Major Events Regulations 2023

Several recurrent legal concepts structure the regulations. Understanding them is essential for interpreting obligations and compliance points.

• Major event, major event organiser and major event area: The regulations declare particular events as major events (regs 11, 26) and name the corporate organiser for each event (regs 12, 27). A “major event area” is a spatial polygon defined by a map certified and held by the chief executive officer of the department; the certified map is the legal instrument that identifies the boundary for all the event‑specific powers applied to that area (regs 13(1)(a)(i),(ii), 28(1)(a)(i),(ii)). The maps are reproduced for information in Schedules 3 and 4 but the operative instrument is the certified map held by the chief executive officer.
• Major event period, match period/day and control period: The regulations set ordinary “major event periods” (eg FIFA 6 July 2023 to 27 August 2023, reg 14; AFC 15 Feb 2026 to 20 Mar 2026, reg 29) and more granular periods tied to individual matches or fan festival operating hours. Controlled areas have a distinct “control period” during which a subset of Part 6 powers apply (FIFA control period 20 July to 20 August 2023, reg 17(3); AFC control period 1 March to 17 March 2026, reg 33).
• Part 5 and Part 6 powers, designated operation windows: The regulations map specific statutory powers from Parts 5 and 6 of the Act to particular venues and specific time windows. The mapping is explicit in tables (FIFA reg 15 table; FIFA controlled areas reg 18 table; AFC regs 30, 34). Powers include but are not limited to: designated entries and exits (s 38), entry fees (s 39), occupant’s passes (s 40), entry to playing fields (s 41), restricted areas (s 42), vehicles in major event areas (s 43), possession of prohibited items (s 44), prohibitions on conduct that endangers or disrupts an event (s 45), search and inspection powers (ss 50, 54), surrender of prohibited items (s 51), directions to leave (s 57), entry bans (s 58), taking photographs (s 59), sale or distribution (s 61), ambush marketing (s 62), advertising on buildings/vehicles/vessels (ss 63-65), aerial advertising (s 66) and broadcast/recording controls (s 67). The regulation tables show which of these powers operate at which location and when.
• Official logos and official titles: The regulations list official logos and titles that are protected under the Act for each event (FIFA regs 19-20; AFC regs 35-36). Use of an official logo or title, or a deceptively similar one, attracts a specified modified penalty under Schedule 1 (s 70 in Schedule 1).
• Ambush marketing and advertising restrictions: The regulations, through the application of sections 61-67 to defined areas/time windows, create event‑period prohibitions on selling, promoting or displaying advertising that suggests affiliation with the event. The regulations also explicitly treat posters displayed on property during certain periods as captured by the “other prohibited conduct” provision (FIFA reg 21; AFC reg 37).
• Authorised officers and approvals: The department’s chief executive officer controls appointment of authorised officers for issuance of infringement notices and must issue identifying credentials (reg 8). For event security functions, the regulations require or prescribe classes of persons to be eligible for appointment; this is event specific with FIFA requiring relevant security licences (regs 22-23) and AFC prescribing broader classes, including employees and contractors of the major event organiser (reg 39). The chief executive officer also approves the form and location of the signs the organiser must erect (regs 24, 40).
• Infringement notice regime and modified penalties: The regulations identify particular offences under the Act that may be dealt with by infringement notice under the Criminal Procedure Act 2004 Part 2, and set modified penalties for each (reg 7; Schedule 1). Schedule 2 prescribes the form of the infringement notice and the withdrawal form.
• Interaction with other statutory regimes: The regulations refer to and rely on other statutes for definitions and cross‑cutting enforcement: Transport (Road Passenger Services) Act 2018 and Public Transport Authority Act 2003 definitions (reg 3), the Security and Related Activities (Control) Act 1996 licensing as a precondition for certain authorised officer appointments (regs 22-23, 38-39), the Criminal Procedure Act 2004 for infringement notice procedure (reg 7(1)), and the Fines, Penalties and Infringement Notices Enforcement Act 1994 as the enforcement route for unpaid modified penalties (Schedule 2 form text).

These concepts are implemented via concrete obligations (eg signage, licence checks, map certification) and quantifiable sanctions (Schedule 1). The regulations therefore convert the Act’s general event powers into event‑specific, enforceable rules that allocate duties and confer enforcement authorities during the stated periods.

The regulations create obligations and enforcement rights that affect distinct classes of actors. For each class, the principal regulatory touchpoints and the applicable provisions are identified below.

