he or she thinks fit to determine whether an\napplicant for a licence:\n(a) is a fit and proper person; or\n(b) has a relevant conviction.\nDivision 3 Grant of licences\n19 Chief Inspector may grant licences\n(1) The Chief Inspector may, on payment of the approved fee by an\napplicant, grant a licence in the approved form.\n(2) The Chief Inspector shall not grant a licence unless satisfied that\nthe applicant and the person nominated under section 29, if any, is\na fit and proper person and does not have a relevant conviction.\n\nPart 3 Licences\nDivision 3 Grant of licences\nMeat Industries Act 1996 14\n(3) The Chief Inspector shall only grant a licence in respect of an\nestablishment if:\n(a) more than 30 days have elapsed since the publication of the\nnotice required to be published under section 16; and\n(b) he or she has considered the objections, if any, under\nsection 17.\n(4) The Chief Inspector shall only grant:\n(a) an export abattoir licence;\n(b) an export poultry abattoir licence;\n(c) an export processing licence; or\n(d) an export game meat processing licence,\nif he or she is satisfied that the establishment is constructed in\naccordance with the requirements applicable to the establishment\nunder the Export Control Act 1982 of the Commonwealth.\n(5) The Chief Inspector shall only grant:\n(a) a domestic abattoir licence;\n(b) a domestic poultry abattoir licence;\n(c) a domestic processing licence;\n(d) a domestic game meat processing licence; or\n(e) a pet meat processing licence,\nif he or she is satisfied the establishment to be used under the\nlicence:\n(f) is constructed in accordance with the Regulations, if any,\nrelating to the construction of establishments;\n(g) where a standard or code of practice relating to the\nconstruction of an establishment is to be specified on the\nlicence – is constructed in accordance with that standard or\ncode; or\n\nPart 3 Licences\nDivision 3 Grant of licences\nMeat Industries Act 1996 15\n(h) where there are no Regulations relating to such an\nestablishment and no standard or code of practice relating to\nthe construction of an establishment is to be specified on the\nlicence, it is constructed:\n(i) in the case of a domestic abattoir licence or a domestic\npoultry abattoir licence – so as to permit hygienic and\nhumane slaughter and processing under the licence; or\n(ii) in the case of a domestic processing licence, a domestic\ngame meat processing licence or a pet meat processing\nlicence – so as to permit hygienic processing under the\nlicence.\n(6) The Chief Inspector shall not grant a pet meat processing\n(transportable) licence unless an inspector:\n(a) has inspected the pet meat processing unit at the site at which\nit is proposed to locate the unit; and\n(b) is satisfied that the pet meat processing unit will permit the\nhygienic processing of pet meat.\n(7) The Chief Inspector shall assign a number to each licence granted\nunder this section and record the number in a register.\n20 Conditions of licences\nA licence is subject to:\n(a) the prescribed conditions, if any; and\n(b) such other conditions the Chief Inspector thinks fit and\nspecifies on the licence document, including, but not limited to:\n(i) the species that may be slaughtered, or the species from\nwhich meat may be processed, packed or stored, for\nsale;\n(ii) whether the operations at an establishment shall only be\nperformed in accordance with a quality assurance\nprogram approved in relation to the licence;\n(iii) in the case of a game meat slaughter licence, pet meat\nslaughter licence or bait meat licence – the areas from\nwhich animals to be slaughtered may be obtained; or\n(iv) a standard or code of practice in accordance with which\nan establishment shall be constructed, or operations\nshall be carried out, under the licence.\n\nPart 3 Licences\nDivision 4 Renewal, &c., of licences\nMeat Industries Act 1996 16\n21 Trial slaughter before grant of licence\n(1) The Chief Inspector may require an applicant for a licence of a kind\nreferred to in section 13(1)(a), (b), (c) or (d) to slaughter an animal\nin the establishment to which the licence relates under and in\naccordance with the directions of the Chief Inspector.\n(2) The Chief Inspector may refuse to grant a licence until a slaughter\nreferred to in subsection (1) is completed to the satisfaction of the\nChief Inspector.\nDivision 4 Renewal, &c., of licences\n22 Duration of licence\n(1) Subject to this Act, a licence remains in force:\n(a) for one licensing year; or\n(b) such number of licensing years, being not more than 5, as the\nChief Inspector thinks fit and specifies on the licence.\n(2) A licensing year in relation to a licence commences on the date on\nwhich the licence is granted or renewed and continues until:\n(a) 30 June of the next following calendar year; or\n(b) where the licence is granted or renewed for more than one\nlicensing year – 30 June of the last licensing year specified on\nthe licence.\n23 Renewal of licence\n(1) A licensee may, not earlier than 3 months before the expiration of\nhis or her licence, apply to the Chief Inspector for a renewal of the\nlicence.\n(2) An application under subsection (1) shall be:\n(a) in the approved form; and\n(b) accompanied by the approved application fee.\n(3) The Chief Inspector:\n(a) may, notwithstanding that a licence has expired, renew the\nlicence if the application is received before one month after\nthe expiry of the licence, on payment of the approved\napplication fee and the approved late fee; and\n\nPart 3 Licences\nDivision 4 Renewal, &c., of licences\nMeat Industries Act 1996 17\n(b) shall not renew a licence where the application is made more\nthan one month after the licence has expired.\n(4) The Chief Inspector may renew a licence where he or she is\nsatisfied that:\n(a) the circumstances in which the licence was granted have not\naltered so significantly as to warrant a refusal to renew the\nlicence; and\n(b) the licensee:\n(i) has complied with and has not contravened the\nconditions of the licence; and\n(ii) does not have a relevant conviction.\n(5) Where the Chief Inspector renews a licence he or she may issue a\nnew licence document or endorse the previously issued licence\naccordingly.\n24 Variation of licence\n(1) A licensee may apply to the Chief Inspector to vary his or her\nlicence.\n(2) An application under subsection (1) shall be:\n(a) in the approved form;\n(b) accompanied by the approved fee; and\n(c) accompanied by such proof or consent, if any, as the Chief\nInspector requires in relation to the variation.\n(3) A licensee may apply for a variation of his or her licence, including\na variation of:\n(a) the conditions subject to which the licence was granted; and\n(b) the plans or specifications of the establishment to which the\nlicence relates.\n(4) The Chief Inspector may, on application under subsection (1), vary\nthe licence in such manner and on such conditions as he or she\nthinks fit and specifies on the licence.\n\nPart 3 Licences\nDivision 4 Renewal, &c., of licences\nMeat Industries Act 1996 18\n(5) A condition of a game meat slaughter licence, pet meat slaughter\nlicence or bait meat licence in relation to the area in which the\nlicensee may slaughter an animal shall be deemed to be varied if:\n(a) slaughter of animals under the licence in another area of land\nis permitted by the owner of the other area of land; and\n(b) the licensee notifies the Chief Inspector within 7 days after\ncommencing the slaughter of animals in the other area.\n25 Amendment and revocation of condition of licence\n(1) The Chief Inspector may, from time to time, by written notice to a\nlicensee, amend or revoke a condition of the licence or include a\nnew condition on the licence.\n(2) Where a licensee receives written notice under subsection (1) and\nthe Chief Inspector requests the return of the licence, the licensee\nshall return the licence to the Chief Inspector as soon as\npracticable.\n(3) Where a licence is returned under subsection (2) the Chief\nInspector may issue a substitute licence document containing new\nor amended conditions or mark the new or amended conditions on\nthe licence returned.\n26 Transfer of licence\n(1) Subject to this section:\n(a) a licensee;\n(b) where a licensee is no longer entitled to possession of the\nestablishment to which the licence relates – the person\nentitled to possession; or\n(c) the executor or administrator of the estate of a deceased\nlicensee,\nmay apply to the Chief Inspector to transfer the licence to another\nperson.\n(2) A game meat slaughter licence, pet meat slaughter licence or bait\nmeat licence is not transferable.\n(3) An application under subsection (1) shall be:\n(a) in the approved form; and\n\nPart 3 Licences\nDivision 4 Renewal, &c., of licences\nMeat Industries Act 1996 19\n(b) accompanied by:\n(i) proof that the person to whom the licence is to be\ntransferred agrees to the proposed transfer; and\n(ii) the approved fee.\n(4) The Chief Inspector may, in relation to:\n(a) the person to whom the applicant proposes to transfer the\nlicence – exercise his or her powers under section 18; and\n(b) a manager, if any, nominated by the applicant – exercise his\nor her powers under section 29,\nas if the application to transfer were an application under\nsection 13.