Commonwealth Consolidated Acts Commonwealth Consolidated Acts(1) During a period of national liquid fuel emergency, the Minister may, by writing, direct a relevant fuel industry corporation, in the course of its trading or commercial activities, to take such measures as are necessary to make a specified quantity of liquid fuel of a specified kind available for purchase on or before a specified day at a specified place by one or more specified persons.
Purpose of direction
(2) The Minister must not give a direction under subsection (1) unless it is for the purpose of dealing with a shortage or likely shortage of relevant liquid fuel.
Direction may deal with price
(3) A direction given under subsection (1) to a relevant fuel industry corporation may provide that the price at which the liquid fuel is to be made available to a person in accordance with that direction is to be:
(a) such price as is agreed upon by the corporation and that person; or
(b) in the absence of such agreement--such price as is determined by a specified person by arbitration.
Direction not a legislative instrument
(4) A direction under subsection (1) is not a legislative instrument.
Civil penalty
(5) A relevant fuel industry corporation must not, without reasonable excuse, contravene a direction in force under subsection (1).
Note: Under section 34, the Court may order a relevant fuel industry corporation that contravenes such a direction to pay a pecuniary penalty.
Notice of decision
(6) The Minister must give notice of a direction under subsection (1) to the relevant fuel industry corporation. The direction comes into force when the notice is given.