• Major event organisers: Named corporate organisers (FWWC2023 Pty Ltd for FIFA, reg 12; Local Organising Committee AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Pty Ltd for AFC, reg 27) are directly regulated. Obligations include erecting signs at entrances to major event areas and controlled areas that describe the powers of authorised officers and police under the Act, and ensuring those signs are in a form and located as approved by the chief executive officer (FIFA reg 24; AFC reg 40). The organiser is a responsible authority for the FIFA event (reg 16(a)) and must coordinate with government responsible authorities as required by the Act.
• The department and chief executive officer: The chief executive officer of the department holds several central administrative discretions and duties: certifying the maps that define major event and controlled areas (regs 13(1)(a)(ii), 17(1)(a)(ii), 28(1)(a)(ii), 32(1)(a)(ii)); approving the form and location of the required entrance signs (regs 24(2), 40(2)); appointing authorised and approved officers for infringement notices (reg 8(1)); and holding the certified maps (regs 13(1)(a)(i), 17(1)(a)(i), 28(1)(a)(i), 32(1)(a)(i)). Those administrative roles materially affect enforcement reach and public notice.
• Western Australian Tourism Commission: Listed as a responsible authority for the FIFA event (reg 16(c)) and for the AFC event (reg 31(b)). As a responsible authority, the Commission will have duties under the Act (as applied by the regulations), although the regulations do not enumerate operational tasks for the Commission beyond its status (regs 16, 31).
• Authorised officers and approved officers: Persons appointed by the department’s chief executive officer to issue infringement notices (reg 8(1)) and those appointed under the Act to exercise event powers. The regulations require that authorised officers be issued an identifying certificate, badge or identity card (reg 8(2)). Eligibility conditions for appointment are event specific: FIFA requires that appointees hold licences required under the Security and Related Activities (Control) Act 1996 necessary to perform the functions (regs 22-23); the AFC prescription allows licence holders and a broader class including employees and contractors of the major event organiser (reg 39).
• Security contractors and licence holders: Security officers and crowd controllers who hold licences under the Security and Related Activities (Control) Act 1996 are explicitly prescribed as eligible for appointment as authorised officers (FIFA reg 23; AFC reg 39(a)). This creates a direct compliance obligation for licences and for contractors to ensure staff hold valid licences if they will act under the Act’s powers.
• Media and broadcasters: The regulations apply the Act’s broadcasting/recording control (s 67) in specified areas and periods (eg reg 15, reg 18, reg 30, reg 34). Broadcasting or recording without authorisation is listed in Schedule 1 with a modified penalty of $5,500 for s 67(2).
• Advertisers, brand owners and marketing agencies: The regulations list official logos and titles (FIFA regs 19-20; AFC regs 35-36) and apply the Act’s offences for misuse of official logos/titles and for ambush marketing (s 62, s 70), with significant modified penalties (Schedule 1: $1,500 for ambush marketing, $5,500 for official logo/title misuse, $10,000 for advertising on buildings). Advertisers operating within major event areas or controlled areas during the specified times must observe the restrictions in regs 15/18/30/34 and the exemptions in regs 4-5.
• Property owners and building tenants: Owners or occupiers of buildings and structures within event or controlled areas face the risk that displaying advertisements or allowing certain promotional materials during the specified windows may be a contravention (s 63 applied by regs 15/18/30/34). The regulations also treat posters as potentially captured by other prohibited conduct (regs 21, 37).
• Vendors, hawkers and market operators: The Act’s sale/distribution provisions (s 61) are applied in match periods and fan festival operating hours in the tables (reg 15, reg 18, reg 30, reg 34). Schedule 1 sets modified penalties for selling or distributing things on roads or in public places ($700) and for failing to remove things directed to be removed ($300).
• Transport operators and vehicle/vessel owners: The regulations grant an exemption for advertising on vehicles that provide a passenger transport service provided the advertisement does not imply affiliation with the event (reg 4(1)(a),(b)), but exclude towed banners (reg 4(2)). Public Transport Authority vehicles or contracted services are exempt from vehicle advertising limits (reg 4(3)); the same exemption applies to vessels used in public passenger transport under the Public Transport Authority or contract (reg 5). Vehicles and vessels may also be subject to closure and value thresholds for collection decisions (reg 6 prescribing value and valuation method for s 82(6)).
• Attendees and the general public: Persons entering or present within major event areas or controlled areas are subject to rules that may be active during match periods or control periods. Those include designated entries/exits (s 38), entry fees (s 39), restricted areas (s 42), surrender and search powers (ss 50, 51, 54), directions to leave (s 57), entry bans (s 58) and restrictions on photography (s 59) when applied by the regulation tables.
• Private contractors and employees of the organiser: For the AFC event, the regulations explicitly permit appointment of employees of the organiser and persons engaged by the organiser to be authorised officers (reg 39(b)-(d)). That extends enforcement capacity beyond public servants and licensed security staff, placing duties on contracting parties in their agreements with the organiser.

In short, the regulations shift a mixture of public and private actors into enforcement roles, impose specific duties on organisers and venue operators, and substantially constrain commercial and promotional activity within tightly defined spaces and times. The most immediate effects fall on organisers, property owners, advertisers and security providers, with secondary operational impacts for transport operators, vendors, broadcasters and the attending public.

The regulations create event‑specific duties for organisers, officers and persons on site, and provide procedural rights relating to infringement notices. Below are the principal obligations and entitlement points, with the controlling regulation provisions noted.

