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SPAM ACT 2003 - NOTES

SPAM ACT 2003 - NOTES

No. 129, 2003

Compilation No. 10

Compilation date:    10 March 2016

Includes amendments up to: Act No. 4, 2016

Registered:    9 June 2016

 

About this compilation

This compilation

This is a compilation of the Spam Act 2003 that shows the text of the law as amended and in force on 10 March 2016 (the compilation date).

The notes at the end of this compilation (the endnotes) include information about amending laws and the amendment history of provisions of the compiled law.

Uncommenced amendments

The effect of uncommenced amendments is not shown in the text of the compiled law. Any uncommenced amendments affecting the law are accessible on the Legislation Register (www.legislation.gov.au). The details of amendments made up to, but not commenced at, the compilation date are underlined in the endnotes. For more information on any uncommenced amendments, see the series page on the Legislation Register for the compiled law.

Application, saving and transitional provisions for provisions and amendments

If the operation of a provision or amendment of the compiled law is affected by an application, saving or transitional provision that is not included in this compilation, details are included in the endnotes.

Editorial changes

For more information about any editorial changes made in this compilation, see the endnotes.

Modifications

If the compiled law is modified by another law, the compiled law operates as modified but the modification does not amend the text of the law. Accordingly, this compilation does not show the text of the compiled law as modified. For more information on any modifications, see the series page on the Legislation Register for the compiled law.

Self-repealing provisions

If a provision of the compiled law has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law, details are included in the endnotes.

 

 

 

Contents

Part 1--Introduction

1 Short title

2 Commencement

3 Simplified outline

4 Definitions

5 Electronic messages

6 Commercial electronic messages

7 Australian link

8 Authorising the sending of electronic messages

9 Sending of electronic messages--carriage service providers

10 Continuity of partnerships

11 Extended meaning of use

12 Crown to be bound

13 Extension to external Territories

14 Extra-territorial application

Part 2--Rules about sending commercial electronic messages

15 Simplified outline

16 Unsolicited commercial electronic messages must not be sent

17 Commercial electronic messages must include accurate sender information

18 Commercial electronic messages must contain a functional unsubscribe facility

Part 3--Rules about address-harvesting software and harvested-address lists

19 Simplified outline

20 Address-harvesting software and harvested-address lists must not be supplied

21 Address-harvesting software and harvested-address lists must not be acquired

22 Address-harvesting software and harvested-address lists must not be used

Part 4--Civil penalties

23 Simplified outline

24 Pecuniary penalties for contravention of civil penalty provisions

25 Maximum penalties for contravention of civil penalty provisions

26 Civil action for recovery of pecuniary penalties

27 Criminal proceedings not to be brought for contravention of civil penalty provisions

28 Ancillary orders--compensation

29 Ancillary orders--recovery of financial benefit

30 Schedule 3 (infringement notices)

Part 5--Injunctions

31 Simplified outline

32 Injunctions

33 Interim injunctions

34 Discharge etc. of injunctions

35 Certain limits on granting injunctions not to apply

36 Other powers of the Federal Court unaffected

Part 6--Enforceable undertakings

37 Simplified outline

38 Acceptance of undertakings

39 Enforcement of undertakings

40 Assessment of compensation for breach of undertaking

Part 7--Miscellaneous

41 Formal warnings--breach of civil penalty provision

42 Additional ACMA functions

43 Operation of State and Territory laws

44 Implied freedom of political communication

45 Giving effect to international conventions

47 Regulations

Schedule 1--Designated commercial electronic messages

1 Object

2 Factual information

3 Government bodies, political parties and charities

4 Educational institutions

5 Regulations

Schedule 2--Consent

1 Object

2 Basic definition

3 Users of account authorised to consent on behalf of relevant electronic account-holder

4 When consent may be inferred from publication of an electronic address

5 Regulations about consent

6 When withdrawal of consent takes effect

Schedule 3--Infringement notices

1 Object

2 Definitions

3 When an infringement notice can be given

4 Matters to be included in an infringement notice

5 Amount of penalty

6 Withdrawal of an infringement notice

7 What happens if the penalty is paid

8 Effect of this Schedule on civil proceedings

9 Appointment of authorised person

10 Regulations

Endnotes

Endnote 1--About the endnotes

Endnote 2--Abbreviation key

Endnote 3--Legislation history

Endnote 4--Amendment history

 

Endnotes

Endnote 1--About the endnotes

The endnotes provide information about this compilation and the compiled law.

The following endnotes are included in every compilation:

Endnote 1--About the endnotes

Endnote 2--Abbreviation key

Endnote 3--Legislation history

Endnote 4--Amendment history

Abbreviation key--Endnote 2

The abbreviation key sets out abbreviations that may be used in the endnotes.

Legislation history and amendment history--Endnotes 3 and 4

Amending laws are annotated in the legislation history and amendment history.

The legislation history in endnote 3 provides information about each law that has amended (or will amend) the compiled law. The information includes commencement details for amending laws and details of any application, saving or transitional provisions that are not included in this compilation.

