NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA
WATER EFFICIENCY LABELLING AND STANDARDS (NATIONAL
UNIFORM LEGISLATION) ACT 2014
As in force at 10 February 2026
Table of provisions
Part 1 Preliminary matters
1 Short title ......................................................................................... 1
2 Purpose of Act ................................................................................. 1
3 Interpretation ................................................................................... 1
4 Act binds Crown .............................................................................. 2
Part 2 Applied provisions
5 Application of Commonwealth laws as a law of Territory ................. 3
6 Modification of Commonwealth water efficiency laws ...................... 3
7 Interpretation of applied provisions .................................................. 3
Part 3 Functions and powers under applied
provisions
8 Functions and powers of Commonwealth Regulator and other
authorities and officers .................................................................... 4
9 Delegations by the Commonwealth Regulator................................. 4
Part 4 Offences
10 Purpose of Part................................................................................ 4
11 Application of Commonwealth criminal laws to offences
against applied provisions ............................................................... 5
12 Functions and powers conferred on Commonwealth officers
and authorities relating to offences .................................................. 5
13 No double jeopardy for offences against applied provisions ............ 5
Part 5 Administrative laws
14 Application of Commonwealth administrative laws to applied
provisions ........................................................................................ 6
15 Functions and powers conferred on Commonwealth officers
and authorities ................................................................................. 6
Part 6 Miscellaneous matters
16 Things done for multiple purposes................................................... 7
17 Reference in Commonwealth law to a provision of another law ...... 7
Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2014 ii
18 Fees and other money..................................................................... 7
19 Regulations of Territory ................................................................... 7
Part 7 Repeal and transitional matters
20 Act repealed .................................................................................... 7
21 Transitional matters for Water Efficiency Labelling and
Standards (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2014 ......................... 7
ENDNOTES
NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA
As in force at 10 February 2026
WATER EFFICIENCY LABELLING AND STANDARDS (NATIONAL
UNIFORM LEGISLATION) ACT 2014
An Act to apply as a law of the Territory a national law relating to water
efficiency labelling and standards, and for related purposes
Part 1 Preliminary matters
1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the Water Efficiency Labelling and
Standards (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2014.
2 Purpose of Act
(1) The purpose of this Act is to adopt in the Territory a uniform
national approach to the regulation of water efficiency labelling and
standards.
(2) Accordingly, 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.
3 Interpretation
(1) In this Act:
applied provisions means the Commonwealth water efficiency
laws that apply as a law of the Territory because of section 5,
including any modification under section 6.
Commonwealth administrative laws means the following:
(a) the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024 (Cth) (excluding
Part 7);
Section 1 - Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2014 - Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2014 | Zoe
Part 1 Preliminary matters
Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2014 2
(b) the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth);
(c) the Ombudsman Act 1976 (Cth);
(d) the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth);
(e) the regulations in force under any of those Acts.
Commonwealth Regulator means the WELS Regulator appointed
under the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005 (Cth).
Commonwealth water efficiency laws means:
(a) the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005 (Cth);
and
(b) all regulations, guidelines, principles, standards and codes of
practice in force under that Act.
function includes a duty.
modify includes add to, omit and substitute.
offence includes a contravention for which a civil penalty may be
imposed.
(2) Terms used in this Act and also in the Water Efficiency Labelling
and Standards Act 2005 (Cth) have the same meanings in this Act
as they have in that Act.
(3) In this Act, a reference to a Commonwealth Act includes a
reference to:
(a) that Commonwealth Act, as amended and in force for the time
being; and
(b) if another Act is substituted for that Commonwealth Act – the
substituted Act as amended and in force for the time being.
4 Act binds Crown
This Act binds the Crown in right of the Territory and, to the extent
the legislative power of the Legislative Assembly permits, the
Crown in all its other capacities.
Part 2 Applied provisions
Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2014 3
Part 2 Applied provisions
5 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, apply as a law of the
Territory.
(2) The Commonwealth water efficiency laws so 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 specified matters with respect to which
the Commonwealth may make laws.
6 Modification of Commonwealth water efficiency laws
(1) Regulations under this Act may also modify the Commonwealth
water efficiency laws for the purposes of this Act.
(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the regulations may provide that the
Commonwealth water efficiency laws apply under section 5(1) as if
an amendment to the Commonwealth water efficiency laws:
(a) made by a law of the Commonwealth; and
(b) specified in the regulations;
had not taken effect.
7 Interpretation of applied provisions
(1) The Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) applies as a law of the
Territory in relation to the interpretation of the applied provisions,
and so applies as if the applied provisions were a Commonwealth
Act or were regulations or other instruments under a
Commonwealth Act, as the case requires.
(2) The Interpretation Act 1978 does not apply to the applied
provisions.
Note for subsection (2)
Even though the Interpretation Act 1978 does not apply to the applied provisions,
it applies to this Act and to instruments made under this Act.
