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Commonwealth legislation
This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.
These regulations create a permanent exemption list removing thousands of Commonwealth employees and office holders from jury duty in federal and state/territory courts. It covers senior statutory officeholders, senior public servants, ministerial staff, numerous specified specialist roles across departments, and employees of Commonwealth authorities, with some exemptions limited to particular states or territories. The aim is to keep essential government functions running and avoid conflicts of interest.
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Direct links to the current provisions in Jury Exemption Regulations.
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
STATUTORY RULES
1970 No.
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REGULATIONS UNDER THE JURY EXEMPTION ACT 1965.*
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 Jury Exemption Act 1965.
Dated this nineteenth day of September, 1970.
Paul Hasluck
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
T.E.F. Hughes
Attorney-General.
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JURY EXEMPTION REGULATIONS
Citation.
Interpretation.
2.—(1.) In these Regulations, “the Commonwealth Service” has the same meaning as in the Public Service Act 1922-1968.
(2.) In regulations 4 to 9, inclusive, of these Regulations a reference to a person shall be read as a reference to a person employed under the Public Service Act 1922-1968.
(3.) In these Regulations, a reference to the courts of the Territories of the Commonwealth shall be read as a reference to the courts of each of the following Territories, of the Commonwealth:—
(a) Australian Capital Territory;
(b) Northern Territory of Australia;
(c) Norfolk Island
(d) Territory of Papua and New Guinea, being the Territory of Papua and the Territory of New Guinea governed in an administrative union in accordance with the provisions of the Papua and New Guinea Act 1949-1968;
(e) Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands; and
(f) Territory of Christmas Island.
(4.) In these Regulations, a reference to a Schedule by number shall be read as a reference to the Schedule, so numbered, to these Regulations.
Exemption of members or specified statutory bodies.
3.—(1.) A person to whom this regulation applies is exempted from liability to serve as a juror—
(a) in Federal courts; and
(b) in the courts of the States or Territories of the Commonwealth.
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* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 1970.
22532/69—Price 20c 10/16.6.1970
(2.) This regulation applies to—
(a) the Auditor-General for the Commonwealth;
(b) the Public Service Arbitrator;
(c) a Deputy Public Service Arbitrator;
(d) a Conciliator holding office under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1906-1970;
(e) the Commonwealth Railways Commissioner;
(f) a member of—
(i) the Repatriation Commission;
(ii) a Repatriation Board;
(iii) a War Pensions Entitlement Appeal Tribunal; or
(iv) an Assessment Appeal Tribunal,
established by the Australian Soldiers’ Repatriation Act 1920, or that Act as amended;
(g) a member of the Public Service Board
(h) the President of the Superannuation Board;
(i) a member of the Executive of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization;
(j) the Commissioner of Taxation;
(k) a Second Commissioner of Taxation;
(l) a Deputy Commissioner of Taxation;
(m) the Director-General of Security;
(n) the Commissioner of Trade Practices;
(o) the Chairman of the Australian Industrial Research and Development Grants Board;
(p) the First Parliamentary Counsel; and
(q) a Second Parliamentary Counsel.
Exemption of First Division and Second Division officers.
(a) in Federal courts; and
(b) in the courts of the States or Territories of the Commonwealth.
Ministerial private secretaries and press secretaries.
(a) in Federal courts; and
(b) in the courts of the States or Territories of the Commonwealth.
Exemption of Third and Fourth Division Officers—New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia.
(a) resides in New South Wales, Queensland or South Australia; and
(b) occupies, or for the time, being performs the duties of, an office in the Third or Fourth Division of the Commonwealth Service;
is exempt from liability to serve as a juror—
(c) in Federal courts exercising jurisdiction in those States; and
(d) in the courts of those States.
Officers of Attorney General’s Department-Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, the A.C.T. and the N.T.
(a) in Federal courts exercising jurisdiction in those States or Territories; and
(b) in the courts of those States or Territories.
Members of complements of lighthouse vessels.
(a) in Federal courts exercising jurisdiction in those States; and
(b) in the courts of those States.
Exemption of certain officers in other States or Territories.
9.—(1.) In this regulation, a reference to an office shall be read as a reference to an office in the Third or Fourth Division of the Commonwealth Service.
(2.) In the First Schedule to these Regulations, unless the contrary intention appears, a reference in an item to a Branch or a Division shall be read as a reference to the Branch or Division of the Department of the Commonwealth Service named in the heading to the Part of that Schedule in which that item is included.
(3.) Where an item in a part of the First Schedule applies to a person and the person resides in a State or Territory of the Commonwealth specified in the item, the person is exempt from liability to serve as a juror—
(a) in federal courts exercising jurisdiction in the State or Territory in which he resides; and
(b) in the courts of the State or Territory in which he resides.
(4.) For the purpose of the last preceding sub-regulation, an item in a part of the First Schedule applies—
(a) in the case of an item in which reference is made to a person who performs specified duties but those duties are not specified by reference to the designation of an office—to a person who performs those duties;
(b) in the case of an item in which the designation of an office is specified and reference is also made to duties performed by some of the persons who hold offices so designated—to a person who holds, or for the time being performs the duties of, an office so designated and also performs the duties described in the item;
(c) in the case of an item in which the designation of an office is specified, not being an item of a kind referred to in the last preceding paragraph—to a person who holds, or for the time being performs the duties of, an office so designated; or
(d) in the case of an item that contains a description of a person otherwise than by reference to the duties he performs or the designation of an office—to a person who is such a person.