The amendment history in endnote 4 provides information about amendments at the provision (generally section or equivalent) level. It also includes information about any provision of the compiled law that has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law.

Editorial changes

The Legislation Act 2003 authorises First Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial and presentational changes to a compiled law in preparing a compilation of the law for registration. The changes must not change the effect of the law. Editorial changes take effect from the compilation registration date.

If the compilation includes editorial changes, the endnotes include a brief outline of the changes in general terms. Full details of any changes can be obtained from the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.

Misdescribed amendments

A misdescribed amendment is an amendment that does not accurately describe the amendment to be made. If, despite the misdescription, the amendment can be given effect as intended, the amendment is incorporated into the compiled law and the abbreviation "(md)" added to the details of the amendment included in the amendment history.

If a misdescribed amendment cannot be given effect as intended, the abbreviation "(md not incorp)" is added to the details of the amendment included in the amendment history.

 

 

 

 

Endnote 2--Abbreviation key

 

ad = added or inserted

o = order(s)

am = amended

Ord = Ordinance

amdt = amendment

orig = original

c = clause(s)

par = paragraph(s)/subparagraph(s)

C[x] = Compilation No. x

    /sub-subparagraph(s)

Ch = Chapter(s)

pres = present

def = definition(s)

prev = previous

Dict = Dictionary

(prev ... ) = previously

disallowed = disallowed by Parliament

Pt = Part(s)

Div = Division(s)

r = regulation(s)/rule(s)

ed = editorial change

reloc = relocated

exp = expires/expired or ceases/ceased to have

renum = renumbered

    effect

rep = repealed

F = Federal Register of Legislation

rs = repealed and substituted

gaz = gazette

s = section(s)/subsection(s)

LA = Legislation Act 2003

Sch = Schedule(s)

LIA = Legislative Instruments Act 2003

Sdiv = Subdivision(s)

(md) = misdescribed amendment can be given

SLI = Select Legislative Instrument

    effect

SR = Statutory Rules

(md not incorp) = misdescribed amendment

Sub-Ch = Sub-Chapter(s)

    cannot be given effect

SubPt = Subpart(s)

mod = modified/modification

underlining = whole or part not

No. = Number(s)

    commenced or to be commenced

 

 

Endnote 3--Legislation history

 

Act

Number and year

Assent

Commencement

Application, saving and transitional provisions

Spam Act 2003

129, 2003

12 Dec 2003

s 15-41, 43-46, Sch 1 and 3: 10 Apr 2004 (s 2(1) items 3, 4, 6, 8, 10)
Remainder: 12 Dec 2003 (s 2(1) items 1, 2, 5, 7, 9)

 

Australian Communications and Media Authority (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2005

45, 2005

1 Apr 2005

Sch 1 (items 121-123), Sch 2 and Sch 4: 1 July 2005 (s 2(1) items  2, 3, 10)

Sch 4

Statute Law Revision Act 2010

8, 2010

1 Mar 2010

Sch 5 (item 137(a), (c)): 1 Mar 2010 (s 2(1) item 38)

--

Trade Practices Amendment (Australian Consumer Law) Act (No. 2) 2010

103, 2010

13 July 2010

Sch 6 (items 1, 100-103): 1 Jan 2011 (s 2(1) items 3, 5)

--

Acts Interpretation Amendment Act 2011

46, 2011

27 June 2011

Sch 2 (item 1059) and Sch 3 (items 10, 11): 27 Dec 2011 (s 2(1) items 7, 12)

Sch 3 (items 10, 11)

Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (Consequential and Transitional) Act 2012

169, 2012

3 Dec 2012

Sch 2 (items 208-210): 3 Dec 2012 (s 2(1) item 7)

--

Statute Law Revision Act (No. 1) 2014

31, 2014

27 May 2014

Sch 4 (items 50-53) and Sch 8 (item 39): 24 June 2014 (s 2(1) item 9)

--

Statute Law Revision Act (No. 1) 2016

4, 2016

11 Feb 2016

Sch 6 (item 6): 10 Mar 2016 (s 2(1) item 6)

--

 

Endnote 4--Amendment history

 

Provision affected

How affected

Part 1

 

s 3.....................

am No 31, 2014

s 4.....................

am No 45, 2005; No 8, 2010; No 103, 2010; No 46, 2011; No 169, 2012; No 31, 2014

s 5 .....................

am No 8, 2010; No 31, 2014

Part 4

 

s 26....................

am No 45, 2005

s 28....................

am No 45, 2005

s 29....................

am No 45, 2005

Part 5

 

s 32....................

am No 45, 2005

Part 6

 

s 37....................

am No 45, 2005

s 38....................

am No 45, 2005

s 39....................

am No 45, 2005

Part 7

 

s 41....................

am No 45, 2005

s 42....................

am No 45, 2005

s 46....................

rep No 4, 2016

Schedule 1

 

c 3.....................

am No 169, 2012

Schedule 3

 

c 2 .....................

am No 45, 2005

c 4 .....................

am No 45, 2005

c 9 .....................

am No 45, 2005