{"id":"telecommunications-interception-western-australia-regulations-1996","name":"Telecommunications (Interception) Western Australia Regulations 1996","slug":"telecommunications-interception-western-australia-regulations-1996","collection":"regulation","jurisdiction":"wa","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":182194,"registerId":"wa-telecommunications-interception-western-australia-regulations-1996-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Telecommunications (Interception) Western Australia Regulations 1996","content":"![Crest]()Western Australia\n\nTelecommunications (Interception and Access) Western Australia Act 1996\n\nTelecommunications (Interception and Access) Western Australia Regulations 1996\n\nWestern Australia\n\nTelecommunications (Interception and Access) Western Australia Regulations 1996\n\nContents\n\n1. Citation 1\n\n2. Commencement 1\n\n3. Interpretation 1\n\n4. Parliamentary Commissioner and officers of the Commissioner prescribed as inspecting officers 1\n\n5. Parliamentary Commissioner prescribed as principal inspector 2\n\nNotes\n\nCompilation table 3\n\n  \n\nWestern Australia\n\nTelecommunications (Interception and Access) Western Australia Act 1996\n\nTelecommunications (Interception and Access) Western Australia Regulations 1996\n\n##### 1. Citation\n\nThese regulations may be cited as the *Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Western Australia Regulations 1996* 1.\n\n[Regulation 1 amended: Gazette 1 Jul 2011 p. 2746.]\n\n##### 2. Commencement\n\nThese regulations come into operation on the day on which the *Telecommunications (Interception) Western Australia Act 1996* 3 comes into operation 1 .\n\n##### 3. Interpretation\n\nIn these regulations —\n\n  officer of the Commissioner and Parliamentary Commissioner have the meanings given in section 19 of the Act.\n\n##### 4. Parliamentary Commissioner and officers of the Commissioner prescribed as inspecting officers\n\n(1) The Parliamentary Commissioner is an inspecting officer for the purposes of the Act.\n\n(2) Each officer of the Commissioner is an inspecting officer for the purposes of the Act.\n\n##### 5. Parliamentary Commissioner prescribed as principal inspector\n\nThe Parliamentary Commissioner is the principal inspector for the purposes of the Act.\n\nNotes\n\n1 This is a compilation of the *Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Western Australia Regulations 1996* and includes the amendments made by the other written laws referred to in the following table. The table also contains information about any reprint.\n\nCompilation table\n\n| **Citation** | **Gazettal** | **Commencement** |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| *Telecommunications (Interception) Western Australia Regulations 1996* 2 | 24 Dec 1996 p. 7146 | 25 Dec 1996 (see r. 2 and *Gazette* 24 Dec 1996 p. 7099) |\n| **Reprint 1: The *Telecommunications (Interception) Western Australia Regulations 1996* as at 6 Feb 2004** | | |\n| *Telecommunications (Interception) Western Australia Amendment Regulations 2011* | 1 Jul 2011 p. 2745‑6 | r. 1 and 2: 1 Jul 2011 (see r. 2(a));   Regulations other than r. 1 and 2: 2 Jul 2011 (see r. 2(b) and *Gazette* 1 Jul 2011 p. 2713) |\n\n\n2 Now known as the *Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Western Australia Regulations 1996*; citation changed (see note under r. 1)\n\n3 Now known as the *Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Western Australia Act 1996.*\n\nDefined terms\n\n*[This is a list of terms defined and the provisions where they are defined. The list is not part of the law.]*\n\n**Defined term Provision(s)**\n\nofficer of the Commissioner 3\n\nParliamentary Commissioner 3\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"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"},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"No substantive expansion or narrowing of inspection powers appears in these regulations: they simply prescribe the Parliamentary Commissioner and the Commissioner's officers as inspecting officers and the Parliamentary Commissioner as principal inspector (regs 4–5). Compilation notes record a 2011 citation/renaming amendment rather than a change in substantive scope."},"complexity_factors":["Very short instrument (five regulations) with limited substantive content.","Key terms (Parliamentary Commissioner; officer of the Commissioner) are defined in the parent Act (see s.19 of the Act), so full meaning requires cross‑reference.","Primary effect is role designation rather than procedural or evidentiary rules, reducing internal intricacy.","Compilation/amendment history (notably 2011 citation/renaming) requires checking legislative history for correct citation.","Practical effect depends on the broader interception Act and administrative practice, increasing external interpretive dependency."],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations designate the Parliamentary Commissioner and the Commissioner's officers as the authorised \"inspecting officers\" under the Western Australian Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act, and make the Parliamentary Commissioner the \"principal inspector.