Essential Goods and Services Act 1981

If a declaration is in force, the Minister may take the action the Minister thinks fit to ensure that the goods or services specified in the notice are available for use, and are used, in a manner best calculated by the Minister to serve the interests of a community.

Without limiting the generality of subsection (1), the Minister may, by instrument in writing, in relation to goods or services specified in a notice:

give the directions the Minister thinks fit to prohibit or promote the sale, supply, distribution, use or consumption of the goods or services;

direct a person who extracts, produces, holds, transports, distributes or provides the goods or services to extract the goods or services for, or produce, transport, distribute or provide the goods or services to, a person specified in the direction and direct that person to accept those goods or services;

direct a person who extracts, produces, holds, transports, distributes or provides the goods or services to provide such information in relation to the goods or services as the Minister thinks fit;

in relation to services:

direct what services must be maintained and upon what terms and conditions they shall operate;

direct persons and bodies to operate and maintain services to the extent and upon the terms specified in the direction;

direct at what times and places and upon what terms and conditions, and in what manner, services may be used or availed of;

prohibit the operation or use of services except, if so specified in the prohibition, with the consent of the Minister;

requisition the use of property of any kind which is used or may be used for or in connection with the operation or maintenance of a service which, in the Minister's opinion, is an essential service;

and

provide for or control, by direction, prohibition or requisition, the operation, use, disposal, distribution, storage, repair, upkeep and maintenance of any property or commodity used or which may be used for or in connection with a service which, in the

Minister's opinion, is an essential service; and

provide, by direction, prohibition or requisition, for any matter or thing incidental to the carrying into effect of the powers referred to in this section.