\n(5) The Chief Inspector may, by notice in writing to the applicant,\napprove or refuse to approve the transfer of a licence.\n(6) A transfer of a licence takes effect from the date the Chief Inspector\napproves the transfer or such later date as the Chief Inspector\nspecifies in the approval.\n27 Cancellation and suspension of licence, &c.\n(1) The Chief Inspector may, by notice in writing to a licensee, suspend\nfor a period or cancel the licence where:\n(a) the licensee or his or her employee or agent:\n(i) contravenes or fails to comply with a condition of the\nlicence;\n(ii) has a relevant conviction; or\n(iii) provides information to an inspector in an application\nunder this Act, that was false or misleading in a material\nparticular; or\n(b) the establishment to which the licence relates:\n(i) is significantly altered without the approval of an\ninspector;\n(ii) is not maintained, repaired or altered as required by or\nunder this Act; or\n(iii) is used for a purpose that is not permitted by or under\nthis Act.\n\nPart 4 Managers and supervision of operations under licence\nMeat Industries Act 1996 20\n(2) The Chief Inspector may suspend a licence until a fault in the\nconstruction or operation of the establishment to which the notice of\nsuspension relates is rectified.\n(3) An inspector may, by oral instruction to the licensee or another\nperson apparently in charge of the operation, suspend the licence\nfor a period not exceeding 24 hours where an establishment\noperated under the licence:\n(a) is significantly altered without the approval of an inspector;\n(b) is not maintained, repaired or altered as required by or under\nthis Act;\n(c) is not maintained or operated in accordance with the hygiene\nrequirements prescribed or in accordance with the quality\nassurance program, if any, approved in respect of the licence;\nor\n(d) is used for a purpose not permitted by or under this Act.\n28 Surrender of licence\nA licensee may surrender the licence by lodging it with the Chief\nInspector.\nPart 4 Managers and supervision of operations under\nlicence\n29 Nomination of manager in application\n(1) Where an application is made under section 13 by:\n(a) a corporation; or\n(b) a natural person who does not intend to carry out the day to\nday management of operations under the licence,\nthe applicant shall nominate a natural person to be the manager.\n(2) The Chief Inspector may, within 90 days after receiving a\nnomination, conduct, or cause to be conducted, such investigations\nas he or she thinks fit to determine whether a person nominated\nunder subsection (1):\n(a) is a fit and proper person; or\n(b) has a relevant conviction.\n\nPart 4 Managers and supervision of operations under licence\nMeat Industries Act 1996 21\n(3) The Chief Inspector may, where he or she is of the opinion that the\nperson nominated under subsection (1):\n(a) is a fit and proper person and has no relevant convictions –\napprove the nomination and provide written notice of the\napproval to the applicant; or\n(b) is not a fit and proper person or has a relevant conviction –\nrefuse to approve the nomination and provide written notice of\nthe decision to the applicant.\n(4) Where the Chief Inspector refuses to approve a nomination under\nsubsection (3)(b), the applicant shall nominate another person to be\nmanager, and this section shall apply as if the person were a\nperson nominated under subsection (1).\n30 Nomination of manager after grant of licence\n(1) Where:\n(a) a person ceases to be a manager – the licensee, within\n14 days; or\n(b) the licensee wishes to nominate a manager – the licensee,\nmay nominate to the Chief Inspector a person to be the manager in\nrespect of the licence.\n(2) Where a person has been nominated under subsection (1), the\nChief Inspector may, not later than 90 days after receiving the\nnomination, conduct or cause to be conducted such investigations\nas he or she thinks fit to determine whether the person is a fit and\nproper person and has no relevant convictions.\n(3) The Chief Inspector may, where he or she is of the opinion that the\nperson nominated to be manager under subsection (1):\n(a) is a fit and proper person and has no relevant convictions –\napprove the nomination and provide written notice of the\napproval to the licensee; or\n(b) is not a fit and proper person or has a relevant conviction –\nrefuse to approve the nomination and provide written notice to\nthe licensee accordingly.\n\nPart 5 Offences\nDivision 1 Slaughter, processing and sale of meat for human consumption\nMeat Industries Act 1996 22\n31 Supervision of operations under licences\nA licensee shall not permit operations to take place at the\nestablishment to which the licence relates unless the operations are\nsupervised by:\n(a) the licensee; or\n(b) the manager.\n32 Where manager, &c. ceases to be fit and proper person, &c.\nWhere the Chief Inspector is of the opinion, on reasonable grounds,\nthat a person has ceased to be a fit and proper person or has a\nrelevant conviction, the Chief Inspector shall notify, in writing, the\nlicensee that:\n(a) operations under the licence may no longer be carried out\nunder the supervision of the person; and\n(b) another person is required, on and from the date specified in\nthe notice, to be nominated as a manager in accordance with\nsection 30.\nPart 5 Offences\nDivision 1 Slaughter, processing and sale of meat for human\nconsumption\n33 Sale of meat for human consumption\nA person shall not sell meat for human consumption:\n(a) except under a licence, or a licence or other instrument under\na corresponding law, permitting the sale of the meat;\n(b) unless he or she is a retailer or wholesaler and the meat was\nobtained from the holder of a licence, or the holder of a licence\nor other instrument under a corresponding law, permitting the\nsale of the meat; or\n(c) unless he or she is a retailer or wholesaler and the meat was\nobtained from a retailer or the holder of a licence and was sold\nfor immediate consumption in a cooked or marinated state.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n\nPart 5 Offences\nDivision 1 Slaughter, processing and sale of meat for human consumption\nMeat Industries Act 1996 23\n34 Slaughter and processing of meat for human consumption\n(1) A person shall not:\n(a) slaughter an animal; or\n(b) dress the body of an animal,\nfor its sale as meat for human consumption except in accordance\nwith this Act.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n(2) A person shall not process meat for human consumption that is to\nbe sold:\n(a) except under a licence;\n(b) unless the person is a retailer and the meat is obtained from\nthe holder of a licence, or the holder of a licence or other\ninstrument under a corresponding law, permitting the sale of\nsuch meat and the meat is processed at a shop or at a\nresidence used for commercial meat processing; or\n(c) unless he or she obtained the meat from a retailer or the\nholder of a licence and the meat was sold for immediate\nconsumption in a cooked or marinated state.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n(3) A person shall not slaughter an animal for game meat except with\nthe written authority of the person on whose land the animal is\nslaughtered.\n(4) For the purposes of subsection (2), residence used for\ncommercial meat processing means a residence where:\n(a) meat is processed only by the residents in the residence;\n(b) the floor area used for processing, whether temporarily or\npermanently, does not exceed 30 square metres;\n(c) no advertising sign is displayed other than one that is not\nmore than 0.3 square metres in size that identifies the name\nand occupation of the processor;\n(d) meat or meat products are not displayed in a window or about\nthe residence and its site; and\n\nPart 5 Offences\nDivision 2 Pet meat\nMeat Industries Act 1996 24\n(e) no more than one goods vehicle, within the meaning of the\nMotor Vehicles Act 1949, is at any one time present on the\nland on which the residence is situated.\n35 Presumption as to whether meat intended for human\nconsumption\nIt is conclusive evidence that meat or a meat product was intended\nfor human consumption if:\n(a) the meat is not dyed blue or green; or\n(b) the meat is not labelled, or is not otherwise identified, as not fit\nfor human consumption.\nDivision 2 Pet meat\n36 Sale of pet meat\n(1) A person shall not sell pet meat except:\n(a) under a licence, or a licence or other instrument granted under\na corresponding law, that permits the sale of pet meat; or\n(b) if he or she is a retailer or wholesaler of pet meat and has\npurchased the pet meat from the holder of a licence, or a\nlicence or other instrument granted under a corresponding\nlaw, that permits the processing of meat for human\nconsumption or pet meat.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n(2) Subject to subsection (4), a person shall not sell pet meat unless it\nis:\n(a) dyed blue in the prescribed manner;\n(b) labelled in the prescribed manner; and\n(c) to the satisfaction of the Chief Inspector, kept separate from\nmeat for human consumption.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n(3) A person may apply in writing to the Chief Inspector for an\nexemption from subsection (2)(a).\n(4) The Chief Inspector may, by written notice, exempt a person from\nsubsection (2)(a) on such conditions as the Chief Inspector thinks fit\nand specifies in the notice.