Major event organiser duties

• Erect and maintain signage: The organiser must erect signs at or in the entrances to each major event area and controlled area that describe the powers of authorised officers and police under the Act (FIFA reg 24(1); AFC reg 40(1)). The form and locations of those signs must be approved by the chief executive officer of the department (FIFA reg 24(2); AFC reg 40(2)). This is a clear pre‑event operational duty.
• Ensure authorised officers hold licences where required: For FIFA the regulations make it a requirement that persons appointed as authorised officers hold any licence required under the Security and Related Activities (Control) Act 1996 in order to perform the functions conferred (FIFA reg 22). For AFC a similar prescription exists for appointments (AFC reg 38), although AFC also prescribes additional classes of eligible persons (AFC reg 39).
• Cooperate with responsible authorities: The organiser is a responsible authority for FIFA (reg 16(a)) and therefore must operate within any interagency responsibilities set by the Act.

Duties and powers of authorised officers

• Issuing infringement notices: The chief executive officer may appoint persons or classes to be authorised or approved officers for the purposes of issuing infringement notices under the Criminal Procedure Act 2004 Part 2 for the offences listed in Schedule 1 (reg 8(1); reg 7(1)). Appointees must be issued an identifying certificate, badge or identity card (reg 8(2)).
• Exercising event powers: Authorised officers and police exercise search, inspection, direction and removal powers in the areas and during the periods listed in the regulation tables where the underlying Act provisions are applied (eg ss 50, 54, 57, 61-67 as mapped in reg 15, reg 18, reg 30, reg 34).

Duties and restrictions on the public and commercial actors

• Entry and egress conditions: Persons must enter and exit the major event area through designated points during match periods when s 38 is applied (reg 15 table). Non‑payment of entry fees or failure to produce evidence of payment during those periods may be an offence where s 39 applies (reg 15 table).
• Restricted areas and playing fields: Entering or remaining on playing fields or restricted areas when those provisions are active is an offence with substantial modified penalties included in Schedule 1 (see Schedule 1 entries for ss 41 and 42).
• Advertising and promotional conduct: Displaying advertisements on buildings, vehicles or vessels (ss 63-65), engaging in ambush marketing (s 62), and promotion suggesting affiliation with the event (s 62(2)) are prohibited in the mapped areas/times. The regulations define official logos and titles and provide that use of those logos/titles, or substantially identical or deceptively similar variants, contravenes s 70 (FIFA regs 19-20; AFC regs 35-36; Schedule 1 entry for s 70).
• Sale, distribution and removal: Selling or distributing goods on a road or in a public place in an applied area/time is regulated by s 61 when applied by the tables; failure to comply with a direction to remove a thing is an offence (Schedule 1 entries for s 61).
• Searches, surrender and photography restrictions: When search and inspection provisions are applied (ss 50, 54), authorised officers have powers to search on entry and within major event areas. Surrender of prohibited items may be required (s 51). Taking photographs is restricted during major event periods where s 59 is applied (reg 15 table).

Procedural rights and enforcement mechanics

• Infringement notice process and modified penalties: The regulations specify which Act offences can be dealt with by infringement notice and set the modified penalty for each (reg 7; Schedule 1). Infringement notices are to be issued in the prescribed form (Schedule 2 Form 1) and may be withdrawn using Schedule 2 Form 2 (reg 9).
• Payment to avoid prosecution: The infringement notice form (Schedule 2 Form 1) states that paying a modified penalty within 28 days avoids prosecution under the relevant offence and that paying will not be regarded as an admission for purposes of any civil or criminal court case. It also sets out the enforcement options available if payment is not made, under the Fines, Penalties and Infringement Notices Enforcement Act 1994 (Schedule 2 Form 1).
• Right to require prosecution: The infringement notice form allows the recipient to sign to indicate they want the matter determined by prosecution in court rather than paying the modified penalty (Schedule 2 Form 1).
• Appointment identification: Persons issued with infringement notices may request to see the issuing officer’s certificate, badge or identity card (reg 8(2)-(3)).

Other obligations and constraints

• Advertising exemptions with conditions: The vehicle advertising exemption for passenger transport services is conditional; the exemption does not apply to advertisements that imply affiliation with the major event and does not apply to banners or other signs towed by a vehicle (reg 4(1)-(2)). Public Transport Authority services are explicitly exempted (reg 4(3), reg 5).
• Valuation threshold for notices to collect: The regulations prescribe a $500 threshold for the purpose of section 82(6) of the Act and a valuation method based on local private sale value for similar vehicles/vessels (reg 6). That creates a concrete standard used in deciding whether to issue a notice to collect.
• Eligibility for appointment as authorised officer: FIFA requires licensed security or crowd controllers for appointment (reg 23) while AFC prescribes a broader class including employees and contractors (reg 39). Organisers and contractors must ensure relevant personnel meet the prescribed criteria before appointment.

These duties create both affirmative obligations (eg erecting approved signs, obtaining licences) and negative constraints (eg prohibitions on certain advertising, photography, sales). Procedural rights are mainly concentrated in the infringement notice regime and in the limited right to choose prosecution in court rather than paying a modified penalty (Schedule 2). The department’s chief executive officer plays a pivotal role in setting the operative boundaries and approving signage and appointments.

The regulations establish a structured enforcement regime built around infringement notices and a schedule of modified penalties, while centralising appointment and identification procedures for enforcement officers.

