{"id":"C1932L00003","name":"Unemployment Relief Works Regulations","slug":"unemployment-relief-works-regulations","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"repealed","isInForce":false,"actNumber":"3 of 1932","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":21718,"registerId":"commonwealth-C1932L00003-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"Repealed","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Unemployment Relief Works Regulations","content":"STATUTORY RULES.\n\n1931\\. No. 3.\n\nREGULATIONS UNDER THE APPROPRIATION\n\n(UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF WORKS) ACT 1931.\n\nI, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Appropriation (Unemployment Relief Works) Act 1931, to come into operation on and from the fourth day of November, 1931.\n\nDated this thirty first day of December 1931.\n\n(Sgd.) ISAAC A. ISAACS.\n\nGovernor-General.\n\nBy His Excellency’s Command,\n\n![Arthur Blakely signature](image.001.jpeg)\n\nfor Treasurer.\n\nUnemployment Relief Works Regulations.\n\nShort title.\n\n1. These Regulations may be cited as the Unemployment Relief Works Regulations.\n\nWorks upon which moneys may be expended.\n\n2. In pursuance of the Appropriation (Unemployment Relief Works) Act 1931 moneys may be expended on the works specified in the Schedule to these Regulations to the amounts respectively set out opposite each group of works in that Schedule.\n\nTHE SCHEDULE.\n\nABSTRACT.\n\n| | £ |\n| ---------------------------------------------------------- | ------- |\n| New South Wales..................................... | 88,900 |\n| Victoria............................................ | 63,500 |\n| Queensland......................................... | 34,100 |\n| South Australia....................................... | 20,600 |\n| Western Australia..................................... | 15,000 |\n| Tasmania........................................... | 7,900 |\n| Federal Capital Territory................................. | 15,000 |\n| Northern Territory..................................... | 5,000 |\n| Total....................................... | 250,000 |\n\nNEW SOUTH WALES.\n\n£\n\nPrime Minister’s Department.\n\nRepairs; painting of buildings; reconditioning of roadways; docking, cleaning and recoating throughout Floating Crane Titan; lifting and relaying crane tracks—\n\nCockatoo Island Dockyard................................................ 5,000\n\n3895.—Price 5d. \n\nThe Schedule.—continued.\n\n| Department of Defence. | £ |\n| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----- |\n| Repairs; painting of buildings; construction and repair of roads; filling, grading and levelling of sites; drainage; fencing and minor services— | |\n| Garden Island.................................................... | 4,000 |\n| Georges Heights and Middle Head....................................... | 2,500 |\n| Lithgow Small Arms Factory, Rifle Range and Drill Hall........................ | 3,000 |\n| Liverpool Mobilization Stores, Explosive Stores, &c........................... | 3,800 |\n| Marrickville Military Depot........................................... | 2,400 |\n| Moore Park Engineers Depot.......................................... | 3,000 |\n| Mascot Aerodrome................................................. | 3,000 |\n| Randwick Small Arms School and Military Depot............................ | 3,000 |\n| Richmond Royal Australian Air Force Station............................... | 4,100 |\n| South Head Defences............................................... | 2,900 |\n| Victoria Barracks.................................................. | 6,000 |\n| Sundry drill halls, mobilization stores, ordnance stores, rifle ranges, fortifications, barracks, and landing grounds | 5,950 |\n\nDepartment of Health.\n\nRepairs, painting of buildings; repairs to roads; fittings and minor services—\n\n| North Head Quarantine Station......................................... | 3,000 |\n| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- |\n| Abbotsford Animal Quarantine Station and Sydney School of Tropical Health.......... | 1,500 |\n\nRepatriation Services.\n\nRepairs; painting of buildings; repairs to roads and minor services—\n\n| Randwick General Hospital........................................... | 1,600 |\n| -------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- |\n| Kuringai Chase Sanatorium........................................... | 500 |\n\nPostmaster-General’s Department.\n\n```html\n

Additions and alterations to post offices at Bathurst, Chatswood, Dubbo, Marrickville, Moss Vale, and Pymble

\"\"

7,500

Erection of new post office at Punchbowl......................................

Repairs; painting of buildings; and minor services at sundry offices.....................

6,850

Deviation of telegraph and telephone line—Milton-Bateman’s Bay.....................