\n\nPart 5 Offences\nDivision 2 Pet meat\nMeat Industries Act 1996 25\n37 Slaughter and processing of pet meat\n(1) A person shall not slaughter an animal for pet meat unless:\n(a) he or she does so under a licence permitting the slaughter of\nsuch an animal for pet meat; or\n(b) the body, meat or meat product derived from the animal is not\nintended for sale.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n(2) A person shall not process pet meat for sale except at an\nestablishment operated under a licence permitting the processing of\npet meat for sale, but may, at a retail outlet, process meat suitable\nfor human consumption for sale as pet meat.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n(3) A person shall not slaughter an animal for pet meat except with the\nwritten authority of the owner, if any, of the animal.\nMaximum penalty: 100 penalty units.\n38 Purchase of pet meat\nA person shall not purchase pet meat unless:\n(a) he or she is the holder of a licence permitting the processing\nof pet meat and the pet meat is:\n(i) purchased under the licence from a person who is the\nholder of a licence, or the holder of a licence or other\ninstrument under a corresponding law, permitting the\nsale of pet meat; and\n(ii) dyed blue as prescribed, unless the licensee from whom\nthe meat is purchased is exempted from this\nrequirement under section 36(4) and the person\npurchasing the pet meat has sighted the certificate of\nexemption;\n(b) he or she (the vendor) is a retailer of pet meat and sells pet\nmeat to a person other than for resale by that person, or is a\nwholesaler of meat, and the pet meat:\n(i) is purchased by the vendor from the holder of a licence,\nor a licence or other instrument granted under a\ncorresponding law, permitting the sale of pet meat; and\n\nPart 5 Offences\nDivision 2A Bait meat\nMeat Industries Act 1996 26\n(ii) is dyed blue as prescribed, unless the licensee from\nwhom the meat is purchased is exempted from this\nrequirement under section 36(4) and the vendor has\nsighted the certificate of exemption;\n(c) it is not purchased for the purpose of resale; or\n(d) it is not resold.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n39 Transport of pet meat\nA person shall not transport pet meat for sale unless the meat:\n(a) is accompanied by an approved certificate;\n(b) is derived from an animal that has been slaughtered under a\nlicence, or a licence or other instrument under a\ncorresponding law; and\n(c) is kept under conditions which ensure it does not deteriorate\nduring transportation.\nMaximum penalty: 200 penalty units.\nDivision 2A Bait meat\n40A Sale of bait meat\n(1) A person must not sell bait meat unless:\n(a) he or she is selling bait meat under a licence, or a licence or\nother instrument granted under a corresponding law, that\npermits the sale of meat for human consumption, pet meat or\nbait meat; or\n(b) he or she is selling bait meat that he or she received from the\nholder of a licence, or a licence or other instrument granted\nunder a corresponding law, that permits the processing of\nmeat for human consumption, pet meat or bait meat.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n(2) A person must not sell bait meat unless it is:\n(a) dyed green in the prescribed manner;\n(b) labelled in the prescribed manner, if any; and\n\nPart 5 Offences\nDivision 3 Disease and contamination\nMeat Industries Act 1996 27\n(c) kept separate from meat for human consumption and pet meat\nin an approved manner.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n40B Slaughter and processing of bait meat\n(1) A person must not slaughter an animal for bait meat unless:\n(a) he or she does so under a licence permitting the slaughter of\nthe animal for bait meat; or\n(b) the body, meat or meat product derived from the animal is not\nintended for sale.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n(2) A person must not slaughter an animal for bait meat except with the\nwritten authority of the owner, if any, of the animal.\nMaximum penalty: 100 penalty units.\n(3) A person must not process bait meat for sale except under a\nlicence permitting the processing of meat for sale.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n40C Transport of bait meat\nA person must not transport bait meat for sale unless the meat is\nderived from an animal that has been slaughtered under a licence\nor a licence or other instrument under a corresponding law.\nMaximum penalty: 200 penalty units.\nDivision 3 Disease and contamination\n40 Slaughter of diseased or contaminated animals\n(1) A person shall not slaughter for sale an animal that he or she\nknows, or ought reasonably be expected to know, is in a condition,\nwhether because of disease or contamination, including by\nchemical residues, that its meat is likely to be:\n(a) unfit for human consumption;\n(b) where it is slaughtered under a licence permitting slaughter for\npet meat – unfit for pet meat; or\n\nPart 5 Offences\nDivision 3 Disease and contamination\nMeat Industries Act 1996 28\n(c) if it is slaughtered under a licence permitting slaughter for bait\nmeat – unfit for bait meat,\nexcept in accordance with this Act.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n(2) Where an inspector is of the opinion that an animal at an\nestablishment is in such a condition that its meat is likely to be, on\nhealth grounds, unfit for human consumption, he or she may:\n(a) direct the licensee or the manager to remove the animal to a\nspecified place; or\n(b) where satisfied that the animal may be destroyed at the\nestablishment without danger to public health and without\naffecting the wholesomeness of meat at the establishment,\ndirect the licensee to destroy and dispose of the carcass or\npart of the destroyed animal in accordance with the inspector's\ndirections.\n41 Birdsville Horse Disease\n(1) A person shall not slaughter a horse, donkey, mule or hinny for\nhuman consumption if it exhibits signs of being affected by\nBirdsville Horse Disease.\nMaximum penalty: 200 penalty units.\n(2) A person shall not slaughter a horse, donkey, mule or hinny for pet\nfood if he or she knows, or has reason to suspect, it has been in an\narea in which Birdsville Horse Disease occurs.\nMaximum penalty: 200 penalty units.\n42 Persons with disease\n(1) A person who has reason to believe that he or she is infected with,\nor affected by, a prescribed disease, shall not enter, or remain at,\nan establishment from which meat for human consumption is\ndispatched.\nMaximum penalty: 200 penalty units.\n\nPart 5 Offences\nDivision 4 Miscellaneous\nMeat Industries Act 1996 29\n(2) A holder of a licence permitting the dispatch of meat for human\nconsumption who has reason to believe that a person is infected\nwith, or affected by, a prescribed disease, shall not permit the\nperson to enter, or remain at, the establishment operated under the\nlicence.\nMaximum penalty: 200 penalty units.\nDivision 4 Miscellaneous\n43 Inspector not to receive gifts of meat\n(1) An inspector shall not receive meat from a person who holds a\nlicence or who is applying for a licence, unless the inspector:\n(a) has paid the retail price for the meat or the price at which the\nmeat is usually sold to employees of the person; and\n(b) is issued with a receipt indicating the amount, type and price\nof the meat sold to him or her.\nMaximum penalty: 170 penalty units.\n(2) Subsection (1) does not apply where the meat is received as part of\na meal for immediate consumption by the inspector.\n44 Person not to alter, &c., establishment\nA person shall not alter, repair or modify an establishment to which\na licence relates or equipment at such an establishment, if to do so\nwould, in the opinion of the Chief Inspector, significantly alter the\nestablishment or equipment, except under:\n(a) the licence; or\n(b) the directions of an inspector who is not a member of the\nPolice Force.\nMaximum penalty: 100 penalty units.\n45 Copying or use of stamp\n(1) The Chief Inspector may, by notice in writing, authorise a stamp for\nuse by a person for the purposes of this Act.\n(2) A person shall not, without the authority of the Chief Inspector:\n(a) manufacture, possess, apply, alter, copy or remove; or\n(b) manufacture or possess a device for stamping,\n\nPart 5 Offences\nDivision 4 Miscellaneous\nMeat Industries Act 1996 30\na stamp authorised by the Chief Inspector or for use by another\nperson who is the holder of a licence.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n(3) A person shall not manufacture, possess or apply a stamp that is\nnot authorised by the Chief Inspector but resembles, or is\napparently intended to resemble or pass for, such a stamp.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n46 Falsely identifying meat\n(1) A person shall not sell meat for human consumption, pet meat or\nbait meat with intent to deceive the buyer as to the true identity of\nthe meat.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n(2) A person shall not incorrectly label meat for human consumption,\npet meat or bait meat that is intended for sale.\nMaximum penalty: 200 penalty units.