Statute Details
- Title: Requisition of Resources (Service of Notice of Requisition) Regulations
- Act Code: RRA1985-RG2
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (sl)
- Authorising Act: Requisition of Resources Act (Chapter 273, Sections 12, 41 and 48)
- Key Provisions: Regulation 2 (definitions); Regulation 3 (assignment of code and mobilisation centre); Regulation 4 (service by broadcast/pager); Regulation 5 (furnishing chattels at mobilisation centre)
- Citation: Requisition of Resources (Service of Notice of Requisition) Regulations
- Legislative History (extract shown): Revised Edition 1990 (25 March 1992); includes earlier publication date (18 August 1989)
- Status (as indicated in extract): Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
What Is This Legislation About?
The Requisition of Resources (Service of Notice of Requisition) Regulations (“the Regulations”) provide the operational mechanics for how notices of requisition under the Requisition of Resources Act (“the Act”) can be served on owners and custodians of “chattels” (broadly, tangible resources such as machines, vehicles, vessels, and aircraft). In particular, the Regulations address a practical problem that arises during emergencies: how to notify relevant persons quickly, even when traditional personal service or written notice may be impracticable.
In plain terms, the Regulations allow the competent authority to assign a “code” to a specific chattel and designate an “equipment marshalling area” (a mobilisation centre) where that chattel must be delivered. The notice of requisition may then be communicated to the public or to relevant parties through broadcast channels (radio and television) or through radio-communications pagers. Once a person hears or sees the code, they must immediately furnish the chattel to an authorised officer at the designated mobilisation centre.
Although the Regulations are subsidiary legislation, they are legally significant because they define the notice and compliance pathway for requisitioned resources. For practitioners, the Regulations matter not only for procedural compliance, but also for evidential questions: what was broadcast or transmitted, what code was assigned, and whether the owner/custodian acted within the required time.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Definitions and the scope of “chattel” (Regulation 2). The Regulations define key terms that structure the requisition process. Most importantly, “chattel” includes “any substance, machine, equipment, vehicle, vessel or aircraft” but expressly excludes “currency, gold securities or negotiable instruments.” This carve-out is crucial: it signals that the requisition regime is directed at physical resources rather than monetary instruments or financial instruments.
The Regulations also define “authorised officer” as the person appointed by the competent authority under section 12(6) of the Act for receiving chattels furnished pursuant to a notice of requisition. “Competent authority” is the authority appointed under section 4 of the Act. Finally, “equipment marshalling area” is a place appointed by the competent authority to which a chattel must be delivered upon a notice of requisition. These definitions ensure that the compliance duties in later regulations are anchored to specific officials and locations.
2. Assignment of code and mobilisation centre (Regulation 3). Regulation 3 is the backbone of the “code-based” requisition system. Under Regulation 3(1), the competent authority may, by letter served in accordance with Regulation 3(2), assign to an owner of a chattel or to a person having possession, control or custody of the chattel: (a) any code(s) in words, figures or symbols; and (b) an equipment marshalling area in relation to a chattel specified in the letter.
Regulation 3(2) then sets out how the assignment letter may be served. For individuals, service may be effected by personal delivery or by registered post to the person’s usual or last known place of residence or business. For firms, companies or corporations, service may be effected by personal delivery to specified officers (partner, director, manager or secretary) or by registered post to the firm/company/corporation at its principal place of business or registered office. This is a conventional service framework, but it is important because it establishes the legal link between the competent authority’s assignment and the specific owner/custodian.
Regulation 3(3) provides flexibility: the competent authority may vary or revoke any code or equipment marshalling area assigned under Regulation 3(1). Practically, this means that compliance may require attention to updated broadcasts or transmissions, and that the authority’s records of assignments and variations could become central in any dispute.
3. Service of notice by broadcast over radio/television and by pager (Regulation 4). Regulation 4 operationalises emergency communication. It ties the method of service to particular provisions in the Act. When a notice of requisition is served pursuant to section 41(3)(a) of the Act, it may be served by broadcasting over radio and television any code(s) determined by the competent authority (Regulation 4(1)). When a notice is served pursuant to section 41(3)(e) of the Act, it may be served by transmitting over a radio-communications pager any code(s) determined by the competent authority (Regulation 4(2)).
