{"id":"western-australian-aged-sailors-soldiers-and-airmens-relief-fund-act-1932","name":"Western Australian Aged Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen's Relief Fund Act 1932","slug":"western-australian-aged-sailors-soldiers-and-airmen-s-relief-fund-act-1932","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"wa","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":111111,"registerId":"wa-western-australian-aged-sailors-soldiers-and-airmens-relief-fund-act-1932-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Western Australian Aged Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen's Relief Fund Act 1932","content":"![Crest]()Western Australia\n\nWestern Australian Aged Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen’s Relief Fund Act 1932\n\nWestern Australia\n\nWestern Australian Aged Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen’s Relief Fund Act 1932\n\nContents\n\n1. Short title and commencement 1\n\n2. Terms used in this Act 1\n\n3. The Fund 2\n\n4. The Trust 2\n\n5. Investment and application of the Fund 3\n\n6. Expenses of Trust pending accumulation of the Fund 3\n\n7. Regulations 3\n\n8. Authority to conduct the annual Poppy Day appeal 3\n\nNotes\n\nCompilation table 5\n\nDefined terms\n\n  \n\nWestern Australia\n\nWestern Australian Aged Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen’s Relief Fund Act 1932\n\nAn Act to establish the Western Australian Aged Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen’s Relief Fund.\n\n[Long title amended: No. 24 of 1958 s. 2.]\n\n##### 1. Short title and commencement\n\nThis Act may be cited as the *Western Australian Aged Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen’s Relief Fund Act 1932* 1, and shall come into operation on 1 January 1933.\n\n[Section 1 amended: No. 24 of 1958 s. 1.]\n\n##### 2. Terms used in this Act\n\nIn this Act —\n\n  the annual Poppy Day appeal means an annual appeal of a kind similar to the appeal heretofore known as “the Poppy Day appeal”, and heretofore conducted annually by or under the authority of the League since the Great War, 1914‑1918, on Armistice Day;\n\n  the League means The Returned and Services League of Australia WA Branch Incorporated;\n\n  the State secretary means the State secretary to the League.\n\n[Section 2 amended: No. 10 of 1934 s. 2; No. 24 of 1958 s. 3; No. 47 of 2011 s. 17.]\n\n##### 3. The Fund\n\n(1) The Fund inaugurated by the League and known as the Western Australian Aged Sailors and Soldiers’ Relief Fund is hereby established.\n\n(2A) The League shall, on the commencement of this Act, remit to the Trust all moneys held by the League in an account known as “W.A. Aged Sailors and Soldiers’ Relief Fund”.\n\n(2B) Each sub‑branch of the League shall, on the commencement of this Act, and on or before 1 December 1933, and in every subsequent year remit to the State secretary one‑half of the net proceeds of the annual Poppy Day appeal, and the moneys so received by the State secretary shall be paid by him to the Trust hereby established.\n\n(2C) From the commencement of the *Western Australian Aged Sailors and Soldiers’ Relief Fund Act Amendment Act 1958*1, the account constituted by subsection (2A) shall be known as the “Western Australian Aged Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen’s Relief Fund”.\n\n(3) The Fund shall consist of —\n\n(a) one‑half of the net proceeds of the annual Poppy Day appeal received by the Trust under subsection (2B);\n\n(b) such other moneys as may be set aside for the purposes of this Act by the annual State Congress of the League;\n\n(c) donations or bequests.\n\n[Section 3 amended: No. 24 of 1958 s. 4; No. 19 of 2010 s. 51.]\n\n##### 4. The Trust\n\n(1) The Fund is hereby vested in and shall be administered by a Trust.\n\n(2) The Trust shall consist of 3 members, to be appointed from time to time by the Governor. One of the members shall be nominated by the State Executive of the League.\n\n(3) The Trust, by the name of the Western Australian Aged Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen’s Relief Fund Trust, shall be a body corporate, with perpetual succession and a common seal.\n\n[Section 4 amended: No. 24 of 1958 s. 5.]\n\n##### 5. Investment and application of the Fund\n\n(1) All moneys to the credit of the Fund shall be invested by the Trust, under and subject to the *Trustees Act 1900* 2, and shall accumulate with interest until 1 December 1940.\n\n(2) Thereafter such moneys shall, subject to the regulations, be applied by the Trust in its discretion for the benefit of aged and/or invalid sailors, soldiers, airmen and nurses eligible for membership of the League, and for any person who, immediately before the death of any such sailor, soldier, airman or nurse, was the spouse or de facto partner of that person.\n\n(3) A benefit under subsection (2) shall be applied only for a person who is domiciled in the State of Western Australia.\n\n[Section 5 amended: No. 24 of 1958 s. 6 3; No. 28 of 2003 s. 206; No. 19 of 2010 s. 51.]\n\n##### 6. Expenses of Trust pending accumulation of the Fund\n\nThe League may defray from its general fund the expense incurred by the Trust in administering this Act, pending the accumulation of the Fund under the provisions of section 5.