{"id":"C1944A00042","name":"United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Act 1944","slug":"united-nations-food-and-agriculture-organization-act-1944","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"42 of 1944","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":717,"registerId":"C2004C00646","compilationNumber":"1","startDate":"1973-12-31","status":"InForce","reasons":[{"affect":"Amend","markdown":"s 3, sch 1 of the [Statute Law Revision Act 1973](/C1973A00216)","dateChanged":null,"amendedByTitle":null,"affectedByTitle":{"name":"Statute Law Revision Act 1973","year":1973,"number":216,"titleId":"C1973A00216","provisions":"s 3, sch 1","seriesType":"Act","optionalSeriesNumber":null}}],"registeredAt":"2012-08-30T10:49:31.467Z"},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Preamble","sectionType":"section","heading":"Preamble","content":"#### Preamble\n\n  WHEREAS the United Nations Interim Commission on Food and Agriculture has recommended for the approval of its constituent Governments the Constitution of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (a copy of which is set out in the Schedule to this Act):\n  AND WHEREAS the Constitution is open for acceptance by the nations specified in Annex I thereof, including Australia, and will come into force upon being signed on behalf of not less than twenty of the said nations who have notified their acceptance of the Constitution:\n  AND WHEREAS it is desirable that the acceptance of the Constitution by the Commonwealth should be approved by the Parliament of the Commonwealth, and that appropriate financial provision should be made for the purpose of meeting the obligations of the Commonwealth under the Constitution when it comes into force:\n  BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"1. Short title [see Note 1]","sectionType":"section","heading":"1. Short title [see Note 1]","content":"#### 1. Short title \\[see Note 1\\]\n\n  This Act may be cited as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Act 1944.","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"2. Commencement [see Note 1]","sectionType":"section","heading":"2. Commencement [see Note 1]","content":"#### 2. Commencement \\[see Note 1\\]\n\n  This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"3. Interpretation","sectionType":"section","heading":"3. Interpretation","content":"#### 3. Interpretation\n\n  In this Act, the Constitution means the Constitution of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, recommended, in a report bearing date the first day of August, One thousand nine hundred and forty-four, by the United Nations Interim Commission on Food and Agriculture for the approval of its constituent Governments, a copy of which Constitution is set out in the Schedule to this Act.","sortOrder":3},{"sectionNumber":"4. Approval of acceptance of Constitutio","sectionType":"section","heading":"4. Approval of acceptance of Constitution","content":"#### 4. Approval of acceptance of Constitution\n\n  (1) The acceptance of the Constitution by the Commonwealth is approved.\n  (2) No amendment made under Article XX of the Constitution which involves any new obligation for Australia shall be accepted for Australia unless with the approval of the Parliament.","sortOrder":4},{"sectionNumber":"5. Appropriation","sectionType":"section","heading":"5. Appropriation","content":"#### 5. Appropriation\n\n  5. There shall be payable out of sums appropriated by the Parliament for the purpose such amounts as are necessary to enable the Commonwealth, when the Constitution comes into force, to make the contributions referred to in Article XVIII of the Constitution.","sortOrder":5}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Act implements the Commonwealth’s acceptance of the FAO Constitution and authorises appropriation for Australia’s contributions, consistent with its original purpose. It adds a parliamentary safeguard against accepting amendment‑imposed obligations without Parliament’s approval. No substantive change of scope from the instrument’s original intent is evident in the text; operational effect depends on the FAO Constitution coming into force and subsequent appropriation decisions."},"complexity_factors":["Very short statutory text with only a few operative clauses (low textual complexity).","Relies on an external instrument (the FAO Constitution in the Schedule) — substantive obligations require cross‑reference to that document.","Appropriation language is open‑ended (‘such amounts as are necessary’), creating practical budgeting and fiscal implementation questions.","Parliamentary approval safeguard for future amendments (Article XX) introduces a conditional constraint requiring legislative action to accept any additional obligations.","Minimal administrative detail — implementation depends on executive and appropriation processes rather than statutory regulatory machinery.","Potential interpretive issue over what counts as a ‘new obligation’ under Article XX, requiring legal judgment or legislative clarification if contested."],"plain_english_summary":"Approves Australia’s acceptance of the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Constitution and authorises Parliament to appropriate the sums necessary for Australia’s contributions when that Constitution comes into force. It commits the Commonwealth to meet contribution obligations subject to future appropriation decisions.