Repairs to telegraph and telephone lines—

2,021

Maitland-Kew....................................................

3,257

Taree-Kew......................................................

1,100

Laying earthenware conduits and galvanized iron pipes.............................

3,444

Reconstruction and repair of country telegraph and telephone lines.....................

8,878

Total for New South Wales....................................

88,900

\n```\n\nVICTORIA.\n\nDepartment of Defence.\n\n| Extension and repairs to seawall; regrading roads; clearing and minor services— | |\n| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------ |\n| Port Phillip road and Nepean Forts.................................... | 10,565 |\n| Repairs; painting of buildings; construction and repairs of roads; filling, grading, levelling of sites; drainage; fencing and minor services— | |\n\n```html\n

£

Flinders Naval Depot.......................................

4,510

Laverton and Point Cook Air Force Establishments...................

13,690

Sundry drill halls, mobilization stores, ordnance stores, rifle ranges, fortifications, barracks, magazines and boatsheds, and other defence establishments

7,610

36,375

Less savings to be made.................................

7,450

28,925

\n```\n\n \n\nThe Schedule.—continued.\n\n| Department of Health. | £ |\n| ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- |\n| Repairs to seawall; repairs; painting of buildings and minor works— | |\n| Nepean Quarantine Station............................................. | 1,880 |\n\nRepairs; painting of buildings and minor services—\n\n| Coode Island Quarantine Station and Royal Park Laboratories...................... | 870 |\n| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --- |\n\nRepatriation Services.\n\nRepairs, painting of buildings and minor services at repatriation establishments—\n\n| Caulfield, Anzac Hostel, Branch Office, MacLeod Sanatorium, and Bundoora........... | 3,100 |\n| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- |\n\nDepartment of Works.\n\n| Painting and minor services at the Commonwealth Offices, Post Office-place and Treasury Gardens | 625 |\n| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --- |\n\nPostmaster-General’s Department.\n\n| Additions and alterations to post offices at Shepparton and Swan Hill................... | 2,000 |\n| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------ |\n| Repairs; painting of buildings and minor services at sundry offices..................... | 12,300 |\n| Laying eight-way conduits to approaches, Spencer-street Bridge, Melbourne.............. | 1,700 |\n| Diversion of Sydney trunk route—North Essendon............................... | 275 |\n| Laying conduit and cable................................................ | 2,915 |\n| Renewal of condemned poles.............................................. | 6,470 |\n| Repairs to and reconstruction of telegraph and telephone lines........................ | 2,130 |\n| Minor underground cable works............................................ | 310 |\n| Total for Victoria...................................... | 63,500 |\n\nQUEENSLAND.\n\nDepartment of Defence.\n\n| Repairs; painting of buildings; construction and repair of roads; drainage; fencing and minor services— | |\n| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- |\n| Archerfield Aerodrome................................................ | 3,930 |\n| Enoggera Barracks.................................................. | 2,152 |\n| Sundry drill halls, ordnance stores, rifle ranges, barracks, naval depots and other Defence establishments | 4,418 |\n\nDepartment of Trade and Customs.\n\nRepairs; painting and minor services—\n\n| Brisbane Customs House.............................................. | 60 |\n| -------------------------------------------------------------------- | --- |\n| Rockhampton Customs House........................................... | 50 |\n\nDepartment of Health.\n\n| Repairs to fumigator at Brisbane Quarantine Station...............................Repairs; painting of buildings and minor services at sundry quarantine stations............. | | 2,100 |\n| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --- | ----- |\n\nRepatriation Services.\n\n| Erection of new nurses quarters at Rosemount Repatriation HospitalRepairs; painting of buildings and minor services at Rosemount Repatriation Hospital, Anzac Hostel and other repatriation establishments | | 1,500 |\n| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --- | ----- |\n\nPostmaster-General’s Department.\n\n| Erection of new post offices at Gladstone, Hughenden, Isisford, and Muttaburra............ | 7,000 |\n| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------ |\n| Repairs; painting of buildings and minor services at sundry officesConstruction of trunk telephone line—Cloncurry-Mount Isa......................... | 3,610 |\n| Replacing corroded telegraph and telephone lines—North Coast section | 1,350 |\n| Laying underground cables to relieve Main North Coast route of subscribers’ wires in cyclonic areas | 2,440 |\n| Total for Queensland................................... | 34,100 |\n\n \n\nThe Schedule.—continued.\n\nSOUTH AUSTRALIA.\n\nDepartment of Defence.\n\nRepairs; painting of buildings; construction and repair of roads; filling, grading and levelling of sites; earthworks; drainage fencing and minor services—\n\n```html\n

£

Keswick Barracks.........................................