Part 4 Offences
Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2014 4
Part 3 Functions and powers under applied
provisions
8 Functions and powers of Commonwealth Regulator and other
authorities and officers
The Commonwealth Regulator and other authorities and officers
referred to in the applied provisions have the same functions and
powers under the applied provisions as they have under the
Commonwealth water efficiency laws, as those laws apply to the
Commonwealth.
9 Delegations by the Commonwealth Regulator
Any delegation by the Commonwealth Regulator under the Water
Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005 (Cth) is taken to
extend to, and have effect for the purposes of, the corresponding
provision of the applied provisions.
Part 4 Offences
10 Purpose of Part
(1) The purpose of this Part is to further the purpose 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 (but are not limited to):
(a) the investigation and prosecution of offences; and
(b) the arrest, custody, bail, trial and conviction of offenders or
persons charged with offences; and
(c) proceedings relating to a matter referred to in paragraph (a)
or (b); and
(d) appeals and reviews relating to criminal proceedings and to
proceedings of the kind referred to in paragraph (c); and
(e) the sentencing, punishment and release of persons convicted
of offences; and
(f) fines, penalties and forfeitures; and
(g) infringement notices in connection with offences; and
(h) liability to make reparation in connection with offences; and
Part 4 Offences
Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2014 5
(i) proceeds of crime; and
(j) spent convictions.
11 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 the purposes of 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 the purposes of a law of the Territory
except as provided by the regulations made under this Act.
12 Functions and powers conferred on Commonwealth officers
and authorities relating to offences
(1) A Commonwealth law applying because of section 11 that confers
on a Commonwealth officer or authority a function or power in
relation to an offence against the Commonwealth water efficiency
laws also confers on the officer or authority the same function or
power in relation to an offence against the corresponding provision
of the applied provisions.
(2) In performing a function or exercising a power conferred by this
section, the Commonwealth officer or authority must act as nearly
as practicable as the officer or authority would act in performing or
exercising the same function or power in relation to an offence
against the corresponding provision of the Commonwealth water
efficiency laws.
13 No double jeopardy for offences against applied provisions
If:
(a) an 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 that offence under the
Commonwealth water efficiency laws;
Part 5 Administrative laws
Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2014 6
the offender is not liable to be punished for the offence under the
applied provisions.
Part 5 Administrative laws
14 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 the purposes of 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 the purposes of a law of the Territory
except as provided by the Regulations 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 the purposes of this section, a reference in a provision of the
Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 (Cth) (as that provision
applies as a law of this jurisdiction) to the whole or any part of
Part IVA of that Act 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.
15 Functions and powers conferred on Commonwealth officers
and authorities
(1) A Commonwealth administrative law applying because of
section 14 that confers on a Commonwealth officer or authority a
function or power also confers on the officer or authority the same
function or power in relation to a matter arising in relation to the
applied provisions.
Part 7 Repeal and transitional matters
Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2014 7
(2) In performing a function or exercising a power conferred by this
section, the Commonwealth officer or authority must act as nearly
as practicable as the officer or authority would act in performing or
exercising the same function or power under the Commonwealth
administrative law.
Part 6 Miscellaneous matters
16 Things done for multiple purposes
The validity of a licence, certificate or other thing issued, given or
done for the purposes of the applied provisions is not affected only
because it was issued, given or done also for the purposes of the
Commonwealth water efficiency laws.
17 Reference in Commonwealth law to a provision of another law
For the purposes of sections 11 and 14, 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.
18 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.
19 Regulations of Territory
The Administrator may make regulations under this Act.
Part 7 Repeal and transitional matters
20 Act repealed
The Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2006 (Act No. 30
of 2006) is repealed.
21 Transitional matters for Water Efficiency Labelling and
Standards (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2014
(1) On the commencement date, anything that was in effect in relation
to the former law immediately before the commencement date
becomes a thing with the same effect in relation to this Act and the
applied provisions.
Part 7 Repeal and transitional matters
Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2014 8
(2) In this section:
commencement date means the date on which section 5
commences.
former law means the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards
Act as in force before its repeal by section 20.
ENDNOTES
Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2014 9
ENDNOTES
1 KEY Key to abbreviations
amd = amended od = order
app = appendix om = omitted
bl = by-law pt = Part
ch = Chapter r = regulation/rule
cl = clause rem = remainder
div = Division renum = renumbered
exp = expires/expired rep = repealed
f = forms s = section
Gaz = Gazette sch = Schedule
hdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision
ins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation
lt = long title sub = substituted
nc = not commenced
2 LIST OF LEGISLATION
Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2014 (Act
No. 21, 2014)
Assent date 2 June 2014
Commenced 2 June 2014
Statute Law Revision and Repeals Act 2026 (Act No. 3, 2026)
Assent date 9 February 2026
Commenced 10 February 2026 (s 2)
3 GENERAL AMENDMENTS
General amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table
of amendments to this reprint) are made by the Interpretation Legislation
Amendment Act 2018 (Act No. 22, 2018) to: s 7.
4 LIST OF AMENDMENTS
s 3 amd No. 3, 2026, s 63