{"id":"C2013A00063","name":"Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (Registration Fees) Act 2013","slug":"water-efficiency-labelling-and-standards-registration-fees-act-2013","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"63 of 2013","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":8517,"registerId":"commonwealth-C2013A00063-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-03-30","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (Registration Fees) Act 2013","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![](image.001.png)\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nWater Efficiency Labelling and Standards (Registration Fees) Act 2013\n\n \n\nNo. 63, 2013\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nAn Act to impose, as taxes, fees for applying for registration of WELS products for the purposes of the WELS scheme, and for related purposes\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n1 Short title\n\n2 Commencement\n\n3 Act binds the Crown\n\n4 Application of this Act\n\n5 Act does not impose tax on property of a State\n\n6 Definitions\n\nPart 2—Registration fees\n\n7 Imposition of registration fees\n\n8 Matters relating to amount of fees\n\nPart 3—Miscellaneous\n\n9 Regulations\n\n \n\n![](image.001.png)\n\n \n\n \n\nWater Efficiency Labelling and Standards (Registration Fees) Act 2013\n\nNo. 63, 2013\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nAn Act to impose, as taxes, fees for applying for registration of WELS products for the purposes of the WELS scheme, and for related purposes\n\n[Assented to 26 June 2013]\n\n \n\nThe Parliament of Australia enacts:\n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n \n\n1  Short title\n\n  This Act may be cited as the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (Registration Fees) Act 2013.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n  This Act commences on the day after this Act receives the Royal Assent.\n\n3  Act binds the Crown\n\n  This Act binds the Crown in each of its capacities.\n\n4  Application of this Act\n\n  This Act applies to a registration application made:\n\n (a) in or outside Australia; and\n\n (b) on or after 15 September 2013.\n\n5  Act does not impose tax on property of a State\n\n (1) This Act does not impose a tax on property of any kind belonging to a State.\n\n (2) In this section, property of any kind belonging to a State has the same meaning as in section 114 of the Constitution.\n\n6  Definitions\n\n (1) In this Act:\n\nregistration application means an application, made under the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005 or a corresponding State‑Territory law, for registration of a WELS product (including renewal of registration).\n\nregistration fees: see subsection 7(1).\n\n (2) Other expressions used in this Act that are defined in the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005 have the same meanings as they have in that Act.\n\nPart 2—Registration fees\n\n \n\n7  Imposition of registration fees\n\n (1) The Minister may, by legislative instrument, specify fees (registration fees) for registration applications.\n\n (2) Registration fees are imposed, and are so imposed as taxes.\n\n (3) Two or more registration fees may be specified for a single registration application.\n\n (4) Before making an instrument under subsection (1), the Minister must give a draft of the instrument to each participating State or Territory.\n\nNote: See also subsection 26(8) of the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005.\n\n8  Matters relating to amount of fees\n\n (1) A legislative instrument made under subsection 7(1) may specify a registration fee:\n\n (a) by specifying an amount as the fee; or\n\n (b) by specifying a method for calculating the amount of the fee.\n\n (2) Before making the instrument, the Minister must be satisfied that it sets fees at a level that is designed to recover no more than the likely cost of administering the WELS scheme (including the corresponding State‑Territory laws) and this Act.\n\nPart 3—Miscellaneous\n\n \n\n9  Regulations\n\n  The Governor‑General may make regulations prescribing matters necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act.\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n[Minister’s second reading speech made in—\n\nHouse of Representatives on 13 March 2013\n\nSenate on 20 March 2013]\n\n \n\n(44/13)\n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose of imposing registration fees for the WELS scheme. It has not expanded beyond this narrow taxation function."},"complexity_factors":["Only 9 sections total, with minimal conditional logic","Just 2 defined terms in section 6 ('registration application' and 'registration fees')","Simple structure: preliminary matters, fee imposition, and regulations","No nested exceptions or complex cross-referencing—only refers to the main WELS Act 2005 for definitions","Straightforward delegation: Minister sets fees by legislative instrument with basic constraints (cost recovery only, must consult states)"],"plain_english_summary":"This law creates a system for charging fees to businesses that want to register water-efficient products under Australia's Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme.\n\n**What it does:**\n- Allows the Minister to set fees (called \"registration fees\") for applications to register products like washing machines, dishwashers, toilets, and taps under the WELS scheme\n- These fees are legally classified as taxes\n- The fees apply whether the application is made in Australia or overseas\n- The Minister must consult with states and territories before setting fees\n- Fees must be set at a level that only covers the cost of running the WELS scheme—not for profit\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Manufacturers and suppliers who want to register water-efficient products for sale in Australia\n- The fees apply to both new registrations and renewals of existing registrations\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThe WELS scheme helps consumers identify water-efficient products. This law ensures the scheme is self-funding—businesses that benefit from selling registered products pay fees that cover the scheme's administration costs, rather than taxpayers funding it."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Act is narrowly scoped to authorise and regulate registration fees for WELS product applications. It sets who decides fees (Minister, s7), how they must be justified (cost recovery limit, s8(2)), and procedural safeguards (State consultation, s7(4)). It applies to applications on or after 15 September 2013 and does not extend taxation to State property (s4, s2, s5). No broader expansion of the WELS scheme or new regulatory powers beyond fee imposition is evident in the text."},"complexity_factors":["Delegation of fee-setting to the Minister by legislative instrument (s7(1))","Fees are explicitly imposed as taxes, engaging tax law formality (s7(2))","Permits multiple fees for a single registration application, increasing tariff design choices (s7(3))","Requirement to provide draft instrument to participating States before making it, adding an intergovernmental consultation step (s7(4))","Cost‑recovery constraint requiring Ministerial satisfaction that fees recover no more than the likely administrative cost (s8(2))","Definitions and operational scope depend on cross‑references to the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005 and corresponding State‑Territory laws (s6(2), s6(1))","Extrajurisdictional application to applications made in or outside Australia and specified commencement timing (s4, s2)","Crown binding and an explicit exclusion of taxation on State property, which affect legal reach and potential immunities (s3, s5)"],"plain_english_summary":"This Act authorises the Minister to set, by legislative instrument, fees for applying to register Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) products. The fees are imposed as taxes and apply to registration applications made in or outside Australia on or after 15 September 2013.\n\nFees must be set so they recover no more than the likely cost of administering the WELS scheme (s8(2)). Applicants pay; the Minister decides fee rules and must give draft instruments to participating States before making them (s7)."},"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/water-efficiency-labelling-and-standards-registration-fees-act-2013","history":"/api/acts/water-efficiency-labelling-and-standards-registration-fees-act-2013/history","analysis":"/api/acts/water-efficiency-labelling-and-standards-registration-fees-act-2013/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/water-efficiency-labelling-and-standards-registration-fees-act-2013/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/water-efficiency-labelling-and-standards-registration-fees-act-2013/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/water-efficiency-labelling-and-standards-registration-fees-act-2013/documents"}}