\n\n##### 7. Regulations\n\nThe Governor may make such regulations as are necessary or convenient to be made for the effective administration of this Act, or to facilitate the carrying out of the objects thereof.\n\n##### 8. Authority to conduct the annual Poppy Day appeal\n\n(1) From and after the commencement of this section it shall be lawful for the League, but for no other body or person, to hold, manage, and conduct in Western Australia the annual Poppy Day appeal.\n\n(2) The annual Poppy Day appeal shall be conducted in accordance with the regulations.\n\n(3) Any person who, in contravention of this section, conducts, or attempts to conduct, or permits or suffers to be conducted, or who aids in, abets, takes part in, or whether with or without personal reward or remuneration as a servant or agent, or otherwise engages in the conduct of the annual Poppy Day appeal, will be guilty of an offence.\n\nPenalty: $200.\n\n(4) Where any annual Poppy Day appeal is conducted in contravention of this section, any moneys collected by such appeal shall be held by the person collecting or having such moneys in his possession in trust for the League, and such person, on demand, shall pay such moneys to the League, and until such moneys are so paid to the League the amount thereof shall be a debt owing to the League from the person for the time being holding the same, and shall be recoverable by the League from such person in any court of competent jurisdiction.\n\n[Section 8 inserted: No. 10 of 1934 s. 3; amended: No. 113 of 1965 s. 8(1).]\n\nNotes\n\n1 This is a compilation of the *Western Australian Aged Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen’s Relief Fund Act 1932* 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| **Short title** | **Number and year** | **Assent** | **Commencement** |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| *Western Australian Aged Sailors and Soldiers’ Relief Fund Act 1932* 4 | 39 of 1932 (23 Geo. V No. 39) | 30 Dec 1932 | 1 Jan 1933 (see s. 1) |\n| *Western Australian Aged Sailors and Soldiers’ Relief Fund Amendment Act 1934* | 10 of 1934 (25 Geo. V No. 9) | 9 Nov 1934 | 9 Nov 1934 |\n| *Western Australian Aged Sailors and Soldiers’ Relief Fund Act Amendment Act 1958* | 24 of 1958 (7 Eliz. II No. 24) | 11 Nov 1958 | 11 Nov 1958 |\n| *Decimal Currency Act 1965* | 113 of 1965 | 21 Dec 1965 | Act other than s. 4-9: 21 Dec 1965 (see s. 2(1));   s. 4-9: 14 Feb 1966 (see s. 2(2)) |\n| **Reprint of the *Western Australian Aged Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen’s Relief Fund Act 1932* as at 7 Feb 1989** (includes amendments listed above) | | | |\n| *Acts Amendment (Equality of Status) Act 2003* Pt. 60 | 28 of 2003 | 22 May 2003 | 1 Jul 2003 (see s. 2 and *Gazette* 30 Jun 2003 p. 2579) |\n| **Reprint 2: The *Western Australian Aged Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen’s Relief Fund Act 1932* as at 1 Jun 2007** (includes amendments listed above) | | | |\n| *Standardisation of Formatting Act 2010* s. 51 | 19 of 2010 | 28 Jun 2010 | 11 Sep 2010 (see s. 2(b) and *Gazette* 10 Sep 2010 p. 4341) |\n| *Statutes (Repeals and Minor Amendments) Act 2011* s. 17 | 47 of 2011 | 25 Oct 2011 | 26 Oct 2011 (see s. 2(b)) |\n\n\n2 Repealed by the *Trustees Act 1962*.\n\n3 An amendment was made to this section by the *Western Australian Aged Sailors and Soldiers’ Relief Fund Act Amendment Act 1958* s. 6(b) which reads as follows:\n\n“\n\n(b) by substituting for the passage, “soldiers or sailors,” in lines eight and nine, the passage, “sailors, soldiers and airmen,”;\n\n”,\n\nThis amendment is inconsistent with the amendment made by the *Western Australian Aged Sailors and Soldiers’ Relief Fund Act Amendment Act 1958* s. 6(c) and the latter has been incorporated in this reprint.\n\n4 Now known as the *Western Australian Aged Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen’s Relief Fund Act 1932*; short title changed (see note under s. 1).\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\nthe annual Poppy Day appeal 2\n\nthe League 2\n\nthe State secretary 2\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"summary":{"complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Scope cannot be assessed as the legislative text was not available for review. The page hosting this Act has been moved or removed from the Western Australian legislation website, and no content beyond the title and an error message was provided."},"complexity_factors":["No legislative text was retrievable — only an error page was provided","Cannot assess structural complexity, cross-references, definitions, or operative provisions","Title alone provides minimal information for substantive analysis"],"plain_english_summary":"A 1932 Western Australian Act creating a relief fund for elderly ex‑service personnel — specifically aged sailors, soldiers and airmen — to provide financial or material assistance. It affects older veterans in WA and matters for anyone researching historical or current veterans’ welfare entitlements.\n\nBecause the online text is unavailable, check the WA legislation website or contact the Parliamentary Counsel’s Office to confirm the Act’s current status (in force, repealed, or consolidated)."