For practitioners, the key point is that the Regulations do not themselves create the requisition power; they specify how notice may be served in the circumstances contemplated by the Act. The reference to section 41(3)(a) and (e) indicates that the Act authorises these alternative service methods, and the Regulations implement them by specifying the channels and the nature of the content (codes in words, figures or symbols). The “determined by the competent authority” language underscores that the authority controls what is broadcast/transmitted.
4. Duty to furnish the chattel at the mobilisation centre (Regulation 5). Regulation 5 imposes the immediate compliance obligation. Under Regulation 5(1), every owner and every person having possession, custody or control of a chattel who has been assigned code(s) that have been broadcast or transmitted must, “upon hearing or seeing the broadcast or transmission, immediately furnish the chattel” to the authorised officer at the equipment marshalling area assigned under Regulation 3.
This is a strict, time-sensitive duty. The trigger is not receipt of a letter or personal notice, but rather the person’s hearing or seeing the broadcast/transmission. The Regulations therefore shift the compliance model from formal service to public/emergency communication. In disputes, the factual question may become whether the relevant broadcast/transmission occurred and whether the person had the opportunity to hear/see it.
Regulation 5(2) provides an important qualification: where the time for reporting is stated in the broadcast or transmission, the owner and custodian must furnish the chattel “at the time so stated,” notwithstanding the “immediately” requirement in Regulation 5(1). This creates a two-tier structure: immediate action unless a specific reporting time is communicated, in which case the communicated time governs.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Regulations are structured as a short, operational instrument with five provisions. Regulation 1 provides the citation. Regulation 2 contains definitions that define the key actors (authorised officer, competent authority) and the key objects/locations (chattel, equipment marshalling area). Regulation 3 governs the assignment of codes and mobilisation centres by letter service, including how letters may be served and how assignments may be varied or revoked. Regulation 4 then addresses the method of serving the notice of requisition through broadcast channels and pager transmission, linked to the Act’s specific service pathways. Regulation 5 finally sets out the duty to furnish the chattel at the mobilisation centre, including the “immediately” rule and the exception where a reporting time is stated in the broadcast/transmission.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Regulations apply to (1) owners of chattels and (2) persons who have possession, custody or control of chattels that have been assigned codes and equipment marshalling areas under Regulation 3. The duty in Regulation 5 is not limited to the legal owner; it extends to anyone who is in control of the chattel at the relevant time.
In addition, the Regulations apply to the competent authority and its appointed officials. The competent authority is responsible for assigning codes and mobilisation centres, determining what codes are broadcast or transmitted, and ensuring that authorised officers are appointed to receive requisitioned chattels. The authorised officer’s role is central to the delivery obligation: the chattel must be furnished to the authorised officer at the assigned equipment marshalling area.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
These Regulations are important because they enable rapid mobilisation of resources during emergencies by allowing notice of requisition to be communicated through mass communication and paging systems. In many real-world scenarios—such as national security incidents or large-scale emergencies—traditional service of written notices to every relevant owner or custodian may be too slow. The code-and-mobilisation-centre model is designed to overcome that limitation.
From a legal practitioner’s perspective, the Regulations also raise practical compliance and evidential issues. If a requisitioned party challenges the requisition or alleges non-compliance, the factual record may turn on: (a) whether the competent authority assigned the relevant code and mobilisation centre to that party under Regulation 3; (b) whether the broadcast or pager transmission occurred and contained the relevant code(s); (c) whether the party heard/seen the broadcast or received the transmission; and (d) whether the broadcast/transmission stated a reporting time that governed the duty under Regulation 5(2).
Finally, the Regulations clarify the boundaries of what can be requisitioned as “chattel.” The exclusion of currency, gold securities and negotiable instruments helps prevent overreach into financial instruments and supports a more targeted requisition of physical resources. This boundary may be relevant in disputes about whether a particular asset falls within the statutory definition.
Related Legislation
- Requisition of Resources Act (Chapter 273) — particularly sections 12, 41 and 48 (as referenced by the Regulations)
- Requisition of Resources (Timeline) — as indicated in the provided metadata (for versioning and legislative history context)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Requisition of Resources (Service of Notice of Requisition) Regulations for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.