Australia is a weird land. We have beavers that have beaks and lay eggs. Our government is a mash-up of four different types of governing system. We think beer after-work is fine all week. Our electoral process is a heaping mass of complicated work. And we experience four seasons each day.
This quirkiness spilled over to the legislative side of the country, where some of the weirdest laws in the world has been created and enforced for only God knows what reason.
Here are some of them.
(Note: Australian Weird Law articles are a dime a dozen in the Internet. We just picked those that legitimately exists.)
You cannot posses more than 50 kilograms of potatoes.
The Potato Marketing Corporation, the organization responsible for managing the supply of fresh table potatoes in Western Australia, is responsible for this. As mandated in the Law of 1946, the have the authority to stop and search any vehicle suspected of carrying more than 50 kilograms of spuds.
Not all hope is lost, though. If he wins the state election next year, Premier Colin Barnett promises he will dismantle the archaic Potato Marketing Corporation, so tuber fans can carry as much potatoes as they can without fear of incrimination.
Offering a reward, with no questions asked, for the return of stolen property is against the law.
In South Australia and Tasmania, that is.
Publicly advertising a reward for any property stolen with no inquiries asked whatsoever about any information, identity, or whereabouts of the thief will warrant you an offence and maximum fine of $500.
Because just getting your valuable and not seizing the perpetrator is highly discourage. In the long run, not letting the burglar off the hook is a bigger compensation.
It’s against the law to disrupt a wedding.
In South Australia (Oh, hello there again!), disrupting weddings and funerals will not only earn you raised eye browns and eternal ban from social events, but also a maximum penalty of $10,000 or two years’ imprisonment.
As mandated in the Summary Offences Act 1953, any person who intentionally obstructs a funeral or a wedding, whether religious or secular in nature, is guilty of an offense.
False announcement of births, deaths, marriages or employment is illegal.
We always have that one Facebook friend who posts weird stuff like “We are now accepting job applicants for Hydra. Hail Hydra!”
In Queensland, he/she is up for 10 penalty units or a six-month jail time. According to the Queensland Consolidated Acts, a person who publishes in print, radio, TV, or Internet that a child has been born but isn’t yet, a person died but still haven’t, a particular couple are engaged but isn’t yet, or an employment is available but isn’t, faces a maximum of 10 penalty units or 6 months imprisonment.
It’s illegal to be near or inside a house frequented by thieves.
The Vagrancy Act 1966 in Victoria states that being an occupier of a house or place that is frequented by alleged thieves earns you jail time. Being found inside or near said house won’t make you luckier either, even though you’re not living there.
Thankfully, this archaic law not completely fitting in modern times has been repealed. In 2005.
Walking on the on the side of the road that is not facing approaching traffic is prohibited.
According to the Internet, it’s illegal in Australia to walk on the right-hand side of the road. This is not true. What is against the law is walking on the side of the road where traffic goes the same direction.
If you are walking on a road with no footpath, common sense only dictates that you walk on the side with approaching traffic for more awareness. This is goes for all Australian state and territory governments.
Violating this will warrant you a $76 fine in Victoria, a $45 expiation fee in South Australia, 20 penalty units in NSW and 20 penalty units in Queensland.
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