\n47 Restrictions on slaughter\n(1) In this section, withholding period means the period, if any,\nspecified by the manufacturer of a chemical for use in animals as\nthe period during which the residue of the chemical in the animal\nwill be, or is likely to be, above the approved standard, for a residue\nof that chemical, published under section 7A of the Agricultural and\nVeterinary Chemicals (Administration) Act 1994 of the\nCommonwealth.\n(2) A person:\n(a) who has administered a chemical to an animal; or\n(b) to whom a written notice under this subsection is given as a\npurchaser of such an animal,\nshall not consign the animal for slaughter, or for sale for slaughter,\nbefore the expiration of the withholding period in respect of the\nchemical unless the purchaser is provided with written notice:\n(c) of the chemical administered;\n(d) that the withholding period for the chemical administered has\nnot expired; and\n\nPart 5 Offences\nDivision 4 Miscellaneous\nMeat Industries Act 1996 31\n(e) of the date on which the withholding period will expire.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n(3) Subject to subsection (2), a person shall not sell, or slaughter, for\nhuman consumption an animal that he or she knows, or ought\nreasonably be expected to know, contains, before slaughter,\nshotgun pellets, bullets or bullet fragments or which contains other\nmaterial which make it unsuitable for human consumption.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n48 Disposal of condemned meat\n(1) A person having possession of meat condemned as unfit for human\nconsumption or unfit for pet meat shall:\n(a) process it into by-products; or\n(b) dispose of it in accordance with this Act or the directions of an\ninspector.\nMaximum penalty: 100 penalty units.\n(2) A person shall not sell as fit for human consumption a body,\ncarcass, meat or other product derived from an animal, where the\nbody, carcass, meat or other product:\n(a) has been condemned by an inspector as unfit for human\nconsumption;\n(b) is not fit for human consumption under the quality assurance\nprogram, if any, approved in respect of the licence under\nwhich the body, carcass, meat or other product was\nprocessed; or\n(c) is not fit for human consumption.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n(3) A person shall not sell as pet meat a product derived from an\nanimal, where the product:\n(a) has been condemned by an inspector as unfit for pet food;\n(b) is not fit for consumption by pets under the quality assurance\nprogram, if any, approved in respect of the licence under\nwhich the body, carcass, meat, pet meat or other product was\nprocessed; or\n\nPart 5 Offences\nDivision 4 Miscellaneous\nMeat Industries Act 1996 32\n(c) is not fit for consumption by pets.\nMaximum penalty: 200 penalty units.\n49 Evidence of possession for sale\nThe holder of a licence is deemed to have knowledge of the\npresence of meat, pet meat or bait meat:\n(a) at the establishment to which the licence relates or at another\nbuilding or structure related to or being used for the purposes\nof the licence; or\n(b) in a vessel, or vehicle, belonging to the licensee,\nand to have possession for sale of the meat.\n50 Refrigeration of meat, or storage of refrigerated meat, for sale\nA person shall not refrigerate meat for sale or store refrigerated\nmeat for sale, except if he or she does so:\n(a) at a shop or for or on behalf of a retailer;\n(b) under a licence permitting the refrigeration or storage of\nrefrigerated meat; or\n(c) at premises registered under the Export Control Act 1982 of\nthe Commonwealth.\nMaximum penalty: 200 penalty units.\n51 Hindering inspectors, &c.\n(1) A person shall not:\n(a) hinder, obstruct or assault an inspector exercising the\ninspector's powers or performing the inspector's functions\nunder this Act;\n(b) use threatening language or behave in a threatening manner\ntowards an inspector exercising a power or performing a\nfunction under this Act or a person assisting the inspector to\ndo so;\n(c) fail to comply with a lawful direction of an inspector given\nunder this Act;\n(d) provide to an inspector information which is false or\nmisleading in a material particular;\n\nPart 5 Offences\nDivision 4 Miscellaneous\nMeat Industries Act 1996 33\n(e) when required by an inspector to do so, refuse or fail to\nproduce to the inspector a record that the person is required\nby or under this Act to keep;\n(f) when required by an inspector to do so, refuse or fail to\nproduce a body, carcass, meat, pet meat, offal not fit for\nhuman consumption, skin, hide or feathers, being an object\nthat the person is required to produce by or under this Act; or\n(g) impersonate or falsely claim to be an inspector or a person\nassisting an inspector.\nMaximum penalty: 200 penalty units.\n(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), a person who refuses to allow\nan inspector or a person lawfully assisting an inspector to exercise\na power conferred or perform a function imposed on an inspector\nby or under this Act shall be deemed to be obstructing the inspector\nor person.\n52 Movement of stock from establishment\nA person shall not move from an establishment an animal permitted\nto be slaughtered at the establishment except with an inspector's\npermission.\nMaximum penalty: 200 penalty units.\n53 Transportation of meat\n(1) A person shall not transport meat for human consumption for sale:\n(a) to or from an establishment to which a licence relates; or\n(b) in the case of a game animal – to or from an establishment to\nwhich a licence relates, or from the place where it is\nslaughtered,\nunless:\n(c) it has been produced under this Act or a corresponding law;\n(d) it is stamped, labelled and packed in the prescribed manner, if\nany; and\n(e) it is transported in accordance with the Regulations.\nMaximum penalty: 200 penalty units.\n\nPart 6 Control and enforcement\nDivision 1 Powers of inspectors\nMeat Industries Act 1996 34\n(2) Where an animal was sold to a purchaser and then slaughtered on\nthe property on or from which it was sold, a person shall not, except\nunder a licence, transport outside of the property the body or\ncarcass of the animal or meat derived from the animal.\nMaximum penalty: 200 penalty units.\n54 Failure to notify or lodge report\nA person shall not fail to provide to the Chief Inspector or an\ninspector, within the time, if any, specified for the form or notice to\nbe provided, an approved form or a notice that the person is\nrequired to give or lodge by or under this Act.\nMaximum penalty: 20 penalty units.\nPart 6 Control and enforcement\nDivision 1 Powers of inspectors\n55 Production of identity card\n(1) Where:\n(a) an inspector, other than a member of the Police Force, enters\nan establishment or land in pursuance of section 56 or 58;\n(b) the person apparently in charge of the establishment or land\nrequests the inspector to produce an identity card; and\n(c) the inspector fails to do so,\nthe inspector shall leave the establishment or land immediately.\n(2) The production by an inspector of an identity card or evidence that\nthe officer is a member of the Police Force shall, until the contrary\nis proved, be sufficient authority to do any thing the officer is\nauthorised to do by or under this Act.\n56 Powers of inspector to enter\nAn inspector may, at any time, for the purposes of this Act, enter\nand inspect:\n(a) an establishment to which a licence relates;\n(b) a place to which an application under section 13 relates; or\n\nPart 6 Control and enforcement\nDivision 1 Powers of inspectors\nMeat Industries Act 1996 35\n(c) land, other than a residence, on which an inspector suspects,\non reasonable grounds, that:\n(i) an offence may have been committed, is being\ncommitted, or is intended to be committed, under this\nAct; or\n(ii) meat was, is being or is intended to be sold or, for the\npurpose of sale, dressed (whether or not in accordance\nwith the Regulations), processed, stored or packed.\n57 Other powers of inspectors\n(1) An inspector may, at any time:\n(a) inspect and take samples of feed or water or an animal which\nis to be slaughtered;\n(b) inspect and take samples of a body or a carcass, meat or\nother product derived from an animal;\n(c) direct or cause a person who is, or who the inspector suspects\nto be, in charge of an aircraft, vehicle or vessel used for the\ntransportation of animals, carcasses or meat, to make the\naircraft, vehicle or vessel and its contents available for\ninspection by an inspector;\n(d) direct the person in charge of an aircraft, vehicle or vessel,\nthat the inspector suspects was, or is being, used for\ntransporting animals, carcasses or meat otherwise than in\naccordance with this Act, to take the aircraft, vehicle or vessel\nto, and remain at, a place specified by the inspector;\n(e) require a person to provide his or her name and address\nwhere the inspector believes or suspects the person is\nengaged in or has information in respect of a meat industry;\n(f) inspect equipment, tools, appliances, cartons, aircraft,\nvehicles or vessels used for or in connection with the\nslaughter, cutting up, boning, dressing, processing, branding,\nstoring, packing, transporting, wholesaling or retailing of\ncarcasses or meat or that the inspector suspects is intended\nfor such use;\n(g) give directions in relation to the slaughter of animals, the\ndressing of carcasses, the processing, branding, storing,\npacking and transporting of meat and the marking, labelling,\nstrapping and