Infringement notices and issuing authority

• Statutory basis: The regulations make offences under specified sections of the Major Events Act offences for which infringement notices may be issued under the Criminal Procedure Act 2004 Part 2 (reg 7(1)). This imports the procedural mechanics of the Criminal Procedure Act for issuing and managing infringement notices.
• Appointment and identification of issuing officers: The chief executive officer of the department may appoint persons or classes to be authorised officers or approved officers for the purposes of issuing infringement notices under that Part (reg 8(1)). The chief executive officer must issue each authorised officer with a certificate, badge or identity card identifying the officer as authorised to issue infringement notices, and the officer may show that certificate to prove authorisation (reg 8(2)-(3)).
• Prescribed forms: Schedule 2 Form 1 is the prescribed form for an infringement notice and Schedule 2 Form 2 is the prescribed form for withdrawal (reg 9). The form sets out the offender details, alleged offence, modified penalty, payment options and consequences of non‑payment, including statutory enforcement tools under the Fines, Penalties and Infringement Notices Enforcement Act 1994 (Schedule 2 Form 1).

Modified penalties and offence catalogue

• Schedule 1 entries: Schedule 1 lists the Act sections that may be enforced by infringement notice and specifies the modified penalty for each. Selected items and amounts include:
  • Entry/exit contraventions (s 38(1)/(2)) $200 each;
  • Enter or remain on playing field (s 41(1)) $1,000;
  • Possession of prohibited item (s 44(1)) $300;
  • Throwing that may injure or damage (s 45(1)) $1,000;
  • Obstructing performer or participant (s 46(1)) $1,000;
  • Sale or distribution on road or in public place (s 61(1)) $700;
  • Ambush marketing/promotional conduct (s 62(1)/(2)) $1,500;
  • Advertising: display on building or structure (s 63(1)) $10,000; on/attached to/towed by vehicle (s 64(1)) $5,500; on/attached to/towed by vessel (s 65(1)) $5,500;
  • Broadcasting/recording without authorisation (s 67(2)) $5,500;
  • Use of official logo or official title (or deceptively similar) (s 70(2)) $5,500;
  • Fail to comply with entry ban (s 58(3)) $800;
  • Impersonating an authorised officer (s 77) $1,000.
• Range and scale: The schedule contains a broad range of monetary penalties, with the largest prescribed for building advertising ($10,000). Several public safety‑oriented offences also attract $1,000 penalties (eg unauthorised entry to playing fields, throwing that may injure). Ambush marketing and unauthorised broadcast carry mid‑range penalties consistent with protecting commercial rights.

Enforcement consequences and recovery

• Non‑payment consequences: The infringement form warns that non‑payment within 28 days can lead to prosecution or enforcement under the Fines, Penalties and Infringement Notices Enforcement Act 1994, and lists enforcement options available under that Act including suspension or cancellation of driver’s licence/vehicle licence, immobilisation of vehicle, garnishee of earnings or bank accounts, seizure and sale of property, and publication of details (Schedule 2 Form 1).
• Withdrawal process: The regulations prescribe a withdrawal form (Schedule 2 Form 2) and set out that if an infringement notice is withdrawn after payment, the person is entitled to a refund and the form provides the mechanics for claiming a refund (Schedule 2 Form 2).

Operational enforcement architecture and delegation

• Private actors acting as authorised officers: For AFC the regulations explicitly permit appointment of employees of the major event organiser, persons engaged under contracts for services by the organiser and employees of those contractors as prescribed classes for appointment as authorised officers (reg 39(b)-(d)). That operationally expands the enforcement cohort beyond public servants and licensed security personnel and embeds private actors within the infringement regime for that event.
• Identification and proof of authority: An issuing officer must be able to produce a certificate, badge or identity card issued under reg 8(2). That provides a limited procedural protection and a way for recipients to verify the issuer’s authority.
• Chief executive controls: The chief executive officer of the department exercises appointment powers and map certification, thereby controlling where and when enforcement powers can be exercised (regs 8, 13, 17, 28, 32). The requirement that signage be in an approved form and location provides additional executive control over public communication of enforcement powers (regs 24, 40).

Observations about enforcement dynamics from the text

• Discretion and centralisation: The enforcement regime centralises several operational discretions , map certification, appointment of officers, approval of signage , in the chief executive officer of the department (regs 8, 13, 17, 24, 28, 32, 40). That concentrates decision authority that has practical effects on enforcement reach and public notice.
• Mix of public and private enforcement agents: The text explicitly contemplates appointments drawn both from licensed security personnel and, for AFC, from employees and contractors of organisers (regs 22-23, 38-39). This means enforcement in practice may be exercised by private staff authorised under the statutory regime.
• Procedural safeguards limited to statutory forms: The primary procedural safeguard in the regulations is the formalised infringement notice form (Schedule 2) and the right to seek prosecution rather than pay. The regulations do not specify appeal routes beyond the normal legal process under the Criminal Procedure Act and the enforcement Act referenced on the notice form.

