Contents

Part 1--Preliminary                                                                                                                1

1............ Short title [see Note 1] ....................................................................... 1

2............ Commencement [see Note 1] .............................................................. 1

3............ Objects of Act .................................................................................... 1

4............ Operation of Act ................................................................................ 1

4A......... Application of the Criminal Code ...................................................... 2

5............ Interpretation ...................................................................................... 2

5A......... Meaning of vehicle .............................................................................. 5

5B......... Determinations with respect to road vehicles .................................... 5

6............ Act to bind Crown .............................................................................. 6

6A......... Application of the Criminal Code ...................................................... 6

Part 2--National standards                                                                                                7

7............ Minister may determine vehicle standards ......................................... 7

7A......... Incorporation of documents setting out standards ............................. 7

8............ Consultations before determinations .................................................. 7

9............ Procedures for testing vehicles ........................................................... 7

Part 3--Certification and approval                                                                                9

Division 1--Identification plates                                                                             9

10.......... Type identification plates .................................................................. 9

10A....... Approval for the placement of identification plates .......................... 9

10B....... Notification that approval has been given ........................................ 11

11.......... Withdrawal of identification plate approval ..................................... 12

12.......... Offences in relation to identification plates ...................................... 13

13.......... Vehicles taken to have identification plates ...................................... 13

Division 2--Standard vehicles not to be made nonstandard                  14

13A....... Vehicles not to be made nonstandard ............................................... 14

Division 3--Used import plates                                                                             15

13B....... Placement of used import plates ...................................................... 15

13C....... Application for approval to place a used import plate .................... 15

13D....... Grant of approval ............................................................................. 16

13E........ Number limits on placement of used import plates ......................... 17

13F........ Variation, cancellation or suspension of approval ............................ 17

13G....... Offence in relation to the placement of used import plates ............. 18

Part 4--Supply and importation of vehicles                                                            19

Division 1--Supply of new vehicles etc.                                                            19

14.......... Nonstandard vehicles not to be supplied to market ......................... 19

14A....... Supply of nonstandard vehicles ....................................................... 19

14B....... No requirement to comply with certain standards ........................... 19

15.......... Nonstandard vehicles not to be used by manufacturers ................... 19

Division 2--Supply of used imported vehicles                                               21

16.......... Supply of used imported vehicles .................................................... 21

16A....... Variation, cancellation or suspension of approval ............................ 22

Division 3--Import of new and used vehicles                                                24

17.......... Importation of road vehicles subject to conditions .......................... 24

17A....... Authority to take delivery of imported vehicles .............................. 24

18.......... Prohibition of importation of nonstandard vehicles etc. .................. 25

19.......... Importation of vehicles requiring modification ................................. 25

20.......... Approval to import certain nonstandard vehicles ............................ 26

Division 4--Register of Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicles                   27

21.......... Register of Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicles ................................. 27

Part 4A--Registered automotive workshops                                                         28

21A....... Application for approval .................................................................. 28

21B....... Grant of approval ............................................................................. 28

21C....... Period approval in force ................................................................... 29

21D....... Conditions of approval ..................................................................... 30

21E........ Variation, cancellation or suspension of approval ............................ 30

Part 5--Administration                                                                                                       32

22.......... Administrator ................................................................................... 32

23.......... Delegation by Minister ..................................................................... 32

24.......... Fees ................................................................................................... 33

25.......... Appointment of inspectors .............................................................. 34

26.......... Identity cards .................................................................................... 34

27.......... Powers of inspectors ........................................................................ 34

28.......... Monitoring warrants ......................................................................... 35

29.......... Power to require information ............................................................ 36

30.......... Offence‑related searches and seizures .............................................. 36

32.......... Failure to answer questions etc. ....................................................... 38

33.......... Agents ............................................................................................... 38

Part 6--Court proceedings                                                                                               39

34.......... Evidence ............................................................................................ 39

35.......... Injunctions ........................................................................................ 39

