This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.
Jurisdiction
Commonwealth
Act Number
37 of 1939
Collection
act
Plain English Summary
5/10 complexity
Wire Netting Bounty Act 1939 — Plain English Summary
What is this law about?
This Act sets up a government subsidy (called a "bounty") paid to Australian manufacturers who produce wire netting — specifically, iron or steel wire woven into the hexagon-shaped mesh you'd recognise from farm fences and rabbit-proofing. The goal is to encourage local production of wire netting in Australia.
Who does it affect?
Wire netting manufacturers operating in government-approved factories in Australia
The Comptroller-General of Customs and Collectors of Customs, who administer the scheme
Indirectly, Australian consumers and farmers who benefit from locally produced wire netting
What does it actually do?
Replaces an older bounty scheme that existed under a series of Iron and Steel Products Bounty Acts (1922–1933), which are repealed by this Act
Pays a bounty of 9 shillings and 7 pence per ton of wire netting produced — but only if:
The netting is made entirely from Australian materials
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
It is produced within five years of the Act commencing
All the rules and regulations of the Act are followed
Caps total annual bounty payments at £5,000 per financial year. If there are more valid claims than money available, every manufacturer's payment is reduced proportionally (everyone gets a fair share of a smaller pie)
Adjusts the bounty rate if import tariffs (taxes on imported wire netting) go up or down — if imports become more expensive due to higher tariffs, the bounty is reduced by the same amount, and vice versa (but the bounty can never exceed the original 9s 7d rate)
Key safeguards and controls
Profit cap: If a manufacturer makes more than 6% annual profit on the capital they've invested in wire netting production, the Minister can withhold or claw back the bounty. The government doesn't want the subsidy to simply pad manufacturer profits beyond a reasonable return.
Separate accounts required: Manufacturers must keep detailed financial records specifically for wire netting and submit regular financial statements (balance sheets, profit & loss accounts, etc.) every six months and annually.
Inspections: Government-authorised inspectors can enter factories, inspect stock, watch manufacturing, take samples, and examine financial records at any reasonable time.
Compulsory questioning: The Comptroller-General or authorised officers can require any person to attend, answer questions under oath, and produce documents. Refusing to do so is an offence (fine of £50).
Security deposits: The Minister can require manufacturers to put up a bond, guarantee, or cash deposit to ensure they comply with the Act.
Fraud penalties: Falsely claiming a bounty or making misleading statements carries a penalty of £500 or 12 months' imprisonment.
Parliamentary transparency: An annual report must be tabled in Parliament listing every manufacturer who received a bounty, how much they got, and how much wire netting they produced.
Why does it matter?
This is a classic example of mid-20th century Australian industrial policy — using government subsidies to protect and grow a domestic manufacturing industry. The detailed profit-control mechanism (the 6% cap) shows an attempt to ensure public money supports production, not excessive profits.