sealing of a package or carton;\n\nPart 6 Control and enforcement\nDivision 1 Powers of inspectors\nMeat Industries Act 1996 36\n(h) open a package or carton in which an inspector suspects meat\nis contained and examine and take samples of meat found in\nthe package or carton;\n(j) confiscate, condemn, destroy or dispose of, or order a person\nto confiscate, condemn, destroy or dispose of:\n(i) an animal;\n(ii) a carcass; or\n(iii) meat or offal or other product derived from an animal,\nthat is, or which the inspector suspects is, defective, diseased,\ncontaminated or unfit for human consumption or consumption\nby pets, and issue an approved certificate in relation to it to a\nperson apparently having charge of the establishment or place\nat which it was located;\n(k) by oral instruction to the manager or another person\napparently in charge of the operation, suspend the operation\nof an establishment for a period not exceeding 24 hours;\n(m) perform an act required to be performed by a licensee that has\nnot been so performed;\n(n) issue approved certificates in relation to pet meat;\n(p) seize meat obtained, processed, branded, stored, labelled or\notherwise dealt with in contravention of this Act or that the\ninspector suspects has been obtained in contravention of this\nAct;\n(q) direct that alterations or repairs to an establishment,\nmachinery, tools or appliances, be performed and completed\nwithin a specified period;\n(r) obtain assistance from persons in the exercise of the powers\nor the performance of functions of an inspector under this Act;\nand\n(s) require the driver of a vehicle which the inspector suspects\ncontains a carcass, an animal's body or meat, to stop the\nvehicle to enable the inspector to search it.\n(2) Where an inspector incurs an expense in the exercise of a power\nunder subsection (1)(a), (b) or (m), the amount of the expense may\nbe recovered from the person in relation to whom the power was\nexercised as a debt due and payable by the person to the Territory.\n\nPart 6 Control and enforcement\nDivision 2 Liability and procedure\nMeat Industries Act 1996 37\n58 Power of inspector in relation to persons suffering from\ndisease\n(1) Where an inspector is of the opinion that a person who is at an\nestablishment from which meat is dispatched is infected with, or\naffected by, a disease, the inspector may, by written notice, direct\nthe person to leave or remain away from the establishment.\n(2) Where a person is the subject of a direction under subsection (1),\nhe or she shall not enter an establishment from which meat is\ndispatched unless:\n(a) permitted to do so by an inspector; or\n(b) where the inspector refuses to permit him or her to enter the\nestablishment, if:\n(i) a medical practitioner or a registered nurse certifies that\nthe person is in a fit state of health to be at an\nestablishment; and\n(ii) the certificate is forwarded to the licensee by the person\nsubject to the direction.\n(3) In this section:\nregistered nurse means a person registered under the Health\nPractitioner Regulation National Law:\n(a) to practise in the nursing profession (other than as a student);\nand\n(b) in the registered nurses division of that profession.\nDivision 2 Liability and procedure\n59 General offences and penalties\n(1) A person who contravenes or fails to comply with this Act or a\ndirection, restriction, requirement, or condition given, made, or\nimposed under this Act is guilty of an offence.\n(2) Subject to this Act, a person guilty of an offence against this Act for\nwhich no other penalty is prescribed is, on conviction, liable to a\npenalty not exceeding 100 penalty units or imprisonment for 2 years\nand, if the offence is a continuing one, to a further penalty not\nexceeding 5 penalty units for each day after the first day on which\nthe offence continues.\n\nPart 6 Control and enforcement\nDivision 2 Liability and procedure\nMeat Industries Act 1996 38\n60 Institution of proceedings\n(1) Proceedings for an offence against this Act shall not be\ncommenced without the written consent of the Chief Inspector.\n(2) The Chief Inspector is an enforcement agency for the purposes of\nthe Fines and Penalties (Recovery) Act 2001.\n61 Court may suspend or cancel licence\nWhere the holder of a licence or his or her employee or agent is\nconvicted of an offence against this Act, the Court may, in addition\nto any other penalty it may impose, on the application of the\nprosecutor or of its own motion:\n(a) suspend for such period as it thinks fit; or\n(b) cancel,\nthe licence.\n62 Liability for acts\nWhere an inspector does an act or makes an omission in good\nfaith:\n(a) in the exercise or purported exercise of a power; or\n(b) in the performance or purported performance of a function,\nunder this Act, no action, claim or demand, either civil or criminal, in\nrespect of that act or omission lies, or shall be commenced or\nallowed, against the Territory, the Chief Inspector or an inspector.\n63 Liability of directors, managers and corporations\n(1) Where a corporation is convicted of an offence against this Act,\nevery director and every person concerned in the management of\nthe corporation shall be guilty of a like offence if it is proved that the\nact or omission that constituted the offence took place with the\nperson's authority, permission, or consent, or that the person knew\nthe offence was to be or was being committed and failed to take all\nreasonable steps to prevent or stop it.\n(2) Where an employee or agent of a licensee is convicted of an\noffence against this Act in respect of operations in relation to a\nlicence the licensee shall be guilty of a like offence.\n\nPart 6 Control and enforcement\nDivision 2 Liability and procedure\nMeat Industries Act 1996 39\n(3) It is a defence to a prosecution for an offence by the licensee that is\nreferred to in subsection (2) if the licensee establishes that he or\nshe took all reasonable precautions to prevent the commission of\nthe offence by the other person.\n64 Averments and evidence\n(1) In a prosecution for an offence against this Act an averment:\n(a) as to a matter specified in subsection (2);\n(b) made by written notice and certified by the Chief Inspector;\nand\n(c) served on the defendant or the defendant's agent or legal\npractitioner not less than 7 days before the hearing at which\nthe averment is to be tendered,\nshall, in the absence of proof to the contrary, be sufficient evidence\nof the matter averred.\n(2) An averment may be made under this section only in relation to the\nfollowing:\n(a) that meat or offal was unfit for human consumption or for pet\nfood;\n(b) that meat or offal originated from a particular species;\n(c) that meat, offal or animals could not have been handled in\naccordance with the Regulations or a standard or code of\npractice approved in respect of the licence under which the\nmeat, offal or animal was handled or purportedly handled;\n(d) that a person or thing was at a stated place, or within a stated\narea, at a stated time, or at the time of the taking of a stated\naction or the occurrence of a stated event;\n(e) the presence of chemicals or drugs in meat or in cartons or\nreceptacles found at an establishment;\n(f) an entry in a register;\n(g) that meat or offal not fit for human consumption was infected\nby or affected by, a particular disease or contaminant\n(including a micro-organism);\n(h) the identity of a product made from or containing meat or offal\nnot fit for human consumption;\n\nPart 6 Control and enforcement\nDivision 2 Liability and procedure\nMeat Industries Act 1996 40\n(j) that:\n(i) a specified person was or was not, at a specified time, a\nlicensee; or\n(ii) a specified establishment was or was not, at a specified\ntime, the subject of a licence of a specified type.\n(3) The Court shall take judicial notice of the official signature of a\nperson who holds or has held the office of Chief Inspector and a\ncertificate under subsection (1) purporting to be signed by the Chief\nInspector shall be prima facie evidence of that fact without proof of\nthe signature of the person appearing to have signed it.\n(4) The Court may, if the amendments can be made without hardship\nor injustice to the defendant, allow at the hearing of proceedings\nsuch amendments to be made to an averment under this section as\nappear to it to be desirable or to be necessary to enable the real\nquestion in dispute to be determined.\n65 Evidence of sale or slaughter\n(1) Evidence that meat was under the control of a person in or in the\nvicinity of an establishment to which a licence relates is prima facie\nevidence that the person slaughtered the animal from which the\nmeat is derived.\n(2) Evidence that meat was on display in a shop is prima facie\nevidence that it was offered for sale.\n66 Seizure and forfeiture\n(1) An inspector may seize meat that the inspector believes on\nreasonable grounds:\n(a) to have originated from an animal slaughtered; or\n(b) to have been sold, or that is intended to be sold,\nin contravention of this Act or meat into which such meat is\nintermixed.