36.......... Conduct by directors, servants and agents ....................................... 41

37.......... Legal proceedings not to lie .............................................................. 42

Part 7--Miscellaneous                                                                                                        43

38.......... Law to apply in certain circumstances ............................................. 43

39.......... Application for review ..................................................................... 43

40.......... Statement to accompany notice of decisions .................................... 44

41.......... Application of Trade Practices Act .................................................. 45

42.......... Regulations ....................................................................................... 45

Notes                                                                                                                                             47

An Act to provide for national motor vehicle standards, and for related purposes

  

Notes to the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989

Note 1

The Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 as shown in this compilation comprises Act No. 65, 1989 amended as indicated in the Tables below.

All relevant information pertaining to application, saving or transitional provisions prior to 24 November 2000 is not included in this compilation. For subsequent information see Table A.

Table of Acts

Act	Number and year	Date of Assent	Date of commencement	Application, saving or transitional provisions
Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989	65, 1989	19 June 1989	Ss. 3-42: 1 Aug 1989 (see Gazette 1989, No. S259) Remainder: Royal Assent
Transport and Communications Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2) 1989	23, 1990	17 Jan 1990	Part 10 (ss. 27-37): Royal Assent (a)	--
Transport and Communications Legislation Amendment Act 1990	11, 1991	21 Jan 1991	Part 7 (ss. 25-30): Royal Assent (b)	--
as amended by
Transport and Communications Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2) 1992	71, 1992	26 June 1992	Part 11 (ss. 54, 55): (c)	--
Territories Law Reform Act 1992	104, 1992	30 June 1992	S. 24: 1 July 1992 (d)	--
Transport and Communications Legislation Amendment Act 1993	4, 1994	18 Jan 1994	18 Jan 1994	S. 2(2)
Transport Legislation Amendment Act 1995	95, 1995	27 July 1995	S. 3 (Part G [items 2, 3, 6-13, 16-41]): Royal Assent (e) S. 3 (Part G [items 1, 4, 5, 14, 15]): 27 Jan 1996 (e)	S. 8
as amended by
Statute Law Revision Act 1996	43, 1996	25 Oct 1996	Schedule 3 (item 125): 27 July 1995 (f)	--
Statute Law Revision Act 1996	43, 1996	25 Oct 1996	Schedule 2 (item 74): (g)	--
Motor Vehicle Standards Amendment Act 1999	8, 1999	31 Mar 1999	31 Mar 1999	--
Public Employment (Consequential and Transitional) Amendment Act 1999	146, 1999	11 Nov 1999	Schedule 1 (items 617-619): 5 Dec 1999 (see Gazette 1999, No. S584) (h)	--
Criminal Code Amendment (Theft, Fraud, Bribery and Related Offences) Act 2000	137, 2000	24 Nov 2000	Ss. 1-3 and Schedule 1 (items 1, 4, 6, 7, 9-11, 32): Royal Assent Remainder: 24 May 2001	Sch. 2 (items 418, 419) [see Table A]
Transport and Regional Services Legislation Amendment (Application of Criminal Code) Act 2001	143, 2001	1 Oct 2001	2 Oct 2001	S. 4 [see Table A]
Motor Vehicle Standards Amendment Act 2001	155, 2001	1 Oct 2001	1 Apr 2002	Ss. 4‑6 [see Table A]
Maritime Transport and Offshore Facilities Security Amendment (Security Plans and Other Measures) Act 2006	109, 2006	27 Sept 2006	Schedule 2 (items 38-59): Royal Assent	--

(a)     The Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 was amended by Part 10 (sections 27-37) only of the Transport and Communications Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2) 1989, subsection 2(1) of which provides as follows:

                 (1)   Subject to this section, this Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

(b)    The Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 was amended by Part 7 (sections 25-30) only of the Transport and Communications Legislation Amendment Act 1990, subsection 2(1) of which provides as follows:

                 (1)   Subject to this section, this Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

(c)     The Transport and Communications Legislation Amendment Act 1990 was amended by Part 11 (sections 54 and 55) only of the Transport and Communications Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2) 1992, subsection 2(9) of which provides as follows:

                 (9)   Part 11 is taken to have commenced immediately after the commencement of section 26 of the Transport and Communications Legislation Amendment Act 1990.

