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Australian Capital Territory
Water Efficiency Labelling and
Standards (ACT) Act 2015
A2015-4
Republication No 2
Effective: 26 November 2025
Republication date: 26 November 2025
Last amendment made by A2025-28
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About this republication
The republished law
This is a republication of the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (ACT) Act 2015
(including any amendment made under the Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 (Editorial changes))
as in force on 26 November 2025. It also includes any commencement, amendment, repeal or
expiry affecting this republished law to 26 November 2025.
The legislation history and amendment history of the republished law are set out in endnotes 3
and 4.
Kinds of republications
The Parliamentary Counsel’s Office prepares 2 kinds of republications of ACT laws (see the ACT
legislation register at www.legislation.act.gov.au):
• authorised republications to which the Legislation Act 2001 applies
• unauthorised republications.
The status of this republication appears on the bottom of each page.
Editorial changes
The Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 authorises the Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial
amendments and other changes of a formal nature when preparing a law for republication.
Editorial changes do not change the effect of the law, but have effect as if they had been made by
an Act commencing on the republication date (see Legislation Act 2001, s 115 and s 117). The
changes are made if the Parliamentary Counsel considers they are desirable to bring the law into
line, or more closely into line, with current legislative drafting practice.
This republication includes amendments made under part 11.3 (see endnote 1).
Uncommenced provisions and amendments
If a provision of the republished law has not commenced, the symbol U appears immediately
before the provision heading. Any uncommenced amendments that affect this republished law
are accessible on the ACT legislation register (www.legislation.act.gov.au). For more
information, see the home page for this law on the register.
Modifications
If a provision of the republished law is affected by a current modification, the
symbol M appears immediately before the provision heading. The text of the modifying
provision appears in the endnotes. For the legal status of modifications, see the Legislation
Act 2001, section 95.
Penalties
At the republication date, the value of a penalty unit for an offence against this law is $160 for an
individual and $810 for a corporation (see Legislation Act 2001, s 133).
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Australian Capital Territory
Water Efficiency Labelling and
Standards (ACT) Act 2015
Contents
Page
Part 1 Preliminary
1 Name of Act 2
3 Object of Act 2
4 Dictionary 2
5 Notes 3
6 Terms used in Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005
(Cwlth) 3
7 References to Commonwealth Acts 3
Part 2 Applied provisions
8 Application of Commonwealth laws as a law of Territory 4
9 Modification of Commonwealth water efficiency laws 4
Section 1 - Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (ACT) Act 2015 - Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (ACT) Act 2015 | Zoe
Contents
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10 Interpretation of applied provisions 4
Part 3 Functions under applied provisions
11 Functions of Commonwealth Regulator and other authorities and
officers 6
12 Delegations by Commonwealth Regulator 6
Part 4 Offences
13 Object of pt 4 7
14 Application of Commonwealth criminal laws to offences against
applied provisions 8
15 Functions conferred on Commonwealth officers and authorities
relating to offences 8
16 No double jeopardy for offences against applied provisions 9
Part 5 Administrative laws
17 Application of Commonwealth administrative laws to applied
provisions 10
18 Functions conferred on Commonwealth officers and authorities 11
Part 6 Miscellaneous
19 Things done for multiple purposes 12
20 Reference in Commonwealth law to provision of another law 12
21 Fees and other money 12
22 Regulation-making power 12
Part 7 Repeal and transitional
24 Transitional 13
Contents
Page
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Schedule 1 Modifications––Water Efficiency Labelling
and Standards Act 2005 (Cwlth) 14
Dictionary 15
Endnotes
1 About the endnotes 17
2 Abbreviation key 17
3 Legislation history 18
4 Amendment history 18
5 Earlier republications 19
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Australian Capital Territory
Water Efficiency Labelling and
Standards (ACT) Act 2015
An Act to apply as a law of the Territory a national law relating to water
efficiency labelling and standards, and for other purposes
Part 1 Preliminary
Section 1
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Part 1 Preliminary
1 Name of Act
This Act is the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (ACT)
Act 2015.
3 Object of Act
(1) The object of this Act is to adopt in the Territory a uniform national
approach to the regulation of water efficiency labelling and standards.
(2) This Act—
(a) applies the Commonwealth water efficiency laws as a law of the
Territory; and
(b) makes provision to enable the Commonwealth water efficiency
laws and the applied provisions to be administered on a uniform
basis by the Commonwealth as if they constituted a single law
of the Commonwealth.
4 Dictionary
The dictionary at the end of this Act is part of this Act.
