15 Crazy Australian Laws That Shock Pennsylvanians
Nearly every country and jurisdiction has its fair share of strange laws. Often, these pieces of legislation come from specific historical periods, during which they made a lot of sense.
Case in point? In some states in America, it’s illegal to carry an ice cream cone in your pocket because criminals used to lure horses with them.
While Australia has many laws like that, it also has a few more modern rulings that seem downright strange to Pennsylvanians and other Americans. Take the 2008 law about vacuuming or the 2014 rule about splashing mud; these laws are especially weird, given how modern they are.
Before you take a trip to the Land Down Under, review this list. We’d hate for you to face a fine for flying a kite or wiping bat guano off a park bench.
1: Don’t Take a Fridge on the Train
In 2017, train authorities fined a man $252 for attempting to move his fridge on a train through Queensland. As it turns out, moving large items by passenger rail is illegal.
Other Australians have attempted to board trains with couches, lawnmowers, and even a front door. All of them failed.
The takeaway? If it doesn’t fit in the luggage racks, you’re not allowed to board with it, and Australian authorities are very strict about that.
2: No Flying Kites in Victoria
Under Section 4 of the Summary Offences Act 1966, “any person who flies a kite or plays a game in a public place to the annoyance of any person” is guilty of an offense. You could owe a fine of up to $826.10 for doing so.
Of course, flying a kite is perfectly legal as long as you don’t bother anyone. So, hopefully, you don’t have any neighbors in Australia easily annoyed by flying objects.
3: Don’t Sing Obscene Ballads
The Summary Offences Act 1966 in Victoria also prohibits singing obscene songs or ballads in public places. This is technically part of a larger rule, which prohibits all obscene or threatening language in public.
What counts as obscene or threatening is a bit vague. But, if authorities find you guilty, you may be fined up to $1,169 or spend two months in prison for a first offense.
4: No Extra-Large Fridges
In South Australia, a law prohibits the sale of fridges that hold 42.5 liters or more. It’s part of the Summary Offences Act 1955.
There are exceptions to this. The refrigerator is legal if all the doors can be opened from the inside. It’s also legal if it was built and brought into the country before 1962.
5: No Ringing Doorbells for Fun
If you ever played Ding Dong Ditch as a kid, thank your lucky stars you weren’t in South Australia. The Summary Offences Act 1953 includes a provision against unlawfully ringing doorbells.
The law reads, “A person who, without reasonable excuse, disturbs another by willfully pulling or ringing the doorbell of a house or by knocking at the door of a house is guilty of an offence.” This means an innocent game of Ding Dong Ditch could end in a $250 fine.
6: Don’t Disrupt Weddings or Funerals
It’s certainly rude to disrupt a wedding, funeral, or church service, but it’s not typically a crime. That is unless you’re in South Australia.
Another ordinance in the Summary Offences Act 1953 makes disrupting religious services, including weddings and funerals, illegal. If you do so, you could be subject to a hefty $10,000 fine.
7: Leave The Bird Poo, Please
According to Section 387 of the Criminal Code Act 1913 in Western Australia, cleaning up bird poo or bat guano without a license is a crime. Doing so could land you in jail for up to a year.
To be fair, no one has been penalized for this in at least the last ten years. Still, be careful if you plan to do a little spring cleaning in Western Australia.
8: Watch for Bus Passengers
Be careful if you’re driving in New South Wales after it rains. You’ll want to avoid any mud puddles near public bus stops.
Per Regulation 291-3, Road Rules 2014, splashing mud on public bus passengers, even by mistake, is illegal. Given how recently this law made the books, don’t be surprised if police officers choose to enforce it.
9: No False Notices
In our opinion, this law makes sense, but it’s still a bit strange, especially given the punishment attached. In Queensland, according to Section 21, Summary Offences Act 2005, posting a false job advertisement or inaccurate announcement about a birth or death is a punishable offense.
That might not sound so unreasonable. However, the fine is over $1,000 and you could end up with six months in prison.
10: Resist the Pirates
It’s crucial that you don’t engage with the pirates in Victoria, lest you end up accused of doing business with them. Per Section 70C of the Crimes Act 1958, doing business with pirates could land you up to ten years in prison.
Per the act, people on Australian ships must also resist bringing any “seducing messages” from pirates on board. To do so is considered an act of piracy in itself and could land you in prison for twenty years.
11: Be Careful When You Vacuum
Victoria is a little picky about residential noise. The Environment Protection Regulations 2008 make it an offense to make unreasonable sounds with a vacuum cleaner after 10:00 pm or before 7:00 am on weekdays and before 9:00 am on weekends.
Unreasonable in this context means that your neighbors can hear it with their doors and windows open or closed. Ignore the rule, and your neighbors can call the police, who can issue a 72-hour warning. If you continue to vacuum, be prepared to pay a fine of up to $18,655. Yes, really.
12: Stop Challenging People to Duels
We know it’s tempting to jump straight to a duel when your enemy is annoying you, but you’ll want to resist the urge. In Western Australia, simply challenging someone to a duel could land you a hefty punishment (Section 72, Criminal Code Act 1913 (WA)).
The fine is up to $6,000 or two years of imprisonment. Of course, if you decide to actually carry out the duel, the punishment is presumably bigger.
13: You Can Keep Your Electrified Briefcase
Western Australia’s Criminal Code Act of 1913 bans citizens from carrying most weapons. However, Section 68A carves out an exception for electrified briefcases.
So, if your briefcase happens to emit electric shocks to would-be trespassers, you’re good. Feel free to carry it throughout Western Australia.
14: No More Potatoes
Western Australia is serious about potato purchases. The Marketing of Potatoes Act 1946 makes it clear that one cannot possess more than 50 kilograms (that’s about 110 pounds) of potatoes.
You can bypass the rule by purchasing potatoes from a retailer authorized by the Potato Corporation. If you use an unauthorized source, you could be subject to a police search, a $2,000 fine, and a penalty requiring you to pay double the value of the potatoes you’re carrying.
15: Stop Stealing Pigeons
Stealing pigeons is a criminal offense in Western Australia, per the state’s criminal code. This sounds a little silly at first until you realize they’re not talking about wild birds.
The law only applies to tamed birds living in a pigeon house. So, if you want to take home the pigeon you found at the park, suit yourself.
25 Australian Terms That Utterly Confuse Americans
Whether your Aussie friend is coming to visit, you’re planning a trip to Sydney, or thinking of relocating to the Land Down Under, you might want to keep this list handy. These 25 words and phrases are common with Aussies, but Americans find them baffling.
What a Cracker! 25 Australian Terms That Confuse Americans
50 Weirdest Laws in Each State
Luckily, most Americans are clear on treating thy neighbor as they’d want to be treated to reduce the chance of fines and jail time. But did you know you could be breaking the law by carrying an ice cream cone in your pocket? These are the weirdest laws in each state, most of which courts (thankfully!) no longer enforce.
