© 2026 Zoe. All rights reserved.
Zoe is a legal information platform. Always consult the official source for authoritative text.
Commonwealth act
This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.
What this law does (mechanically)
The Act ends the operation of the Stevedoring Industry Acts, but not all at once. Section 4 provides that, subject to the rest of the Act, the Stevedoring Industry Acts "cease to have effect at the commencement of this Act" (s4). At the same time the Act creates a transitional arrangement that keeps certain parts of the old regime alive for a limited period (definition of "transitional period", s3; continued operation, s5).
During the transitional period the Australian Stevedoring Industry Authority (the Authority) continues to exist so it can carry out the winding‑down tasks set out in this Act (s5(1)–(3)). Those tasks include making certain payments, disposing of assets, dealing with pending appeals and objections, and preparing a final report and financial statements (see ss6–13, 16).
At the end of the transitional period all rights, property, duties and liabilities that were vested in the Authority automatically vest in the Stevedoring Industry Finance Committee (the Committee) (s14). Contracts and other instruments to which the Authority was a party continue in force but with the Committee substituted as the party (s15).
Why the Act says it exists (purpose claim in the instrument)
Want the full deep dive?
Zoe can write the in-depth analysis on top of the summary above: how it works, who it affects and what each part actually does.
Direct links to the current provisions in Stevedoring Industry Acts (Termination) Act 1977.
Zoe has indexed the source text for search and analysis. Use the official register for the original document and download formats.
View on official registerSourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
Who pays, who decides, and who acts (concrete incentives and decision points)
Payments and funding: the Authority continues to make payments out of its own moneys during the transitional period (ss6, 7). The Act preserves the Authority's obligation to make payments that arose before commencement (for example payments to waterside workers under s31A and payments in respect of deaths under s52B of the Stevedoring Industry Act) (s9). Sections 7, 7B and 7C of the Temporary Provisions Act remain available for certain employer payments (s10).
Ministerial control: the Minister sets the end of the transitional period by Gazette notice (definition of "transitional period", s3). The Minister can direct the Authority to make payments to the Committee and such directions are binding (s6). Disposals of Authority property above $20,000 require Ministerial approval (s8(2)).
Administrative oversight and reporting: the Authority must prepare a final operational report and financial statements after the transitional period and submit the statements to the Auditor‑General, who must report on their accuracy and on compliance with the Acts (s16(1)–(2)). The Minister must then lay those documents before both Houses of Parliament (s16(3)).
What behaviour changes and what continuity is preserved
Behaviour change: the statutory regime that governed stevedoring ceases to operate at commencement except insofar as this Act preserves particular functions and rights for winding down (s4, s5). Operational control and ultimate responsibility for remaining assets and liabilities shift from the Authority to the Committee at the end of the transitional period (s14–15).
Continuity preserved: pending appeals, objections, compensation claims, liability for prior obligations, and payments that accrued before commencement continue to be dealt with under the former Acts during the transitional period so that rights and liabilities are resolved rather than extinguished (see ss9, 11–13, s5(2)). Contracts survive with the Committee stepping into the Authority's place (s15).
Costs, incentives, compliance burdens and discretion (mechanisms, not judgments)
Who bears costs: the Authority is the immediate payer of liabilities and obligations arising before commencement (ss6–7, 9–10); after the transitional period the Committee becomes liable for those same duties and debts by operation of law (s14). The Act does not specify new revenue sources; it works through existing Authority moneys and the transfer of assets and liabilities to the Committee (ss6, 8, 14).
Compliance burdens: the Authority must prepare and furnish a final report and audited financial statements and remain in existence until it fulfils those obligations (s16(1), (4)). The Auditor‑General must audit and report on those statements before they are tabled (s16(2)–(3)).
Discretion and implementation risk: the Minister has several discretionary levers (fixing the terminating day, directing payments to the Committee, approving significant disposals) that shape the pace and content of the wind‑down (definition of "transitional period", s3; s6; s8(2)). Those levers determine timing, approval of high‑value asset sales and whether the Committee receives funds during the transitional period.
Effects on private parties and contract freedom (how the Act changes private rights)
Contract continuity and substitution: subsisting contracts remain enforceable but the Committee replaces the Authority as the contractual party after the transitional period (s15). That substitution preserves contractual continuity but transfers counterparty risk and performance obligations to the Committee by operation of the Act.
Resolution of disputes and claims: pending appeals and objections under the Stevedoring Industry Acts (including registration cancellations/suspensions, attendance money disputes, and medical board objections) continue to be processed under the old Acts so claimants and employers can have those issues decided rather than left unresolved (ss11–13, s5(2)).
Regulatory powers
Bottom line (mechanical summary)