Note 1 The dictionary at the end of this Act defines certain terms used in this
Act, and includes references (signpost definitions) to other terms defined
elsewhere in this Act.
For example, the signpost definition ‘applied provisions––see
section 8 (1).’ means that the term ‘applied provisions’ is defined in that
section.
Note 2 A definition in the dictionary (including a signpost definition) applies to
the entire Act unless the definition, or another provision of the Act,
provides otherwise or the contrary intention otherwise appears (see
Legislation Act, s 155 and s 156 (1)).
Preliminary Part 1
Section 5
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5 Notes
A note included in this Act is explanatory and is not part of this Act.
Note See the Legislation Act, s 127 (1), (4) and (5) for the legal status of notes.
6 Terms used in Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards
Act 2005 (Cwlth)
Terms used in this Act and also in the Water Efficiency Labelling and
Standards Act 2005 (Cwlth) have the same meanings in this Act as
they have in that Act.
7 References to Commonwealth Acts
In this Act, a reference to a Commonwealth Act includes a reference
to—
(a) the Commonwealth Act, as in force from time to time; and
(b) if another Act is substituted for the Commonwealth Act—the
substituted Act, as in force from time to time.
Part 2 Applied provisions
Section 8
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Part 2 Applied provisions
8 Application of Commonwealth laws as a law of Territory
(1) The Commonwealth water efficiency laws, as in force from time to
time and as modified by or under this Act including schedule 1, (the
applied provisions), apply as a law of the Territory.
(2) The Commonwealth water efficiency laws apply as if they extended
to matters in relation to which the Territory may make laws—
(a) whether or not the Commonwealth may make laws in relation to
those matters; and
(b) even though the Commonwealth water efficiency laws provide
that they apply only to stated matters in relation to which the
Commonwealth may make laws.
9 Modification of Commonwealth water efficiency laws
(1) A regulation under this Act may also modify the Commonwealth
water efficiency laws for this Act.
(2) Without limiting subsection (1), a regulation may provide that the
Commonwealth water efficiency laws apply under section 8 (1) as if
an amendment to the Commonwealth water efficiency laws made by
the Commonwealth and stated in the regulation had not taken effect.
10 Interpretation of applied provisions
(1) The Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cwlth) applies as a law of the
Territory in relation to the interpretation of the applied provisions,
and applies as if the applied provisions were a Commonwealth Act or
were regulations or other instruments under a Commonwealth Act, as
the case requires.
Applied provisions Part 2
Section 10
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(2) The Legislation Act does not apply to the applied provisions.
Note Despite the Legislation Act not applying to the applied provisions, it
applies to this Act and to instruments made under this Act.
Part 3 Functions under applied provisions
Section 11
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Part 3 Functions under applied
provisions
11 Functions of Commonwealth Regulator and other
authorities and officers
The Commonwealth Regulator and other authorities and officers
mentioned in the applied provisions have the same functions under
the applied provisions as they have under the Commonwealth water
efficiency laws, as those laws apply to the Commonwealth.
Note 1 Function includes authority, duty and power (see Legislation Act, dict,
pt 1).
Note 2 A provision of a law that gives an entity (including a person) a function
also gives the entity powers necessary and convenient to exercise the
function (see Legislation Act, s 196 and dict, pt 1, def entity).
12 Delegations by Commonwealth Regulator
Any delegation by the Commonwealth Regulator under the Water
Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005 (Cwlth) is taken to
extend to, and have effect for the corresponding provision of the
applied provisions.
Offences Part 4
Section 13
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Part 4 Offences
13 Object of pt 4
(1) The object of this part is to further the object of this Act by providing
for an offence against the applied provisions to be treated as if it were
an offence against a law of the Commonwealth.
(2) The purposes for which an offence is to be treated as mentioned in
subsection (1) include, for example—
(a) the investigation and prosecution of offences; and
(b) the arrest, custody, bail, trial and conviction of offenders or
people charged with offences; and
(c) proceedings relating to a matter mentioned in paragraph (a)
or (b); and
(d) appeals and reviews relating to criminal proceedings and to
proceedings of the kind mentioned in paragraph (c); and
(e) the sentencing, punishment and release of people convicted of
offences; and
(f) fines, penalties and forfeitures; and
(g) infringement notices in relation to offences; and
(h) liability to make reparation in relation to offences; and
(i) proceeds of crime; and
(j) spent convictions.
