Commonwealth legislation

Black Marketing Regulations

RepealedCTH

This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.

Jurisdiction

Commonwealth

Act Number

274 of 1943

Collection

legislative instrument

Plain English Summary

1/10 complexity

What this does: These regulations make it a crime to hang onto rationing documents—like food coupons, petrol licences, or ration tickets—without legal permission during World War II.

Who it affects: Anyone in possession of ration documents issued by the Commonwealth government.

The key rule: If you keep a licence, ration ticket, ration document, or ration coupon (or blank forms for these) without lawful authority, you are engaging in "black marketing" under the Black Marketing Act 1942.

Why it matters: During WWII, Australia strictly rationed goods like food, fuel, and clothing to support the war effort. These regulations were designed to stop people from hoarding ration coupons or trading them illegally on the black market, ensuring fair distribution of scarce resources.

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Current sections

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Black Marketing Regulations

STATUTORY RULES.

1943. No. 274.

REGULATIONS UNDER THE BLACK MARKETING ACT 1942.*

I, 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 Black Marketing Act 1942.

Dated this third of November, 1943.

Signature of the Governor-General

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

Signature of the Attorney-General

Attorney-General

Black Marketing Regulations.

Citation.

These Regulations may be cited as the Black Marketing Regulations.

Declaration of unlawful retention of licences, &c., to be black marketing.

It is hereby declared to be black marketing for any person to retain in his possession, without lawful authority, any licence, ration ticket, ration document or ration coupon issued, or any licence form, ration ticket, ration document or ration coupon authorized by an authority of the Commonwealth to be issued, under the Regulations.

* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on ,1943.

By Authority: L. F. Johnston, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.

4626.—Price 3d. 25/9.9.1943.

Source text

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.

1 Black Marketing Regulations