In summary, the regulations establish a finely specified infringement notice regime with defined monetary penalties and a chain of appointment and identification for issuing officers. The combination of large modified penalties for commercial offences and a streamlined infringement process produces both a deterrent effect and a standardised enforcement route. The chief executive of the department retains significant administrative control over where and how these powers operate.

The regulations explicitly build on, and refer to, a number of other statutes and statutory instruments. The regulatory operation depends on cross‑references to definitions, procedural statutes and licensing regimes. The principal interplays are set out below, with the controlling regulation references.

• Criminal Procedure Act 2004: The regulations make specified offences under the Major Events Act offences for which infringement notices may be issued under the Criminal Procedure Act 2004 Part 2 (reg 7(1)). That imports the procedure for issuing an infringement notice, the mechanics of withdrawal, and the general approach to modified penalties under the Criminal Procedure Act.
• Fines, Penalties and Infringement Notices Enforcement Act 1994: The infringement notice form (Schedule 2 Form 1) expressly warns that unpaid modified penalties can lead to enforcement under the Fines, Penalties and Infringement Notices Enforcement Act 1994 and lists enforcement options that derive from that Act (Schedule 2 Form 1). This places financial enforcement and collection with the standard enforcement machinery used across Western Australia.
• Security and Related Activities (Control) Act 1996: The regulations require or prescribe security licences as an eligibility condition for appointment as authorised officers in the FIFA provisions (regs 22-23) and require any licence necessary under that Act for an authorised officer (reg 22). The AFC provisions adopt the same requirement as a precondition for appointment but then expand the classes of eligible persons (regs 38-39). That means prospective authorised officers must comply with the licensing regime set out in the Security Act to be legally appointed.
• Transport (Road Passenger Services) Act 2018 and Public Transport Authority Act 2003: These statutes are referenced in the preliminary definitions (reg 3). The regulations borrow the statutory definitions of “passenger transport service” and “public passenger transport service” for the vehicle/vessel advertising exemptions in regs 4-5. In practice, operators defined under those Acts receive targeted advertising exemptions if they meet the descriptive tests in regs 4 and 5.
• Major Events Act 2023 (the Act itself): The regulations repeatedly operate “for the purposes of section X of the Act” to apply particular Act provisions to named areas and periods (eg regs 11, 15, 18, 26, 30, 34). The regulations therefore function as event‑specific subordinate instruments that tailor where and when the Act’s Parts 5 and 6 operate.
• Western Australian Tourism Commission Act 1983: The regulations name the Western Australian Tourism Commission as a responsible authority for the FIFA event (reg 16(c)) and for the AFC event (reg 31(b)). That ties the Commission into the Act’s interagency responsibilities during major events even though the regulations do not specify operational duties for the Commission beyond its status.
• Local government and property law (indirect interaction): While the regulations do not directly amend local government by‑laws or property rights, they create time‑limited prohibitions on advertising on buildings and on sale/distribution in public places that will interact with council approvals, lease arrangements and private property permissions. The operator/owner must be mindful that the event‑period prohibitions are a separate statutory overlay that may trigger contractual or planning compliance requirements.
• Valuation/collection provisions under the Act (section 82(6)): The regulations prescribe a $500 threshold and valuation method for the purpose of section 82(6) of the Act (reg 6). That interacts with the Act’s vehicle/vessel collection powers and prescribes a standard for decision‑making about notices to collect.

Practical effects of these interactions

• Licensing gate for enforcement: The Security Act licensing requirement creates a compliance dependency; security contractors and organisers have to ensure staff hold any required licences in order for those individuals to be appointed as authorised officers under the regulations (FIFA regs 22-23; AFC regs 38-39).
• Enforcement and recovery via existing machinery: By channeling infringements into the Criminal Procedure Act and the Fines Enforcement Act the regulations rely on existing administrative and recovery infrastructure, rather than creating a bespoke enforcement route. That ensures enforceability but also subjects event contraventions to the usual enforcement outcomes under the Fines Act (suspension of licences, garnishee, seizure).
• Overlap with transport operator obligations: The transport exemptions in regs 4-5 are limited and carve out public passenger transport services from advertising prohibitions but exclude towed banners and adverts implying affiliation. This creates a compliance interface with operators governed by the Public Transport Authority Act 2003 and Road Passenger Services Act 2018.
• Private enforcement actors: The permitting of employees and contractors of organisers to be appointed as authorised officers for AFC events (reg 39) introduces a statutory role for private actors that interacts with private law (employment and contractual arrangements), licensing law and administrative law oversight where those private actors exercise statutory powers.

In short, the regulations are designed to sit on top of an existing statutory ecosystem: they tailor the Major Events Act’s powers to named events while borrowing enforcement procedure and licensing rules from other statutes. That reliance reduces the need for bespoke procedural provisions but creates multiple cross‑compliance points for organisers, security providers, advertisers and transport operators.

