Section 153: Wearing uniforms reserved for public interest services

(1)The Minister may, upon the application of any persons who perform or who are members of any organisation which performs any service which in the opinion of the Minister is in the public interest, by statutory order declare that any uniform, badge, button or other distinctive mark used by those persons and described in the notice shall be for the exclusive use of those persons.

(2)Any person who, without the authority of the persons upon whose application an order under this section has been made, uses or wears any uniform, badge, button or other distinctive mark described in the order, or any uniform, badge, button or other distinctive mark so closely resembling it as to lead to the belief that it is the uniform, badge, button or other distinctive mark so described, commits a misdemeanour; except that nothing in this section shall prevent any person from using or wearing any uniform, badge, button or other distinctive mark in the course of a stage play performed in any public place in which stage plays may lawfully be publicly performed, or in the course of a music hall or circus performance, if the uniform, badge, button or other distinctive mark is not used or worn in such a manner or in such circumstances as to bring it into contempt.

(3)Any person who, without the authority of the persons upon whose application an order under this section has been made, imports or sells or has in his or her possession for sale any uniform, badge, button or other distinctive mark described in the order, commits a misdemeanour.

(4)When a person is convicted of an offence under this section, the uniform, badge, button or other distinctive mark in respect of which the offence has been committed shall be forfeited unless the Minister shall otherwise order.