\n(2) Meat seized in pursuance of subsection (1):\n(a) shall be delivered into the custody of the Chief Inspector or to\na person authorised by the Chief Inspector for that purpose\n(an authorised person); or\n\nPart 6 Control and enforcement\nDivision 2 Liability and procedure\nMeat Industries Act 1996 41\n(b) may, on application by:\n(i) the person from whom the meat was seized; or\n(ii) where that person is not the owner, by the owner,\nbe released to him or her under such sureties and conditions,\nincluding the entering into of a bond or other financial security\nto secure the payment of money, as the Chief Inspector\nspecifies.\n(3) Where, in the opinion of the Chief Inspector, meat may rot, spoil, or\notherwise perish, the Chief Inspector may arrange for its sale or\notherwise dispose of it as he or she thinks fit.\n(4) Where, after reasonable enquiry at the time of seizure and within\n90 days after that, the ownership of meat cannot be established,\nthe meat seized shall be forfeited to the Territory and may be\ndisposed of as directed by the Chief Inspector after that time.\n(5) All meat seized in pursuance of subsection (1) and the proceeds, if\nany, from the sale of meat pursuant to subsection (3) (except where\nthe meat has been released in pursuance of subsection (3) or the\nmeat or proceeds have been forfeited to the Territory under\nsubsection (4)), shall be held in the custody of the Chief Inspector\nor an authorised person until:\n(a) a decision is made not to lay a complaint or charge in respect\nof the alleged offence for which the meat was seized; or\n(b) where a complaint or charge is laid, upon the completion of\nproceedings in respect of the alleged offence for which the\nmeat was seized, or such sooner time as the Court may\ndetermine.\n(6) The decision whether or not to lay a complaint or charge in respect\nof an alleged offence in relation to which meat is seized under\nsubsection (1) shall be made before 90 days after the day on which\nthe meat is seized.\n(7) Where meat has been seized under subsection (1) then:\n(a) on a decision being made not to lay a complaint or charge; or\n(b) on the acquittal of a person charged with an offence,\nthe meat (if not disposed of), or the proceeds from the sale of the\nmeat, shall forthwith be released from the custody of the Chief\nInspector or authorised person to the person from whom it was\nseized or to the owner of the meat.\n\nPart 8 Miscellaneous\nMeat Industries Act 1996 42\n(8) Where a person is convicted of an offence against this Act:\n(a) the Court may, in addition to any other penalty which it may\nimpose, on the application of the prosecutor, order that the\nmeat in respect of which the conviction was imposed be\nforfeited to the Territory and disposed of as the Chief\nInspector thinks fit; and\n(b) the person shall be liable to pay to the Territory the\nreasonable costs of handling, securing, maintaining, and\nstoring meat seized under subsection (1) as the Court thinks\nfit.\n(9) For the purposes of this section, meat includes the body of an\nanimal, a carcass, meat and meat products.\nPart 7 Review of decisions\n67 Review by NTCAT\n(1) NTCAT has jurisdiction to review a decision (a reviewable\ndecision) of the Chief Inspector specified in Schedule 2.\n(2) An affected person, for a reviewable decision, is a person\nspecified in Schedule 2 for the reviewable decision.\n(3) An affected person for a reviewable decision may apply to NTCAT\nfor review of the decision.\nNote for section 67\nThe Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2014 sets out the\nprocedure for applying to NTCAT for review and other relevant matters in relation\nto reviews.\nPart 8 Miscellaneous\n70 Replacement licence\nWhere a licence is lost or destroyed, its holder may apply to the\nChief Inspector on the approved form, accompanied by:\n(a) a statutory declaration declaring that the licence has been lost\nor destroyed; and\n(b) the approved fee,\nfor the issue of a replacement licence and the Chief Inspector may\nissue a replacement licence to the holder.\n\nPart 8 Miscellaneous\nMeat Industries Act 1996 43\n71 Notices\nUnless otherwise specified in this Act, a notice under this Act:\n(a) may be served in person or by post or by electronic means;\nand\n(b) takes effect from the date of service or the date after the date\nof service specified in the notice.\n72 Minister may declare or amend standards, &c.\n(1) The Minister may, in writing, declare:\n(a) a standard or code of practice; or\n(b) an amendment to, or a standard or code in substitution for, a\nstandard or code of practice declared under this section,\nfor the purpose of this Act.\n(2) A declaration under subsection (1) is only effective from the date on\nwhich a notice of the making of the declaration is published in the\nGazette or a later date, if any, specified in the notice.\n(3) The Chief Inspector shall retain for inspection by members of the\npublic copies of all standards or codes of practice declared under\nsubsection (1).\n73 Acquisition to be on just terms\nWhere the application of this Act would, but for this section, result in\nan acquisition of property otherwise than on just terms, the person\nfrom whom the property is acquired shall be entitled to receive just\ncompensation for the acquisition and a court of competent\njurisdiction may determine the amount of the compensation or\nmake such order as, in its opinion, is necessary to ensure that the\nacquisition is on just terms.\n74 Regulations\n(1) The Administrator may make regulations, not inconsistent with this\nAct, prescribing matters:\n(a) required or permitted to be prescribed; or\n(b) necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or\ngiving effect to this Act.\n\nPart 8 Miscellaneous\nMeat Industries Act 1996 44\n(2) Without limiting the generality of subsection (1), the Regulations\nmay make provision for or in relation to:\n(a) the standards for the location, construction and equipment\n(including refrigeration equipment) of an establishment;\n(b) the cleansing and disinfecting of establishments and\nequipment and utensils used in establishments or during\ngame meat, pet meat or bait meat operations and in such\nestablishments or during such operations and the removal\nand/or disposal of blood, offal or waste products from\nestablishments;\n(c) the quality and supply of water to establishments;\n(d) the manner in which animals are to be slaughtered, the bodies\nof animals are to be dressed and meat is to be processed;\n(e) the inspection of animals or of the carcasses, offal or meat of\nanimals;\n(f) the seizure, destruction or disposal of animals, carcasses,\nmeat or other products produced or dealt with in contravention\nof this Act;\n(g) the treatment and sustenance of animals held at an\nestablishment before slaughter and the storage and use of\ndrugs and chemicals in the treatment of them before, during or\nafter slaughter;\n(h) the manner in which meat is to be packed, refrigerated and\nstored at an establishment, including the temperature at which\nrooms in establishments are to be maintained;\n(j) the prohibition of the slaughtering of animals at establishments\nor generally and the regulation or prohibition of the processing\nor dressing of animals not slaughtered at an establishment;\n(k) the making or application of tests for the detection of disease\nin animals intended to be slaughtered, for species\ndetermination of meat or for the presence of micro-organisms,\ndrugs or chemicals;\n(m) the standards to be complied with in relation to vehicles used\nto transport meat and the refrigeration units in vehicles used to\ntransport meat, the maintenance and cleaning of such\nvehicles or units and the manner of transporting meat in such\nvehicles;\n\nPart 8 Miscellaneous\nMeat Industries Act 1996 45\n(n) the grading, branding or certification of meat in respect of its\nquality, the manner in which the carcasses, meat and edible\noffal of animals shall be marked, labelled or packed and the\nstorage, branding, marking and labelling of chemical\ncontainers, disposable cartons, cartons or individual packs\nwhich contain such meat and the dye to be used to identify\nmeat;\n(p) the persons engaged at establishments or permitted to enter\nestablishments, the type of clothing to be worn by such people\nand conditions relating to the laundering and use of such\nclothing, the health requirements for such workers and the\namenities that are to be provided for staff and inspectors;\n(q) the conditions to which a licence shall be subject;\n(r) the treatment, sale and other disposal of the by-products of\nslaughtering and the preservation of carcasses, skins, hides\nand feathers of animals slaughtered under a licence, until\napproval is obtained to dispose of them;\n(s) the offences that are regulatory offences;\n(t) the prohibition or regulation of the keeping of animals at or\nnear establishments, the treatment to which offal is to be\nsubjected before being fed to animals and the control of\nvermin;\n(w) the circumstances in which notice of intention to commence\nslaughtering under a licence is required;\n(y) the specifying of microbiological standards, standards of\nphysical contamination or standards for chemical residues;\n(z) the imposition of penalties not exceeding:\n(i) a fine of 40 penalty units for an offence against the\nRegulations; and\n(ii) an additional fine of 4 penalty units for each day during\nwhich the offence continues;\n(za) the payment of a prescribed amount in lieu of a penalty that\nmay otherwise be imposed for an offence against this Act; and\n(zb) the service of notices on persons alleged to have infringed this\nAct and particulars to be included in such notices.