\n\nIt also requires Parliament’s separate approval before accepting any amendments that would impose new obligations on Australia. The law affects the Commonwealth executive (which signs and pays), Parliament (which approves and appropriates) and taxpayers (who fund the contributions)."},"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Act remains exactly as originally intended: a narrow, enabling instrument to approve Australia's acceptance of the FAO Constitution and authorise the payment of membership contributions. No scope creep or material change from its original purpose is evident."},"complexity_factors":["Very short Act with only five operative sections","Straightforward purpose: approving international membership and authorising funding","Some complexity arises from cross-referencing an international treaty (the FAO Constitution) incorporated as a Schedule","The constitutional safeguard in section 4(2) introduces a modest layer of legal nuance regarding the threshold for parliamentary re-approval of amendments","Historical and archaic language (e.g., 'the King's Most Excellent Majesty') may be unfamiliar to modern readers but does not add substantive legal complexity"],"plain_english_summary":"The Act authorises Australia to join the UN Food and Agriculture Organization by accepting its Constitution, allows federal funds to meet membership contributions, and protects Parliament’s role by requiring parliamentary approval before any changes that create new obligations for Australia can be accepted.  \n\nIt’s the legal basis for Australia’s participation in global food, nutrition and agricultural cooperation, affecting government commitments and safeguarding democratic oversight of future international obligations."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose: enabling Australia's membership in the FAO, controlling future constitutional amendments that create new obligations, and appropriating funds for membership contributions. There is no evidence of scope creep; the Act has not accumulated additional functions or been repurposed for broader agricultural or international organisational matters."},"complexity_factors":["Very short statute—only 5 operative sections plus a Schedule","Single defined term ('the Constitution') with a lengthy but straightforward definition","No cross-references to other Acts","Simple conditional logic only in section 4(2) (amendments involving new obligations require parliamentary approval)","No exceptions, exemptions, or nested conditions","Schedule contains the full FAO Constitution but this is external treaty text, not operative legislative drafting"],"plain_english_summary":"This law does three simple things:\n\n**1. It approves Australia joining the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)**\nThe FAO is a United Nations body that works on global food security and agricultural development. This Act gives parliamentary approval for Australia to accept the FAO's Constitution and become a member.\n\n**2. It puts a brake on new obligations**\nIf the FAO later wants to change its Constitution in a way that would create new obligations for Australia (like requiring extra payments or new commitments), Parliament must approve that change first. The government can't agree to it on its own.\n\n**3. It authorises funding**\nThe Act allows the government to pay Australia's membership contributions to the FAO once the organisation officially starts up. The money still needs to be specifically approved in the budget each year, but this law creates the legal authority to make those payments.\n\n**Why it matters:** This was Australia's legal step to join the FAO in 1944, near the end of World War II. It shows how Australia formally enters international organisations—Parliament approves, the government negotiates, and the budget pays the bills. The Act also protects parliamentary control by ensuring any major new commitments get fresh approval."},"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"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/united-nations-food-and-agriculture-organization-act-1944","history":"/api/acts/united-nations-food-and-agriculture-organization-act-1944/history","analysis":"/api/acts/united-nations-food-and-agriculture-organization-act-1944/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/united-nations-food-and-agriculture-organization-act-1944/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/united-nations-food-and-agriculture-organization-act-1944/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/united-nations-food-and-agriculture-organization-act-1944/documents"}}