         Section 26 of the Transport and Communications Legislation Amendment Act 1990 commenced on 21 January 1991.

(d)     The Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 was amended by section 24 only of the Territories Law Reform Act 1992, subsection 2(3) of which provides as follows:

                 (3)   The remaining provisions of this Act commence on 1 July 1992.

(e)     The Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 was amended by the Transport Legislation Amendment Act 1995, subsections 2(1), (5) and (9) of which provide as follows:

                 (1)   Subject to this section, this Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

                 (5)   Subject to subsection (9), items 1, 4, 5, 14 and 15 of Part G of Schedule 1 commence on a day or days to be fixed by Proclamation.

                 (9)   If items 1, 4, 5, 14 and 15 of Part G of Schedule 1, or any of them, do not commence within the period of 6 months beginning on the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent, they commence on the first day after the end of that period.

(f)      The Transport Legislation Amendment Act 1995 was amended by Schedule 3 (item 125) only of the Statute Law Revision Act 1996, subsection 2(3) of which provides as follows:

                 (3)   Each item in Schedule 3 is taken to have commenced when the Act containing the provision amended by the item received the Royal Assent.

(g)     The Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 was amended by Schedule 2 (item 74) only of the Statute Law Revision Act 1996, subsection 2(2) of which provides as follows:

                 (2)   Each item in Schedule 2 commences or is taken to have commenced (as the case requires) at the time specified in the note at the end of the item.

         Item 74 is taken to have commenced immediately after the commencement of item 21 of Part G of Schedule 1 to the Transport Legislation Amendment Act 1995.

         Item 21 of Part G of Schedule 1 to the Transport Legislation Amendment Act 1995 commenced on 27 July 1995.

(h)     The Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 was amended by Schedule 1 (items 617-619) only of the Public Employment (Consequential and Transitional) Amendment Act 1999, subsections 2(1) and (2) of which provide as follows:

                 (1)   In this Act, commencing time means the time when the Public Service Act 1999 commences.

                 (2)   Subject to this section, this Act commences at the commencing time.