1,500

Port Wakefield Proof Range...................................

3,300

Parafield Aerodrome.......................................

1,000

Port Adelaide Rifle Range....................................

1,700

Sundry drill halls, fortifications, rifle ranges, parade grounds, and other Defence establishments

1,557

9,057

Less savings to be made.................................

1,707

7,350

\n```\n\nDepartment of Trade and Customs.\n\n| Repairs, painting and minor services at Wallaroo Customs House...................... | 65 |\n| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --- |\n\nDepartment of Health.\n\n| Repairs; painting of buildings; repair of roads; earthworks and minor services— | |\n| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --- |\n| Port Pirie Health Laboratory............................................ | 200 |\n| Torrens Island Quarantine Station......................................... | 900 |\n\nRepatriation Services.\n\n| Repairs, painting of buildings and minor services at Keswick Hospital | 550 |\n| --------------------------------------------------------------------- | --- |\n\nCommonwealth Railways.\n\n| Clearing of weeds from track, special maintenance of permanent way, remaking of streets in residential area, tarring and restacking of rails; cleaning up and filling of workshop yard on Commonwealth Railways | 1,000 |\n| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- |\n\nPostmaster-General’s Department.\n\n| Additions and alterations to post offices at Meningie and Wolseley..................... | 1,000 |\n| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------ |\n| Repairs, painting of buildings and minor services at sundry offices..................... | 5,035 |\n| Re-arrangement of transpositions; repairs and staying of telegraph and telephone lines—Yacka Junction-Gladstone | 2,190 |\n| Repairs to telegraph and telephone lines and clearing.............................. | 2,310 |\n| Total for South Australia................................. | 20,600 |\n\nWESTERN AUSTRALIA.\n\nDepartment of Defence.\n\n| Repairs; painting of buildings; construction and repair of roads; filling, grading and levelling of sites; drainage; fencing and minor services— | |\n| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----- |\n| Midland Junction Workshops........................................... | 1,250 |\n| Perth Aerodrome.................................................... | 2,000 |\n| Sundry drill halls, Navy offices, barracks and other Defence establishments............. | 1,385 |\n\nDepartment of Trade and Customs.\n\n| Repairs, painting and minor services at Fremantle and Perth Customs Houses............... | 645 |\n| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --- |\n\nDepartment of Health.\n\n| Repairs, painting and minor services to quarantine stations at Albany, Picton, Bunbury and Woodman’s Point | 1,825 |\n| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- |\n| Erection of fireproof film store at Kalgoorlie Health Laboratory........................ | 225 |\n\nRepatriation Services.\n\n| Replacement of fence of Perth Sanatorium...................................... | 120 |\n| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --- |\n\nCommonwealth Railways.\n\n| Clearing of weeds from track and special maintenance of permanent way on Commonwealth Railways | 500 |\n| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --- |\n\nThe Schedule.—continued.\n\n| Postmaster-General’s Department. | £ |\n| -------------------------------- | --- |\n\n```html\n

Alterations to Post Office at Wiluna.........................................

\"\"

2,500

Erection of new Post Office at Carnamah......................................

Repairs, painting of buildings, and minor services at sundry offices.....................

1,250

Deviation and reconstruction of telegraph and telephone lines—

Mingenew-Dongarra................................................

1,060

Roelands deviation—Bunbury-Collie........................................

1,640

Minor underground extensions, repairs and reconstruction...........................

600

Total for Western Australia.......................................