\" They therefore identify who may conduct and coordinate inspections of compliance with the interception regime, affecting the Commissioner’s office and any entities or records subject to inspection under that Act."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The regulations remain tightly focused on their original purpose: prescribing the Parliamentary Commissioner and their officers as inspecting officers under the parent Act. The only change since 1996 was a 2011 amendment updating the citation to reflect the parent Act's renamed title (from 'Interception' to 'Interception and Access'), which did not alter the substantive scope."},"complexity_factors":["Extremely short: only 5 regulations total","Minimal defined terms: only 2 terms defined (officer of the Commissioner, Parliamentary Commissioner)","No conditional logic or exceptions","No cross-references to other legislation beyond basic citation of the parent Act","Straightforward administrative appointments with no substantive operational rules","Single amendment in 2011 limited to citation update only"],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations are a short, technical piece of Western Australian law that sets up who watches the watchers when it comes to phone tapping and electronic surveillance.\n\n**What it does:**\nThe regulations appoint the **Parliamentary Commissioner** (an independent watchdog who oversees government agencies) and their staff as \"inspecting officers\" under Western Australia's telecommunications interception laws. Specifically:\n\n- The Parliamentary Commissioner becomes the **principal inspector** — the top dog who oversees compliance with wiretapping laws\n- The Commissioner's officers also become **inspecting officers** — they help conduct inspections and audits\n\n**Why this matters:**\nWhen police or security agencies intercept phone calls or access electronic communications, they need independent oversight to make sure they're not overstepping their authority. These regulations ensure there's a dedicated team — led by the Parliamentary Commissioner — whose job is to inspect records, check procedures, and generally keep an eye on how surveillance powers are being used.\n\n**Who it affects:**\nPrimarily government agencies with interception powers (like police) who must submit to inspection, and the Parliamentary Commissioner's office who conducts the oversight. Ordinary citizens benefit indirectly through stronger safeguards against misuse of surveillance powers.\n\n**Key point:** This is essentially machinery (administrative setup) — it doesn't create new surveillance powers, but makes sure someone independent is checking that existing powers aren't being abused."},"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Scope change cannot be assessed as the legislative text is unavailable. No comparison between original intent and final enacted form is possible from the information provided."},"complexity_factors":["Content is entirely unavailable — only a webpage error message was provided, not the actual legislative text","No provisions, definitions, schedules, or operative clauses are accessible for analysis","The score of 2 reflects minimal complexity in analysing the error page itself, not the underlying legislation which — based on its subject matter — would likely score significantly higher (6-8) given telecommunications interception law typically involves technical definitions, warrant processes, oversight mechanisms, and interplay between federal and state law"],"plain_english_summary":"These WA regulations (1996) set rules for lawful interception of telecommunications — who may monitor or record communications and under what procedures — and therefore primarily affect law enforcement, authorised agencies, and privacy rights. The regulation text is currently unavailable online, so specific obligations or protections can’t be confirmed. If these rules may affect you, contact the Parliamentary Counsel’s Office, search the WA legislation site, or consult a lawyer experienced in telecommunications/privacy law."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/telecommunications-interception-western-australia-regulations-1996","history":"/api/acts/telecommunications-interception-western-australia-regulations-1996/history","analysis":"/api/acts/telecommunications-interception-western-australia-regulations-1996/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/telecommunications-interception-western-australia-regulations-1996/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/telecommunications-interception-western-australia-regulations-1996/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/telecommunications-interception-western-australia-regulations-1996/documents"}}