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Amendments expanded and clarified the original scheme: the Fund’s name and beneficiary class were broadened to include ‘airmen’ (s.3(2C)) and later nurses and de facto partners (s.5(2)); sub‑branches were required to remit half the net Poppy Day proceeds to the State secretary for the Trust (s.3(2B)); exclusive statutory authority for the Returned and Services League to conduct the Poppy Day was inserted, with a penalty and recovery mechanism for unlawful collections (s.8). Other amendments updated wording and cross‑references (compilation notes)."},"complexity_factors":["Short statute with few sections (limited scope) (ss.1–8)","Cross‑reference to external trustees law for investment powers (s.5(1))","Mechanical allocation rule requiring sub‑branches to remit half net proceeds annually (s.3(2B))","Governor appointment of a three‑member corporate Trust, one nominated by the League (s.4(2)) creating executive discretion over distributions (s.5(2))","Exclusive statutory right for the League to conduct the annual Poppy Day and a monetary penalty for contraventions (s.8(1)–(3))","Eligibility limits and domicile requirement for beneficiaries, including spouses/de facto partners and nurses (s.5(2)–(3)) that constrain who may receive payments","Historical accumulation rule to 1 December 1940 (s.5(1)) and multiple later amendments that alter terminology and beneficiary classes (ss.3, 5; compilation notes) increasing interpretive points","Regulation‑making power vesting administrative detail to the Governor (s.7), creating delegated‑law risk"],"plain_english_summary":"Creates a named trust to hold and invest money raised for aged or invalid ex‑service personnel: one‑half of net proceeds from the League’s annual Poppy Day, plus donations and sums set aside by the League. The Governor‑appointed Trust decides how funds are invested and paid out (beneficiaries must be domiciled in WA); the League initially meets administration costs and alone is authorised to run the Poppy Day appeal, with penalties for others who collect funds."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation has remained tightly focused on its original purpose since 1932. The only material changes have been updates to terminology: expanding 'soldiers and sailors' to include 'airmen' (1958), modernising gendered language, adding 'de facto partner' (2003), and updating organisational names (RSL WA Branch Incorporated). These are modernising amendments rather than scope creep. The core mechanism — Poppy Day funding for a veterans' relief trust — remains unchanged."},"complexity_factors":["Only 8 operative sections plus definitions","Just 3 defined terms in section 2","Minimal cross-referencing (only references to Trustees Act 1900, now repealed)","Straightforward conditional logic (single accumulation period ending 1 December 1940, now historical)","No nested exceptions or complex procedural requirements","Simple administrative structure (3-person trust, Governor appoints, one RSL nominee)","Single offence provision with flat penalty ($200 — though likely outdated)"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does:**\n\nThis Act creates a special trust fund to help elderly and disabled veterans (sailors, soldiers, airmen and nurses) in Western Australia, along with their surviving spouses or de facto partners (unmarried partners who lived together as a couple).\n\n**How it works:**\n\n* **The Fund:** Money comes from three sources — half the proceeds from the annual Poppy Day appeal (the RSL's signature fundraising day), donations, and money set aside by the RSL's annual conference.\n* **The Trust:** Three people appointed by the Governor manage the money. One must be nominated by the RSL (Returned and Services League). The Trust operates as a legal body that can own property and use a common seal (official stamp).\n* **Who benefits:** Once the fund had built up enough money (originally until December 1940, now long past), the Trust could start distributing benefits to eligible veterans and their partners who live in Western Australia.\n* **Poppy Day monopoly:** Importantly, this law gives the RSL the **exclusive legal right** to run the Poppy Day appeal in WA. Anyone else who tries to run a Poppy Day appeal faces a $200 fine and must hand over any money collected to the RSL.\n\n**Why it matters:**\n\nThis is one of Australia's older pieces of veterans' welfare legislation, dating back to the interwar period. It formalised community fundraising for veterans' welfare into a statutory trust, ensuring the money was properly managed and protected. The Poppy Day monopoly provision remains significant today — it prevents other organisations from trading on the RSL's reputation and ensures veteran fundraising isn't diluted or exploited by unrelated groups."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/western-australian-aged-sailors-soldiers-and-airmen-s-relief-fund-act-1932","history":"/api/acts/western-australian-aged-sailors-soldiers-and-airmen-s-relief-fund-act-1932/history","analysis":"/api/acts/western-australian-aged-sailors-soldiers-and-airmen-s-relief-fund-act-1932/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/western-australian-aged-sailors-soldiers-and-airmen-s-relief-fund-act-1932/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/western-australian-aged-sailors-soldiers-and-airmen-s-relief-fund-act-1932/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/western-australian-aged-sailors-soldiers-and-airmen-s-relief-fund-act-1932/documents"}}