15,000

\n```\n\nTASMANIA.\n\nDepartment of Defence.\n\n| Repairs; painting of buildings; construction and repair of roads; filling, grading and levelling of sites; drainage; fencing and minor services at sundry drill halls, barracks and other Defence establishments | 3,200 |\n| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- |\n\nDepartment of Trade and Customs.\n\n| Repairs, painting and minor services to buildings occupied by the Department of Trade and Customs | 200 |\n| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --- |\n\nPostmaster-General’s Department.\n\n| Repairs, painting of buildings and minor services at sundry offices..................... | 2,800 |\n| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- |\n| Minor underground extensions and replacement of condemned poles.................... | 1,700 |\n| Total for Tasmania............................................. | 7,900 |\n\nFEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY.\n\nDepartment of Home Affairs.\n\n```html\n

Destruction of briars, ti-tree, and clearing—

\"\"

9,000

Gungahlin, Block 106................................................

Paddy’s River, Block 2................................................

Belconnen, Block 67.................................................

Kowen, Blocks 19, 13, 20..............................................

Kowen, Murrumbidgee River frontage

Abbatoir blocks....................................................

Fencing at Weetangerra-road and Lanyon......................................

Erection of trucking yards at Molonglo.......................................

Improvement of water supply on stock routes...................................

Reconstruction of portion of State Circuit, Canberra...............................

3,000

Repairs, painting, alterations and minor services at Jervis Bay........................

3,000

Total for Federal Capital Territory...................................

15,000

\n```\n\nNORTHERN TERRITORY.\n\nDepartment of Home Affairs.\n\n```html\n

Extension of aerodrome at Darwin..........................................

2,500

Improvement of road to Maranboy at Katherine..................................

Improvement of road to Mataranka at Maranboy.................................

\"\"

1,650

Clearing of emergency landing ground and attention to portion of North-South road at Pine Creek

600

Improvement of main northern road at Stuart...................................

250

Total for Northern Territory.......................................

5,000

Total......................................................

250,000

\n```\n\nBy Authority: H. J. Green, Government Printer, Canberra.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"These Regulations implement the Appropriation (Unemployment Relief Works) Act 1931 by specifying which works and how much is to be spent. They do not add new powers or eligibility criteria beyond the Act; they merely allocate the appropriation among named departments, sites and items as set out in the Schedule."},"complexity_factors":["Single-purpose instrument with a single schedule listing numerous line items (many small, site-specific allocations) increases administrative detail.","Multiple Commonwealth departments and many sites across states and territories require cross-jurisdiction coordination (Schedule: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Federal Capital Territory, Northern Territory).","Financial aggregation and subtotals (individual items, departmental totals, state totals and overall total £250,000) require bookkeeping and reconciliation.","Archaic formatting and tabular presentation (deductions noted as “Less savings to be made”) complicate parsing and implementation.","Legal authority is compact: Regulations made by the Governor‑General on advice of the Federal Executive Council under the Appropriation Act (opening paragraph), so operative scope depends on that parent Act.","No procedural or procurement detail in the text (no tendering, timing or eligibility rules), leaving implementation discretion to departments."],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations authorise the Commonwealth to spend £250,000 on a specified list of public works across Australian states and territories as measures of unemployment relief. Made under the Appropriation (Unemployment Relief Works) Act 1931, they allocate sums to particular departments and sites, so Commonwealth agencies, local contractors and workers are directed which projects to carry out and the Commonwealth appropriation meets the cost."},"kimi_summary":{"_metrics":{"model":"kimi-k2.5","source":"moonshot-realtime","completionTokens":1651},"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The regulation remains tightly scoped to its original purpose under the parent Appropriation Act, serving solely as a funding mechanism for unemployment relief works without expansion into broader policy or administrative areas."},"complexity_factors":["Extensive tabular schedule specifying exact pound amounts for individual projects","Numerous named geographic locations and facilities requiring precise allocation tracking","Simple appropriation mechanism with no conditional logic, exceptions, or defined terms"],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations authorised the Australian Government to spend £250,000 on labour‑intensive public works during the Great Depression to provide immediate employment for unemployed Australians. It affected jobseekers and the government agencies running the projects, funding maintenance and minor infrastructure works (e.g., defence, telegraphs, roads, health facilities) across states and territories as an early economic stimulus."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/unemployment-relief-works-regulations","history":"/api/acts/unemployment-relief-works-regulations/history","analysis":"/api/acts/unemployment-relief-works-regulations/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/unemployment-relief-works-regulations/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/unemployment-relief-works-regulations/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/unemployment-relief-works-regulations/documents"}}