The compilation section at the end of the instrument records the legislative history and the dates of commencement for the instrument and its amendments. The key historical facts in the text are:

• Original instrument: Major Events Regulations 2023 were made and published as SL 2023/99 on 30 June 2023. Part 1 (preliminary) commenced on 30 June 2023 (reg 2(a)), with the remainder commencing on 1 July 2023 (reg 2(b)). This initial instrument included the provisions relevant to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 (Parts 1-3).
• Amendment instrument: Major Events Amendment Regulations 2025 (SL 2025/202) were made and published 17 December 2025. The compilation table records that r 1 and r 2 of SL 2025/202 commenced on 17 December 2025, with the remainder commencing on 18 December 2025. The textual annotations within Part 4 indicate multiple insertions marked "[Regulation X inserted: SL 2025/202 r. 4]" and "[Schedule 4 inserted: SL 2025/202 r. 5]" showing that the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 provisions (regs 25-40 and Schedule 4) were inserted by SL 2025/202.
• Marker notes: Several regulations carry bracketed insertion notes identifying the amending instrument, for example: “[Heading inserted: SL 2025/202 r. 4.]” for the Division 1 heading of Part 4 and similar notes associated with regs 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 and 40. These notations indicate specific provisions were added by the 2025 amendment.
• Schedules and maps: Schedules 3 and 4 contain the maps for FIFA and AFC event areas respectively. The AFC maps and related schedule were added with the 2025 amendment (Schedule 4 inserted: SL 2025/202 r. 5).
• No other amending instruments are recorded in the compilation table. The compilation table is explicit about the two instruments: SL 2023/99 (the original regulations) and SL 2025/202 (the 2025 amendment).

Operationally this history matters because:

• The FIFA provisions were in force from July 2023 with a clearly defined major event period and control period. The AFC provisions were not part of the original instrument and were introduced in December 2025 with their own maps, dates and operational prescriptions for March 2026 match periods and control period (regs 25-34).
• The notes in the body (for example “[Regulation 25 inserted: SL 2025/202 r. 4.]”) provide an explicit trace of the changes so a practitioner can identify which textual material was original and which was added by the amendment.

For due diligence or statutory interpretation tasks it is prudent to consult the certified maps held by the chief executive officer (the operative boundary instruments referred to in regs 13(1)(a)(i),(ii) and 28(1)(a)(i),(ii)) and to confirm the precise dates of commencement for any amended provisions when advising clients about compliance obligations that depend on the amendment.

The text of the Major Events Regulations 2023 and its 2025 amendment does not record or reference any litigation. The schedules and the body of the regulations contain no case citations, judicial determinations or references to court orders. The compilation table and the notes show only the instruments and amendment chronology (SL 2023/99 and SL 2025/202) and not any subsequent judicial review or litigation outcomes.

Accordingly, within the source text there is no litigation history to report. Practitioners seeking case law on the constitutional validity of the Major Events Act or on disputes arising from the exercise of its powers would need to search court databases and judgments external to the text of the regulations. The regulations themselves provide the statutory design and enforcement machinery but do not include decisions interpreting or testing those provisions.

The regulations contain several provisions and drafting choices that give rise to practical compliance traps and interpretive friction points. The following items identify discrete “gotchas” grounded in the text and indicate where uncertainty or asymmetric effects are likely to arise.

1. Exempt advertising on passenger transport is conditional and narrow (reg 4)

   • The exemption for vehicle advertising applies only to vehicles “involved in the provision of a passenger transport service” and only where the advertisement does not imply the advertiser or the thing advertised is an affiliate of the major event (reg 4(1)(a),(b)). That introduces a fact‑sensitive test: whether an advertisement implies affiliation can be contested.
   • The exemption expressly excludes banners or other signs towed by a vehicle (reg 4(2)). Practical consequence: shuttle operators cannot dress vehicles with towed banners even if otherwise engaged in passenger service.
   • Public Transport Authority services are separately exempt via reg 4(3) and reg 5 for vessels. The carve‑out requires operators and advertisers to verify whether their service is a “public passenger transport service” under the Public Transport Authority Act 2003 (reg 3 definition cross‑reference).

2. Posters and pre‑existing signage: narrow safe harbour (FIFA reg 21; AFC reg 37)

   • The regulation prescribes that displaying a poster on property is captured by s 49(1)(h) during the event, but it creates a limited exemption for posters displayed before a specified cut‑off date and “in connection with the person’s ordinary activities for purposes unrelated to” the event (FIFA reg 21(2); AFC reg 37(2)). Practically this imposes an evidential burden on owners or advertisers to prove timing and ordinary activity if challenged. The safe harbour is time‑limited and fact‑sensitive.

3. Chief executive’s map certification and signage approval centralise critical discretion (regs 13, 17, 28, 32, 24, 40)

   • The operative legal boundaries for event powers are the certified maps held by the chief executive officer (regs 13(1)(a)(i),(ii), 17(1)(a)(i),(ii), 28(1)(a)(i),(ii), 32(1)(a)(i),(ii)). Parties relying on a map should obtain a certified copy from the department rather than rely on the Schedules’ illustrative maps.
   • The requirement that signage must be in a form and located as approved by the chief executive officer (regs 24(2), 40(2)) means organisers must secure approval in advance. Failure to obtain approval can leave the organiser non‑compliant despite erecting signs.