Table of Amendments

ad. = added or inserted      am. = amended      rep. = repealed     rs. = repealed and substituted
Provision affected	How affected
Part 1
S. 3......................................	rs. No. 155, 2001
S. 4......................................	am. No. 155, 2001
S. 4A...................................	ad. No. 143, 2001
S. 5......................................	am. No. 23, 1990; No. 11, 1991 (as am. by No. 71, 1992); No. 104, 1992; No. 95, 1995; No. 8, 1999; Nos. 143 and 155, 2001
S. 5A...................................	ad. No. 95, 1995
S. 5B...................................	ad. No. 95, 1995
	am. No. 109, 2006
S. 6A...................................	ad. No. 155, 2001
Part 2
S. 7......................................	rs. No. 95, 1995
	am. No. 109, 2006
Note to s. 7..........................	ad. No. 109, 2006
S. 7A...................................	ad. No. 95, 1995
	am. No. 109, 2006
S. 9......................................	rs. No. 23, 1990
	am. No. 11, 1991; No. 95, 1995; No. 155, 2001; No. 109, 2006
Note to s. 9..........................	ad. No. 109, 2006
Part 3
Heading to Part 3 ................	rs. No. 95, 1995
Division 1
Heading to Div. 1 of Part 3 .	ad. No. 155, 2001
S. 10....................................	rs. No. 23, 1990; No. 11, 1991
	am. No. 4, 1994
	rs. No. 95, 1995
	am. No. 155, 2001; No. 109, 2006
Ss. 10A, 10B.......................	ad. No. 95, 1995
	am. No. 155, 2001
Heading to s. 11..................	rs. No. 95, 1995
	am. No. 155, 2001
S. 11....................................	am. No. 23, 1990; No. 4, 1994; No. 95, 1995; No. 8, 1999; No. 155, 2001
S. 12....................................	am. No. 4, 1994
	rs. No. 95, 1995
	am. No. 8, 1999; No. 143, 2001
Heading to s. 13..................	rs. No. 95, 1995
S. 13....................................	am. No. 95, 1995; No. 155, 2001
Division 2
Heading to Div. 2 of Part 3 .	ad. No. 155, 2001
S. 13A.................................	ad. No. 95, 1995
	am. No. 143, 2001
Division 3
Div. 3 of Part 3....................	ad. No. 155, 2001
S. 13B.................................	ad. No. 155, 2001
	am. No. 109, 2006
S. 13C.................................	ad. No. 155, 2001
S. 13D.................................	ad. No. 155, 2001
	am. No. 109, 2006
Ss. 13E-13G ......................	ad. No. 155, 2001
Part 4
Division 1
Heading to Div. 1 of Part 4 .	ad. No. 155, 2001
S. 14....................................	am. No. 4, 1994; No. 95, 1995; No. 143, 2001
Ss. 14A, 14B.......................	ad. No. 95, 1995
S. 15....................................	am. No. 4, 1994; No. 95, 1995; No. 143, 2001
Division 2
Div. 2 of Part 4....................	ad. No. 155, 2001
S. 16....................................	am. No. 4, 1994
	rep. No. 95, 1995
	ad. No. 155, 2001
S. 16A ................................	ad. No. 155, 2001
Division 3
Heading to Div. 3 of Part 4 .	ad. No. 155, 2001
S. 17....................................	am. No. 4, 1994; No. 95, 1995; No. 143, 2001
S. 17A.................................	ad. No. 23, 1990
	am. No. 95, 1995; No. 8, 1999; No. 155, 2001
S. 18....................................	am. No. 4, 1994; No. 95, 1995; No. 143, 2001
S. 19....................................	am. No. 23, 1990; No. 4, 1994; No. 95, 1995; No. 143, 2001
S. 20....................................	am. No. 4, 1994; No. 95, 1995; Nos. 143 and 155, 2001
Division 4
Div. 4 of Part 4 ...................	ad. No. 155, 2001
S. 21....................................	rep. No. 95, 1995
	ad. No. 155, 2001
Part 4A
Part 4A................................	ad. No. 155, 2001
S. 21A.................................	ad. No. 155, 2001
S. 21B.................................	ad. No. 155, 2001
	am. No. 109, 2006
Ss. 21C-21E ......................	ad. No. 155, 2001
Part 5
S. 22....................................	am. Nos. 8 and 146, 1999
S. 23....................................	am. No. 23, 1990; No. 95, 1995; No. 8, 1999; No. 155, 2001
S. 24....................................	am. No. 95, 1995; No. 43, 1996; No. 155, 2001
S. 25....................................	am. No. 23, 1990; No. 146, 1999
S. 26....................................	am. No. 4, 1994; No. 143, 2001
S. 27....................................	am. No. 23, 1990; No. 11, 1991; No. 95, 1995; No. 155, 2001
Ss. 28, 29............................	am. No. 95, 1995; No. 155, 2001
S. 31....................................	am. No. 4, 1994; No. 95, 1995
	rep. No. 137, 2000
S. 32....................................	am. No. 4, 1994; No. 143, 2001
Part 6
S. 34....................................	am. No. 95, 1995 (as am. by No. 43, 1996)
S. 36....................................	am. No. 143, 2001
S. 37....................................	am. No. 95, 1995; No. 155, 2001
Part 7
S. 39....................................	am. No. 11, 1991; No. 95, 1995; No. 8, 1999; No. 155, 2001
S. 41....................................	am. No. 23, 1990
S. 42....................................	am. No. 95, 1995