Part 4 Offences
Section 14
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14 Application of Commonwealth criminal laws to offences
against applied provisions
(1) The relevant Commonwealth laws apply as laws of the Territory in
relation to an offence against the applied provisions as if those
provisions were a law of the Commonwealth and not a law of the
Territory.
(2) For a law of the Territory, an offence against the applied provisions—
(a) is taken to be an offence against the laws of the Commonwealth,
in the same way as if those provisions were a law of the
Commonwealth; and
(b) is taken not to be an offence against the laws of the Territory.
(3) Subsection (2) has effect for a law of the Territory other than as
provided by a regulation made under this Act.
15 Functions conferred on Commonwealth officers and
authorities relating to offences
(1) A Commonwealth law applying because of section 14 that confers on
a Commonwealth officer or authority a function in relation to an
offence against the Commonwealth water efficiency laws also
confers on the officer or authority the same function in relation to an
offence against the corresponding provision of the applied provisions.
(2) In exercising a function conferred by this section, the Commonwealth
officer or authority must act as nearly as practicable as the officer or
authority would act in exercising the same function in relation to an
offence against the corresponding provision of the Commonwealth
water efficiency laws.
Note 1 Function includes authority, duty and power (see Legislation Act, dict,
pt 1).
Note 2 A provision of a law that gives an entity (including a person) a function
also gives the entity powers necessary and convenient to exercise the
function (see Legislation Act, s 196 and dict, pt 1, def entity).
Offences Part 4
Section 16
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16 No double jeopardy for offences against applied
provisions
An offender is not liable to be punished for an offence under the
applied provisions if—
(a) the act or omission is an offence against both the applied
provisions and the Commonwealth water efficiency laws; and
(b) the offender has been punished for the offence under the
Commonwealth water efficiency laws.
Part 5 Administrative laws
Section 17
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Part 5 Administrative laws
17 Application of Commonwealth administrative laws to
applied provisions
(1) The Commonwealth administrative laws apply as laws of the
Territory to any matter arising in relation to the applied provisions as
if those provisions were a law of the Commonwealth and not a law of
the Territory.
(2) For a law of the Territory, a matter arising in relation to the applied
provisions—
(a) is taken to be a matter arising in relation to laws of the
Commonwealth, in the same way as if those provisions were a
law of the Commonwealth; and
(b) is taken not to be a matter arising in relation to laws of the
Territory.
(3) Subsection (2) has effect for a law of the Territory other than as
provided by a regulation made under this Act.
(4) Any provision of a Commonwealth administrative law applying
because of this section that purports to confer jurisdiction on a federal
court is taken not to have that effect.
(5) For this section, a reference in a provision of the Administrative
Review Tribunal Act 2024 (Cwlth) (as that provision applies as a law
of this jurisdiction) to the whole or any part of that Act, part 7
(Appeals and references of questions of law to Federal Court) is taken
to be a reference to the whole or any part of that part as it has effect
as a law of the Commonwealth.
Administrative laws Part 5
Section 18
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18 Functions conferred on Commonwealth officers and
authorities
(1) A Commonwealth administrative law applying because of section 17
that confers on a Commonwealth officer or authority a function also
confers on the officer or authority the same function in relation to a
matter arising in relation to the applied provisions.
(2) In exercising a function conferred by this section, the Commonwealth
officer or authority must act as nearly as practicable as the officer or
authority would act in exercising the same function under the
Commonwealth administrative law.
Note 1 Function includes authority, duty and power (see Legislation Act, dict,
pt 1).
Note 2 A provision of a law that gives an entity (including a person) a function
also gives the entity powers necessary and convenient to exercise the
function (see Legislation Act, s 196 and dict, pt 1, def entity).
Part 6 Miscellaneous
Section 19
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Part 6 Miscellaneous
19 Things done for multiple purposes
The validity of a licence, certificate or other thing issued, given or
done for the applied provisions is not affected only because it was
issued, given or done also for the Commonwealth water efficiency
laws.
20 Reference in Commonwealth law to provision of another
law
For section 14 and section 17, a reference in a Commonwealth law to
a provision of that or another Commonwealth law is taken to be a
reference to that provision as applying because of those sections.
21 Fees and other money
All fees, penalties, fines and other money that, under this Act and the
applied provisions, are authorised or directed to be payable by or
imposed on any person (but not including an amount ordered to be
refunded to another person) must be paid to the Commonwealth.
22 Regulation-making power
(1) The Executive may make regulations for this Act.
Note A regulation must be notified, and presented to the Legislative Assembly,
under the Legislation Act.