\n\nPart 9 Repeal and savings\nMeat Industries Act 1996 46\n(3) Regulations made under this section may require that a matter or\nthing prescribed by the Regulations shall be carried out or done, in\nany case, to the satisfaction of the Chief Inspector or an approved\ninspector.\nPart 9 Repeal and savings\n75 Repeal\nThe Acts listed in Schedule 1 are repealed.\n76 Transitional\n(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, where, immediately\nbefore the commencement of this Act, a person held a licence (a\nformer licence) under the former Abattoirs and Slaughtering\nAct 1973:\n(a) the Chief Inspector shall, as soon as practicable after the\ncommencement of this Act, grant to the holder of the former\nlicence a licence under this Act of the type which is, in the\nChief Inspector's opinion, the type of licence that most closely\napproximates the former licence;\n(b) the person shall not be held to be in breach of this Act by\nreason only that he or she does not, after the commencement\nof this Act but before the grant to him or her of a licence in\naccordance with paragraph (a), hold a licence under this Act;\nand\n(c) the establishment to which the licence relates shall be\ndeemed to be an establishment constructed under this Act\nand section 16(2) and the provisions of this Act relating to the\nspecifications for, modification, alteration or construction of\nestablishments, do not apply to the establishment:\n(i) where it is to be used for the purposes of a domestic\npoultry abattoir licence or an export poultry abattoir\nlicence – until a date specified by the Chief Inspector by\nnotice in the Gazette; or\n(ii) in any other case – until 1 January 1997.\n(2) Where, immediately before the commencement of this Act, a\nperson held a licence under the former Pet Meat Act 1982 the\nlicence is deemed to be a pet meat licence issued under this Act.\n(3) A person who, immediately before the commencement of this Act,\nwas an Inspector of Abattoirs appointed under section 6 of the\n\nPart 10 Transitional matters for Statute Law Amendment (NTCAT Conferral of\nJurisdiction) Act 2023\nMeat Industries Act 1996 47\nAbattoirs and Slaughtering Act 1973 or an Inspector of Pet Meat\nappointed under section 9(1) of the Pet Meat Act, is deemed to be\nan inspector under section 9(1).\n(4) An identity card issued to a person under the former Abattoirs and\nSlaughtering Act 1973 or the former Pet Meat Act 1982 shall be\ndeemed to be an identity card issued under this Act.\nPart 10 Transitional matters for Statute Law\nAmendment (NTCAT Conferral of Jurisdiction)\nAct 2023\n77 Definitions\nIn this Part:\namending Act means the Statute Law Amendment (NTCAT\nConferral of Jurisdiction) Act 2023.\ncommencement means the commencement of Part 10 of the\namending Act.\nformer Act means this Act as in force immediately before the\ncommencement.\n78 NTCAT review limited to decisions made after commencement\nPart 7, as inserted by section 89 of the amending Act, applies only\nin relation to a reviewable decision that is made after the\ncommencement.\n79 Appeals not commenced before commencement\n(1) This section applies to a person if, immediately before the\ncommencement, the person:\n(a) was entitled to appeal to the Local Court against a decision of\nthe Chief Inspector under Part 7 of the former Act; and\n(b) had not yet commenced an appeal against the decision.\n(2) The person may appeal to the Local Court against the decision in\naccordance with Part 7 of the former Act, as if Part 10 of the\namending Act had not commenced.\n(3) The Local Court must hear and determine the person's appeal in\naccordance with Part 7 of the former Act, as if Part 10 of the\namending Act had not commenced.\n\nPart 10 Transitional matters for Statute Law Amendment (NTCAT Conferral of\nJurisdiction) Act 2023\nMeat Industries Act 1996 48\n80 Appeals not determined before commencement\n(1) Subsection (2) applies in relation to an appeal to the Local Court\nthat:\n(a) was commenced by a person under Part 7 of the former Act;\nand\n(b) had not been finally determined by the Local Court before the\ncommencement.\n(2) The Local Court must continue to hear and determine the person's\nappeal in accordance with Part 7 of the former Act, as if Part 10 of\nthe amending Act had not commenced.\n\nSchedule 1 Acts repealed\nMeat Industries Act 1996 49\nSchedule 1 Acts repealed\nsection 75\nNumber and year Short title\nNo. 46, 1973 Abattoirs and Slaughtering Ordinance 1973\nNo. 88, 1974 Abattoirs and Slaughtering Ordinance 1974\nNo. 104, 1981 Abattoirs and Slaughtering Amendment Act 1981\nNo. 10, 1990 Abattoirs and Slaughtering Amendment Act 1990\nNo. 51, 1995 Abattoirs and Slaughtering Amendment Act 1995\nNo. 30, 1984 Meat Industry Act 1984\nNo. 11, 1982 Pet Meat Act 1982\nNo. 4, 1990 Pet Meat Amendment Act 1990\n\nSchedule 2 Reviewable decisions\nMeat Industries Act 1996 50\nSchedule 2 Reviewable decisions\nsection 67\nItem Reviewable decision Affected person\n1 A decision under section 19 to refuse to\ngrant a licence\nThe applicant for the\nlicence\n2 A decision under sections 19 and 20(b) to\ngrant a licence subject to conditions\nspecified by the Chief Inspector\nThe applicant for the\nlicence\n3 A decision under section 23 to refuse to\nrenew a licence\nThe applicant for the\nrenewal\n4 A decision under section 24(4) to refuse to\nvary a licence\nThe licensee\n5 A decision under section 24(4) to vary a\nlicence on conditions specified by the Chief\nInspector\nThe licensee\n6 A decision under section 25(1) to amend or\nrevoke a condition of a licence, or to include\na new condition on a licence\nThe licensee\n7 A decision under section 26(5) to refuse to\napprove a transfer of a licence\nThe applicant for the\ntransfer or the person to\nwhom the applicant\nproposes to transfer the\nlicence\n8 A decision under section 27 to suspend or\ncancel a licence\nThe licensee\n9 A decision under section 36(4) to refuse to\nexempt a person from section 36(2)(a)\nThe applicant for the\nexemption\n\nENDNOTES\nMeat Industries Act 1996 51\nENDNOTES\n1 KEY\nKey to abbreviations\namd = amended od = order\napp = appendix om = omitted\nbl = by-law pt = Part\nch = Chapter r = regulation/rule\ncl = clause rem = remainder\ndiv = Division renum = renumbered\nexp = expires/expired rep = repealed\nf = forms s = section\nGaz = Gazette sch = Schedule\nhdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision\nins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation\nlt = long title sub = substituted\nnc = not commenced\n2 LIST OF LEGISLATION\nMeat Industries Act 1996 (Act No. 54, 1996)\nAssent date 31 October 1996\nCommenced 10 December 1997 (Gaz G49, 10 December 1997, p 3)\nStatute Law Revision 1999 (Act No. 27, 1999)\nAssent date 18 June 1999\nCommenced 18 June 1999\nPlanning (Consequential Amendments) Act 1999 (Act No. 56, 1999)\nAssent date 14 December 1999\nCommenced 12 April 2000 (s 2, s 2 Planning Act 1999 (Act No. 55, 1999)\nand Gaz S15, 12 April 2000)\nFines and Penalties (Recovery) (Consequential Amendments) Act 2001 (Act No. 60,\n2001)\nAssent date 11 December 2001\nCommenced 1 January 2002 (s 2, s 2 Fines and Penalties (Recovery)\nAct 2001 (Act No. 59, 2001) and Gaz G50,\n19 December 2001, p 3)\nMeat Industries Amendment Act 2002 (Act No. 19, 2002)\nAssent date 7 June 2002\nCommenced 2 September 2002 (Gaz G34, 28 August 2002, p 4)\nLaw Reform (Gender, Sexuality and De Facto Relationships) Act 2003 (Act No. 1, 2004)\nAssent date 7 January 2004\nCommenced 17 March 2004 (Gaz G11, 17 March 2004, p 8)\nStatute Law Revision Act 2005 (Act No. 44, 2005)\nAssent date 14 December 2005\nCommenced 14 December 2005\n\nENDNOTES\nMeat Industries Act 1996 52\nLegal Profession (Consequential Amendments) Act 2007 (Act No. 7, 2007)\nAssent date 17 May 2007\nCommenced s 10: 1 July 2007; rem: 17 May 2007 (s 2 and Gaz G26,\n27 June 2007, p 3)\nLivestock Act 2008 (Act No. 36, 2008)\nAssent date 8 December 2008\nCommenced 1 September 2009 (Gaz G34, 26 August 2009, p 3)\nHealth Practitioner (National Uniform Legislation) Implementation Act 2010 (Act No. 18,\n2010)\nAssent date 20 May 2010\nCommenced 1 July 2010 (s 2)\nPenalties Amendment (Children and Families, Health and Primary Industry, Fisheries\nand Resources) Act 2011 (Act No. 28, 2011)\nAssent date 31 August 2011\nCommenced 21 September 2011 (Gaz G38, 21 September 2011, p 4)\nHealth Practitioner Regulation (National Uniform Legislation) and Other Legislation\nAmendment Act 2018 (Act No. 28, 2018)\nAssent date 30 November 2018\nCommenced 1 December 2018 (s 2)\nEnvironment Protection Act 2019 (Act No. 31, 2019)\nAssent date 9 October 2019\nCommenced 28 June 2020 (Gaz G17, 29 April 2020, p 2)\nAmending Legislation\nStatute Law Revision and Repeals Act 2019 (Act No. 33, 2019)\nAssent date 6 November 2019\nCommenced pts 2 and 3: 11 December 2019 (Gaz G50,\n11 December 2019, p 2); rem: 7 November 2019 (s 2)\nStatute Law Amendment (NTCAT Conferral of Jurisdiction) Act 2023 (Act No. 24, 2023)\nAssent date 21 September 2023\nCommenced 27 November 2023 (Gaz G24, 23 November 2023, p 2)\n3 GENERAL AMENDMENTS\nGeneral amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table\nof amendments to this reprint) are made by the Interpretation Legislation\nAmendment Act 2018 (Act No. 22, 2018) to: ss 1, 4, 10, 14, 15, 34 and 60\nand sch.