4. Private actors as authorised officers (AFC reg 39)

   • For the AFC event the regulations explicitly prescribe that employees of the major event organiser, persons engaged under contracts for services by the organiser, and employees of those contractors are eligible classes for appointment as authorised officers (reg 39(b)-(d)). That creates the practical possibility of private sector staff exercising statutory powers to issue infringement notices or to exercise other functions modelled in the Act. Contracts should therefore allocate liability, training and indemnities carefully.

5. Differing eligibility regimes between events (FIFA regs 22-23; AFC regs 38-39)

   • FIFA requires appointees to hold licences under the Security and Related Activities (Control) Act 1996 (regs 22-23). AFC prescribes a broader set including licence holders but also employees and contractors (regs 38-39). Organisers and contractors must note the difference and ensure staff meet the event‑specific prescription.

6. High penalties for commercial advertising and ambiguous boundaries (Schedule 1)

   • The modified penalty for displaying an advertisement on a building or structure is $10,000 (Schedule 1 entry for s 63(1)). For many small businesses this is a substantial exposure. Similarly, $5,500 penalties apply to vehicle/vessel advertising and unauthorised broadcasting (Schedule 1). Given that the regulatory tables confine when and where these sections apply, inadvertent display during the wrong period or at the wrong location can trigger large fines.
   • The notion of a thing or advertisement “suggesting affiliation” or being “substantially identical or deceptively similar” to official logos/titles (regs 19-20; 35-36, Schedule 1 s 70) is inherently subjective and can lead to contested enforcement.

7. Valuation threshold and method for seizure notices ($500 , reg 6)

   • The regulations set a modest $500 threshold and a valuation method based on “local private sale value” for the same or similar model, year and condition (reg 6). This may create practical disputes about valuation methodology and could make low‑value items susceptible to collection notices that are nevertheless administratively inconvenient.

8. Infringement notice procedure and timing (Schedule 2)

   • The infringement notice form requires payment within 28 days to avoid prosecution (Schedule 2 Form 1). The form states paying the modified penalty is not an admission for civil/criminal purposes but payment closes off the usual court process. Recipients wishing to fight the allegation must actively sign to require prosecution and return the form within the 28 day window; failing to do so limits remedies.
   • The withdrawal form provides a refund mechanism but requires action by the person to claim a refund if the withdrawal occurs after payment (Schedule 2 Form 2). Organisations should build processes to monitor notice issuance and withdrawals.

9. Overlapping prohibitions and potential operational friction

   • The tables mapping multiple sections to specific venues and times (eg reg 15 table for FIFA) mean that multiple prohibitions (sale, advertising, photography, broadcasting, possession of prohibited items) operate simultaneously. Event managers, vendors and broadcasters must confirm for each activity whether the relevant Act section is applied at the specific venue and time.

Practitioners advising clients should focus on securing written approvals from the chief executive officer where required, keeping certified boundary maps, checking licence status of security personnel, and treating advertising and promotional activities as high‑risk during the prescribed windows. Contracts with contractors and licence holders should address the enforcement role some private actors may perform under the AFC prescriptions.

This section sets out practical steps, documentation priorities and operational controls grounded in the regulations. It is organisation‑oriented: what organisers, venue operators, advertisers, contractors and attendees need to do to reduce enforcement risk.

For major event organisers (FWWC2023 Pty Ltd and Local Organising Committee AFC WAC 2026 Pty Ltd)

• Obtain certified maps: Request and retain certified copies of the chief executive officer’s maps that define each major event area and controlled area. The certified maps are the operative legal boundaries (FIFA regs 13(1)(a)(i),(ii); AFC regs 28(1)(a)(i),(ii)).
• Get signage approvals early: Submit proposed signs and placement plans to the department’s chief executive officer for approval well in advance of the event (FIFA reg 24(2); AFC reg 40(2)). The regulations require approved form and locations.
• Erect and maintain required signs: Install the approved signs in or at entrances to each major event area and controlled area and ensure they describe the powers of authorised officers and police (FIFA reg 24(1); AFC reg 40(1)). Keep records and photographs showing sign placement and maintenance.
• Ensure authorised officer eligibility and credentials: For events requiring licensed security personnel (FIFA regs 22-23), verify licences under the Security and Related Activities (Control) Act 1996 for every person proposed for appointment. For AFC, ensure employees or contractors proposed for appointment meet the prescribed classes in reg 39 and complete any required training. Ensure the department’s chief executive officer issues the certificate, badge or identity card to each appointed authorised officer (reg 8(2)).
• Contractual protections for private appointed officers: Where employees/contractors are to be appointed as authorised officers (AFC reg 39), include indemnities, insurance, training obligations and compliance warranties in contracts, and record who will hold and produce the appointment credentials required by reg 8(2).
• Communications and public information: Publish clear guidance for attendees and vendors about permitted activities, designated entry/exit points and prohibited conduct during match periods and fan festival operating hours. Make the approved signage contents available online and ensure on‑site staff can explain the rules set out in the signage.

