Commonwealth legislation

Waterside Employment Regulations

RepealedCTH

This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.

Jurisdiction

Commonwealth

Act Number

10 of 1932

Collection

legislative instrument

Plain English Summary

2/10 complexity

What it does: These regulations ensure that federal law overrides state law when it comes to hiring waterside workers (dockworkers or stevedores).

Key points:

Federal supremacy: Despite anything in state laws, regulations, or proclamations, it is legal to employ people as waterside workers—as long as they comply with the federal Transport Workers Act.
Historical context: Made during the Great Depression, these rules were part of the controversial "Dog Collar Act" system that required wharf laborers to hold federal licenses.

Why it matters: This regulation prevented state governments from blocking or prohibiting the employment of waterside workers, ensuring the Commonwealth could control who worked on the nation's wharves during a period of intense industrial conflict.

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Current sections

Direct links to the current provisions in Waterside Employment Regulations.

Waterside Employment Regulations

STATUTORY RULES.

1932. No. 10.

REGULATIONS UNDER THE TRANSPORT WORKERS ACT 1928-1929.

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 Transport Workers Act 1928-1929 to come into operation forthwith.

Dated the twenty-first day of January, 1932.

ISAAC A. ISAACS

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

H. S. GULLETT

for Minister of State for Transport.

Waterside Employment Regulations.

Short title.

These Regulations may be cited as “the Waterside Employment Regulations.”

Waterside employment not to be prohibited by or under State law.

Notwithstanding any provision contained in any State law or in any regulation or proclamation made under or in pursuance of any State law, it shall, subject to the Transport Workers Act 1928-1929, be lawful to employ any person as a waterside worker.

By Authority: H. J. Green, Government Printer, Canberra.

184.—Price 3d.

Source text

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

1 Waterside Employment Regulations