Table A

Application, saving or transitional provisions

Criminal Code Amendment (Theft, Fraud, Bribery and Related Offences) Act 2000 (No. 137, 2000)

Schedule 2

418  Transitional--pre‑commencement offences

(1)        Despite the amendment or repeal of a provision by this Schedule, that provision continues to apply, after the commencement of this item, in relation to:

                     (a)  an offence committed before the commencement of this item; or

                     (b)  proceedings for an offence alleged to have been committed before the commencement of this item; or

                     (c)  any matter connected with, or arising out of, such proceedings;

as if the amendment or repeal had not been made.

(2)        Subitem (1) does not limit the operation of section 8 of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901.

419  Transitional--pre‑commencement notices

If:

                     (a)  a provision in force immediately before the commencement of this item required that a notice set out the effect of one or more other provisions; and

                     (b)  any or all of those other provisions are repealed by this Schedule; and

                     (c)  the first‑mentioned provision is amended by this Schedule;

the amendment of the first‑mentioned provision by this Schedule does not affect the validity of such a notice that was given before the commencement of this item.

Transport and Regional Services Legislation Amendment (Application of Criminal Code) Act 2001 (No. 143, 2001)

4  Application of Amendments

             (1)  Each amendment made by this Act applies to acts and omissions that take place after the amendment commences.

             (2)  For the purposes of this section, if an act or omission is alleged to have taken place between 2 dates, one before and one on or after the day on which a particular amendment commences, the act or omission is alleged to have taken place before the amendment commences.

Motor Vehicle Standards Amendment Act 2001 (No. 155, 2001)

4  Transitional--old approvals

Section 10A approvals that cease to be in force

             (1)  If, immediately before the commencement of this Act, an approval (the old approval) was in force under section 10A of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 in respect of used imported vehicles of a particular type, then, immediately after the commencement of this Act:

                     (a)  the old approval ceases to be in force; and

                     (b)  the Minister is taken to have granted an approval (the transitional approval) under subsection 16(2) of that Act in respect of used imported vehicles of that type.

Section 10A approvals that remain in force

             (2)  The amendments made by Schedule 1 do not affect the validity of:

                     (a)  any other approval given under section 10A of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 before the commencement of this Act; and

                     (b)  any condition determined under that section, before the commencement of this Act, in respect of such an approval.

Section 14A approvals

             (3)  If, immediately before the commencement of this Act, an approval (the old approval) was in force under section 14A of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 in respect of a used imported vehicle, then, immediately after the commencement of this Act:

                     (a)  the old approval ceases to be in force; and

                     (b)  the Minister is taken to have granted an approval (the transitional approval) under subsection 16(2) of that Act in respect of the vehicle.

Period transitional approvals in force

             (4)  A transitional approval is taken to be in force for a period worked out in accordance with the regulations. The regulations may provide for transitional approvals to be in force for different periods (having regard to the old approvals that ceased to be in force).

Conditions

             (5)  All transitional approvals are subject to the conditions prescribed by the regulations.

Variation, cancellation or suspension of transitional approvals

             (6)  Section 16A of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 applies to a transitional approval in the same way as it does to any other approval granted under section 16 of that Act.

Making regulations

             (7)  The Governor‑General may make regulations prescribing matters:

                     (a)  required or permitted by this section to be prescribed; or

                     (b)  necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this section.

Definition

             (8)  In this section:

used imported vehicle means an imported vehicle that has been used in transport outside Australia.

5  Application--breach of conditions on identification plate approvals

                   Subsection 10A(6) of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 applies to conditions determined under section 10A of that Act before or after the commencement of this Act.

6  Application--supply of used imported vehicles

                   Section 16 of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 applies to used imported vehicles supplied to the market after the commencement of this Act (regardless of whether the vehicles were imported before or after the commencement of this Act).