\n4 LIST OF AMENDMENTS\nlt sub No. 19, 2002, s 4\ns 3 amd No. 19, 2002, s 10\ns 4 amd No. 19, 2002, s 5; No. 1, 2004, s 62; No. 36, 2008, s 153\ns 10 amd No. 19, 2002, s 10; No. 36, 2008, s 153; No. 28, 2011, s 5\ns 11 amd No. 19, 2002, s 10\ns 12 amd No. 19, 2002, s 6\ns 13 amd No. 19, 2002, s 7\n\nENDNOTES\nMeat Industries Act 1996 53\ns 14 amd No. 56, 1999, s 3\ns 15 amd No. 56, 1999, s 3; No. 31, 2019, s 307\ns 20 amd No. 19, 2002, s 10\ns 24 amd No. 19, 2002, s 10\ns 26 amd No. 19, 2002, s 10\nss 33 – 34 amd No. 19, 2002, s 10; No. 28, 2011, s 5\ns 35 sub No. 19, 2002, s 8\nss 36 – 39 amd No. 19, 2002, s 10; No. 28, 2011, s 5\npt 4\ndiv 2A hdg ins No. 19, 2002, s 9\nss 40A – 40C ins No. 19, 2002, s 9\namd No. 28, 2011, s 5\nss 40 – 42 amd No. 19, 2002, s 10; No. 28, 2011, s 5\ns 43 amd No. 28, 2011, s 5\nss 44 – 48 amd No. 19, 2002, s 10; No. 28, 2011, s 5\nss 49 amd No. 19, 2002, s 10\nss 50 – 54 amd No. 19, 2002, s 10; No. 28, 2011, s 5\ns 58 amd No. 27, 1999, s 15; No. 44, 2005, s 22; No. 18, 2010, s 50; No. 28,\n2018, s 25\ns 59 amd No. 19, 2002, s 10\ns 60 amd No. 60, 2001, s 18\ns 64 amd No. 7, 2007, s 16\npt 7 hdg sub No. 24, 2023, s 89\ns 67 sub No. 24, 2023, s 89\nss 68 – 69 rep No. 24, 2023, s 89\ns 74 amd No. 19, 2002, s 10; No. 28, 2011, s 5\ns 75 amd No. 24, 2023, s 90\npt 10 hdg ins No. 24, 2023, s 91\nss 77 – 80 ins No. 24, 2023, s 91\nsch hdg amd No. 24, 2023, s 92\nsch 2 ins No. 24, 2023, s 93","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":7,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Act's operational scope has been expanded and updated since enactment: bait‑meat provisions were added (ss 40A–40C, inserted 2002), review and appeal pathways were changed by conferring certain review powers to the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal (s 67 and Part 10, amending Act No. 24, 2023), and multiple amendments link or harmonise the Act with other laws (Export Control Act, Livestock Act, Planning Act) and repeal earlier abattoir/pet‑meat statutes (s 4(4), s 75, s 76). These amendments broaden regulated activities and alter administrative and review procedures."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple licence types and location-specific rules (domestic/export, poultry, game, pet, bait, cold stores) increasing regulatory permutations (ss 13, 19, 22)","Wide discretionary powers vested in the Chief Inspector over fees, licence conditions, amendments, transfers, suspensions and exemptions (ss 7, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27, 36(4))","Extensive inspector powers — entry, sampling, seizure, condemnation, temporary suspension and directions to alter operations — creating operational and compliance risk for businesses (ss 55–57, 66)","Overlapping offence regimes with high maximum fines and criminal exposure for corporations, directors and licensees (ss 33–34, 36–41, 59, 61, 63)","Quality assurance, construction and hygiene requirements plus register and recordkeeping obligations impose ongoing compliance costs (ss 11, 12, 20, 72, 74)","Separate labelling and dyeing regimes for pet meat (blue) and bait meat (green) add handling and supply‑chain segregation requirements (ss 36–40C)","Procedural complexity: public advertising, objection periods, investigations and manager approvals create pre‑operation and transfer delays (ss 16–18, 29–30)","Cross‑statutory interactions with Commonwealth and Territory laws (Export Control Act, Livestock Act, Planning Act, Environment Protection Act) increase legal coordination needs (ss 4, 14–15, 74)","Recent procedural change in review forum and transitional provisions add administrative complexity (s 67, Part 10, sch 2)"],"plain_english_summary":"This Act sets up a licensing and inspection system for slaughtering, processing, storing, transporting and selling meat in the Northern Territory, covering meat for human consumption and separate regimes for pet, bait and game meat. The Chief Inspector approves licences, fees, quality‑assurance programs and standards and may authorise inspectors to enter premises, take samples, seize or condemn products and suspend or cancel licences (ss 6, 13–27, 55–57).\n\nIt affects abattoir operators, processors, retailers, wholesalers and transporters: licensees pay approved fees, must meet construction, hygiene, labelling and dyeing rules, face penalties (up to 500 penalty units) for breaches, and have limited rights to review specified decisions (ss 20, 36, 40A, 59, 67)."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The legislation has grown significantly beyond its original 1996 scope. The original Act primarily consolidated the Abattoirs and Slaughtering Act and Pet Meat Act. However, the 2002 amendments (Act No. 19) introduced a whole new category of 'bait meat' (Division 2A, ss 40A-40C) with parallel licensing, dyeing, and transport requirements. Additionally, the 2023 amendments (Part 10) fundamentally changed the review mechanism from Local Court appeals to NTCAT administrative review, indicating an evolution from purely criminal/enforcement-focused legislation to a more administrative/regulatory framework. The definition of 'abattoir animal' has also expanded via gazettal powers to include species like crocodiles and potentially others, showing adaptive scope creep to cover emerging industries."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple overlapping licence categories (11+ types in s 13) with different application requirements and conditions","Extensive defined terms section (s 4) with 30+ definitions including nested definitions (e.g., 'associate' defined within 'fit and proper person')","Cross-references to other NT Acts (Planning Act 1999, Livestock Act 2008, Environment Protection Act 2019) and Commonwealth legislation (Export Control Act 1982, Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Act)","Conditional exemptions and exceptions (e.g., personal consumption exemption in s 5, religious slaughter permits in s 6, dyeing exemptions for pet meat in s 36)","Complex 'fit and proper person' test (s 4(5)-(7)) involving associates, financial interests, and business connections","Transitional provisions spanning from 1996 through to 2023 amendments (Part 9 and Part 10) preserving old appeal rights while introducing new NTCAT review jurisdiction","Evidentiary presumptions and averments (ss 35, 49, 64, 65) that shift burdens of proof in prosecutions","Nested offence structure with maximum penalties varying by section (20 to 500 penalty units) and general penalty catch-all (s 59)"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does:**\n\nThe *Meat Industries Act 1996* (Northern Territory) is the rulebook for anyone who slaughters, processes, transports, or sells meat in the NT. It covers three main categories: **meat for humans**, **pet meat**, and **bait meat** (used for fishing or trapping).\n\n**Key things it requires:**\n\n*   **Licences:** You generally need a licence to slaughter animals, process meat, or run a cold storage facility. There are different licences for domestic vs. export markets, poultry vs. cattle, and fixed vs. mobile (transportable) operations.\n*   **Fit and proper persons:** The Chief Inspector must be satisfied that applicants and their nominated managers are \"fit and proper\" (basically, of good character with no serious criminal history involving meat industry offences).\n*   **Hygiene and standards:** Establishments must be built and operated to specific hygiene standards. The Minister can declare codes of practice and standards that operators must follow.\n*   **Clear separation of meat types:** The law strictly separates meat for human consumption from pet meat and bait meat to prevent substitution. Pet meat must be dyed **blue** and bait meat **green** unless exempted.\n*   **Inspector powers:** Meat inspectors (including police) can enter premises, inspect animals and carcasses, take samples, seize contaminated meat, and issue directions. They can suspend operations for up to 24 hours on the spot.\n*   **Disease control:** There are specific rules about slaughtering diseased animals and preventing people with certain diseases from entering meat processing areas.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n\n*   Abattoir operators and meat processors\n*   Pet meat and bait meat producers\n*   Butchers, wholesalers, and retailers\n*   Transporters of meat\n*   Drovers and people slaughtering animals for personal consumption (who are mostly exempt if they don't sell the meat)\n\n**Why it matters:**\n\nThe Act protects public health by ensuring meat sold for human consumption is wholesome and not contaminated. It also maintains market access—especially for export—by ensuring NT meat meets national and international standards. The strict colour-coding and separation rules for pet/bait meat prevent cheaper or unsafe products from being passed off as human-grade meat."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/meat-industries-act-1996","history":"/api/acts/meat-industries-act-1996/history","analysis":"/api/acts/meat-industries-act-1996/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/meat-industries-act-1996/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/meat-industries-act-1996/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/meat-industries-act-1996/documents"}}