Exemption of persons employed under certain Acts.
10.—(1.) Where an item in a part of the Second Schedule applies to a person and the person resides in a State or Territory of the Commonwealth specified in the item, the person is exempt from liability to serve as a juror—
(a) in federal courts exercising jurisdiction in the State or Territory in which he resides; and
(b) in the courts of the State or Territory in which he resides.
(2.) For the purpose of the last preceding sub-regulation, an item in a part of the Second Schedule applies—
(a) in the case of an item in which reference is made to a person who performs specified duties but those duties are not specified by reference to the designation of an office—to a person who performs those duties;
(b) in the case of an item in which the designation of an office is specified and reference is also made to duties performed by some of the persons who hold offices so designated—to a person who holds, or for the time being performs the duties of, an office so designated and also performs the duties described in the item; or
(c) in the case of an item that contains a description of a person otherwise than by reference to the duties he performs or the designation of an office—to a person who is such a person.
(3.) Where a person employed under the Australian National Airlines Act 1945-1970 resides in the Territory of Papua or the Territory of New Guinea and—
(a) is performing the duties of a manager, however designated; or
(b) is a member of an aircrew,
the person is exempt from liability to serve as a juror—
(c) in federal courts exercising jurisdiction in the Territory of Papua or the Territory of New Guinea; and
(d) in the courts of the Territory of Papua and New Guinea, being the Territory of Papua and the Territory of New Guinea governed in an administrative union in accordance with the provisions of the Papua and New Guinea Act 1949-1968.
Abbreviation of names.
| State or Territory | Abbreviation |
|---|---|
| New South Wales...................... | N.S.W. |
| Victoria............................. | Vic. |
| Queensland.......................... | Qld. |
| South Australia........................ | S.A. |
| Western Australia...................... | W.A. |
| Tasmania............................ | Tas. |
| Australian Capital Territory................ | A.C.T. |
| Northern Territory of Australia............. | N.T. |
THE SCHEDULES
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FIRST SCHEDULE Regulation 9.
Commonwealth Officers or Employees, Being Persons Employed Under the Public Service Act 1922-1968, Exempted
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="margin-left:2pt; border-collapse:collapse"><tbody><tr style="height:3.1pt"><td style="width:41pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:10pt"><span>Item No.</span></p></td><td style="width:342.5pt; border:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:10pt"><span>Persons exempted</span></p></td><td style="width:90.5pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:10pt"><span>State or Territory in which exempted</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:3.1pt"><td colspan="3" style="width:482pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:11pt"><span style="font-variant:small-caps">Part </span><span>I.—</span><span style="font-style:italic">The Department of the Senate</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:3.85pt"><td style="width:41pt; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-right:7.2pt; text-align:right; widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:11pt"><span>1</span></p></td><td style="width:342.5pt; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:bottom"><p style="widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:11pt"><span>Principal Parliamentary Officer</span><span style="width:201.33pt; font-family:'Lucida Console', monospace; display:inline-block">..............................</span></p></td><td style="width:90.5pt; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:bottom"><p style="widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:11pt"><span>A.C.T.</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:3.85pt"><td style="width:41pt; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-right:7.2pt; text-align:right; widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:11pt"><span>2</span></p></td><td style="width:342.5pt; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:bottom"><p style="widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:11pt"><span>Usher of the Black Rod</span><span style="width:236.13pt; font-family:'Lucida Console', monospace; display:inline-block">...................................</span></p></td><td style="width:90.5pt; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:bottom"><p style="widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:11pt"><span>A.C.T.</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:3.85pt"><td colspan="3" style="width:482pt; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:middle"><p style="text-align:center; widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:11pt"><span>PART II.—</span><span style="font-style:italic">The Department of the House of Representatives</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:9.35pt"><td style="width:41pt; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-right:7.2pt; text-align:right; widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:11pt"><span>1</span></p></td><td style="width:342.5pt; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:bottom"><p style="widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:11pt"><span>Senior Parliamentary Officer</span><span style="width:212.33pt; font-family:'Lucida Console', monospace; display:inline-block">................................</span></p></td><td style="width:90.5pt; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:bottom"><p style="widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:11pt"><span>A.C.T.</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:3.85pt"><td style="width:41pt; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-right:7.2pt; text-align:right; widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:11pt"><span>2</span></p></td><td style="width:342.5pt; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:bottom"><p style="margin-left:11.5pt; text-indent:-11.5pt; widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:11pt"><span>Parliamentary Officer, performing duties as Sergeant-at-Arms or as Clerk of Committees</span></p></td><td style="width:90.5pt; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:2pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:11pt"><span>A.C.T.</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:3.85pt"><td style="width:41pt; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:2pt; vertical-align:top"><p style="margin-right:7.2pt; text-align:right; widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:11pt"><span>3</span></p></td><td style="width:342.5pt; border-right:0.75pt solid #000000; border-left:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:1.62pt; padding-left:1.62pt; vertical-align:bottom"><p style="widows:2; orphans:2; font-size:11pt"><span>Principal Attendant</span><span style="width:254.16pt; font-family:'Lucida Console', monospa
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