For venue operators and property owners

• Check whether s 63 applies: Identify periods in which s 63 (advertising on buildings or structures) is applied to your property (reg 15 table for FIFA; reg 30 and reg 34 for AFC). If s 63 applies, obtain written permission from the event organiser or the department before displaying any event‑related advertisement during the prescribed period.
• Preserve evidence of pre‑existing signage: If you rely on the exception for posters displayed before the cut‑off and in connection with ordinary activities (FIFA reg 21(2); AFC reg 37(2)), keep dated records, photographs and business records showing the date and ordinary nature of the signage.

For advertisers and brand owners

• Avoid use of official logos/titles: Do not use the listed official logos and titles for the events (FIFA regs 19-20; AFC regs 35-36) unless you hold explicit authorisation. Schedule 1 sets modified penalties for unauthorised use (s 70(2) $5,500).
• Scrutinise promotional language for “affiliation” implications: Ensure advertisements do not suggest affiliation with the major event. The vehicle advertising exemption explicitly excludes ads that imply affiliation (reg 4(1)(b)). Ambush marketing and promotional offences (s 62) attract a $1,500 modified penalty (Schedule 1).
• Check location and timing: Confirm whether the target location falls within a major event area or controlled area and whether the relevant advertising provisions are active during your planned display (reg 15 table, reg 18 table, reg 30, reg 34). For FIFA building advertising s 63 is applied to the Perth Rectangular Stadium area only during 22 July to 3 August 2023 and to the Fan Festival Site 20 July to 20 August 2023 (reg 15 table). For AFC s 63 is applied 1 March to 17 March 2026 to both major event areas (reg 30(4)).
• Seek written permissions: If you believe an authorised licence or permission allows your advertising, obtain it in writing and keep it on site to show to authorised officers if challenged.

For broadcasters and content creators

• Seek event authorisation before broadcasting/recording: The Act’s broadcasting/recording control (s 67) is applied during match periods and relevant fan festival operating hours (reg 15 table, reg 18 table, reg 30, reg 34). Unauthorised broadcast/recording carries a $5,500 modified penalty (Schedule 1).
• Clarify rights with organiser: Obtain express written authorisation from the major event organiser or the responsible licensing authority for any live broadcast or recording on event days.

For vendors, street sellers and promoters

• Check sale and distribution permissions: If you plan to sell or distribute goods in public places or on the road in applied areas/times, confirm whether s 61 is operating (reg 15 table, reg 18 table, reg 30, reg 34). Selling or distributing without consent risks a $700 modified penalty (Schedule 1).
• Be prepared to remove goods: If directed to remove items under s 61(5) or s 62(6), comply promptly; failing to comply carries a $300 modified penalty for failure to remove (Schedule 1).
• Authorisations and permits: Where possible obtain written permission or a vendor permit from the organiser or responsible authority and keep it on your person and at your stall.

For transport operators and vehicle/vessel owners

• Vehicle advertising: If operating a passenger transport service and displaying advertising, ensure the advertisement does not imply affiliation with the major event to fall within the vehicle advertising exemption (reg 4(1)). Do not use towed banners (reg 4(2)). For Public Transport Authority services, the regulations expressly exempt these vehicles and vessels from the advertising restrictions (reg 4(3); reg 5).
• Vehicle seizure/collection valuations: If there is any risk the vehicle or vessel could be the subject of a notice to collect under the Act, note the prescribed threshold ($500) and valuation method based on local private sale value in reg 6.

For security providers and licence holders

• Confirm required licences: For FIFA the appointee must hold the licence required by the Security and Related Activities (Control) Act 1996 to perform functions conferred by the appointment (reg 22). Check that all proposed authorised officers have the requisite licences before appointment.
• Training and recordkeeping: Maintain up‑to‑date records of licences, appointment certificates/badges (reg 8(2)), training logs and incident reports to support lawful exercise of powers and defence in disputes.

Responding to an infringement notice

• Pay or elect prosecution within 28 days: The infringement notice form requires payment within 28 days to avoid prosecution, or the recipient may indicate they want the matter dealt with by prosecution in court by signing and returning the notice within 28 days (Schedule 2 Form 1).
• Seek withdrawal and refund mechanisms: If an infringement is withdrawn (Schedule 2 Form 2), follow the form’s instructions to claim a refund if you have already paid.

Operational housekeeping and risk reduction

• Document approvals and permissions: Keep written approvals for signage, advertising, broadcasting and vending on site and easily accessible to authorised officers.
• Insurance and contractual cover: Ensure event‑related contracts allocate responsibility for compliance, indemnities and insurance, especially where private employees or contractors may be appointed as authorised officers (AFC reg 39).
• Pre‑event compliance audits: Conduct a compliance walk of all venues with legal and operational teams to map where each applied Act provision is active and to confirm the approved signage is placed and visible at each entrance.
• Entrant communication: Train frontline staff and stewards on the authorised officer identification process (reg 8(2)-(3)) and on how to direct attendees about entry fees, designated entrances/exits and prohibited items during match periods and fan festival hours.

Following these steps will not eliminate all enforcement risk but will substantially reduce the likelihood of contraventions given the event‑specific mapping of powers and the central role of approvals and authorised officer appointments established in the regulations.