(2) A regulation may create offences and fix maximum penalties of not
more than 30 penalty units for the offences.
Repeal and transitional Part 7
Section 24
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Part 7 Repeal and transitional
24 Transitional
(1) On the commencement day, anything that was in effect in relation to
the repealed Act immediately before the commencement day
becomes a thing with the same effect in relation to this Act and the
applied provisions.
(2) In this section:
commencement day means the day this Act, section 8 commences.
repealed Act means the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards
Act 2005.
Schedule 1 Modifications––Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005 (Cwlth)
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Schedule 1 Modifications––Water
Efficiency Labelling and
Standards Act 2005 (Cwlth)
(see s 8)
[1.1] Section 51 (3)
omit
Penalty: Imprisonment for 6 months.
substitute
Maximum penalty: 60 penalty units.
[1.2] Section 61 (3)
omit
Penalty: Imprisonment for 6 months.
substitute
Maximum penalty: 60 penalty units.
[1.3] Section 62 (3) and (4)
omit
Penalty: Imprisonment for 6 months.
substitute
Maximum penalty: 60 penalty units.
Dictionary
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Dictionary
(see s 4)
Note 1 The Legislation Act contains definitions and other provisions relevant to
this Act.
Note 2 For example, the Legislation Act, dict, pt 1, defines the following terms:
• Commonwealth
• Executive
• exercise
• function
• in relation to
• power
• regulation
• the Territory.
applied provisions—see section 8 (1).
Commonwealth administrative laws means the following
Commonwealth Acts and regulations:
(a) the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024 (other than part 7);
(b) the Freedom of Information Act 1982;
(c) the Ombudsman Act 1976;
(d) the Privacy Act 1988;
(e) the regulations in force under any of those Acts.
Commonwealth Regulator means the Regulator under the Water
Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005 (Cwlth), section 21.
Commonwealth water efficiency laws means—
(a) the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005 (Cwlth);
and
(b) all regulations, guidelines, principles, standards and codes of
practice in force under that Act.
Dictionary
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modify includes add to, omit and substitute.
offence includes a contravention for which a civil penalty may be
imposed.
Endnotes
About the endnotes 1
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Endnotes
1 About the endnotes
Amending and modifying laws are annotated in the legislation history and the
amendment history. Current modifications are not included in the republished law
but are set out in the endnotes.
Not all editorial amendments made under the Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 are
annotated in the amendment history. Full details of any amendments can be
obtained from the Parliamentary Counsel’s Office.
Uncommenced amending laws are not included in the republished law. The details
of these laws are underlined in the legislation history. Uncommenced expiries are
underlined in the legislation history and amendment history.
If all the provisions of the law have been renumbered, a table of renumbered
provisions gives details of previous and current numbering.
The endnotes also include a table of earlier republications.
2 Abbreviation key
A = Act NI = Notifiable instrument
AF = Approved form o = order
am = amended om = omitted/repealed
amdt = amendment ord = ordinance
AR = Assembly resolution orig = original
ch = chapter par = paragraph/subparagraph
CN = Commencement notice pres = present
def = definition prev = previous
DI = Disallowable instrument (prev...) = previously
dict = dictionary pt = part
disallowed = disallowed by the Legislative r = rule/subrule
Assembly reloc = relocated
div = division renum = renumbered
exp = expires/expired R[X] = Republication No
Gaz = gazette RI = reissue
hdg = heading s = section/subsection
IA = Interpretation Act 1967 sch = schedule
ins = inserted/added sdiv = subdivision
LA = Legislation Act 2001 SL = Subordinate law
LR = legislation register sub = substituted
LRA = Legislation (Republication) Act 1996 underlining = whole or part not commenced
mod = modified/modification or to be expired
Endnotes
3 Legislation history
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3 Legislation history
Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (ACT) Act 2015 A2015-4
notified LR 2 March 2015
s 1, s 2 commenced 2 March 2015 (LA s 75 (1))
remainder commenced 3 March 2015 (s 2)
as amended by
Environment Legislation Amendment Act 2025 A2025-28 pt 11
notified LR 12 November 2025
s 1, s 2 commenced 12 November 2025 (LA s 75 (1))
pt 11 commenced 26 November 2025 (s 2)
4 Amendment history
Commencement
s 2 om LA s 89 (4)
Application of Commonwealth administrative laws to applied provisions
s 17 am A2025-28 s 42, s 43
Legislation repealed
s 23 om LA s 89 (3)
Dictionary
dict def Commonwealth administrative laws am A2025-28 s 44