Effective: 30/08/2006
PREAMBLE
Below are the conditions upon which we enter
into a contract with You. You are not able to
vary them without our express permission nor are
you able to assign any of your responsibilities
to another person or entity without our express
permission. You should satisfy yourself that you
agree with these conditions before you contract
with us. In this document the terms "conditions"
and "agreement" are used interchangeably.
1 INTRODUCTION
and DEFINITIONS
1.1 This Agreement
as well as our standard Terms and Conditions of
Contract (as found on the back of our Consignment
Notes) provide the only terms on which we supply
services to You.
1.2 Please note that we are not a Common Carrier
nor shall we accept any liability whatsoever as
such or ascribed as such. In addition, notwithstanding
any other clause in this Agreement, we may at
our absolute and entire discretion, and for any
reason, at any time, refuse to handle or convey
and/or transport goods for You.
1.3 Although this is an Agreement between You
and Us, we may sub-contract any part or all of
our services and/or obligations on any terms as
desired by Us. Please refer to the definitions
below.
1.4 In this Agreement the term "You"
refers to you personally or if you are a company
or other entity, then that company or other entity
and in the latter case then you as an authorised
representative of such company or entity and you
warrant that You are able and entitled to act
on behalf of that company in accordance with the
laws and The Commonwealth of Australia and all
states of Australia or if applicable, under International
Law. If You contract with Us on behalf of a company,
then you are representing to Us that you have
the legal capacity to do so and that we can rely
upon the representations you make in any and all
circumstances. If you lose or are disposed of
that authority you must advise us immediately
and without delay and you must nominate a person
whom has the legal capacity to act on behalf of
that company or entity. At all times, you must
have the legal capacity to contract with Us.
1.5 In this Agreement the terms "We"
or "Us" or "the carrier" refers
to VELLEX, ABN 31 735 091 861
operating principally (but not exclusively) from
17 Daniel Street Wetherill Park, NSW 2164, Australia.
1.6 In this Agreement, the term "goods"
includes but is not limited to any and all items
or things of whatsoever nature or form we collect
or convey in any form from You or from another
party on Your behalf. The term also includes but
is not limited to any packaging, pallets or containers
or any other receptacle/s surrounding goods for
either decoration, protection or for any other
purpose.
1.7 In this Agreement by the term "services"
we include any and all services supplied to You
by Us in any capacity, including but not limited
to those pertaining as carrier, storer, bailee,
customs agent, shipping agent and forwarding agent
and same includes all administrative and cartage,
storage, handling and related tasks pursuant to
our services to you.
1.8 In this Agreement the term "consignment
note" includes any consignment note in physical
form or any file in physical form and/or stored
or created electronically by You and provided
to Us that particularizes, details and otherwise
contains information as provided by You to Us
in relation to any service or prospective service
You seek or intend to seek , or are provided with
from or by Us.
1.9 In this Agreement "subcontractor"
shall include all companies which are subsidiaries
of Us within the meaning of that expression as
defined in Section 6 of the NSW Companies Act
or its successor, and may include any railways
operated by the Commonwealth, any state of Australia
and/or any other person or entity (including any
private company) with whom We my arrange for the
carriage of any goods, being the subject of this
contract, and who is now or at the relevant time,
a servant, agent, employee or subcontractor of
any person or entity acting in those capacities
by a subcontractor of ours and we hold that on
trust for them and can enforce it.
1.10 In this Agreement, "dangerous goods"
are those as are specified as such by the Australian
Dangerous Goods code or in any appropriate legal
Act, Regulation, Rule, Standard or Code and include
goods that have the capacity to or in fact injure
or damage people, animals, property or the environment.
They include (but are not limited to) goods that
are or may become poisonous, corrosive, volatile,
explosive, flammable, noxious or radioactive.
In addition to these, any employee or other authorized
representative of ours may determine that goods
are dangerous and require
labeling and adherence to the provisions herein.
Note that Special Provisions exist in this Agreement
relating to our service of such goods under a
separate heading which you must read.
2. REPRESENTATIONS
MADE BY YOU TO US
2.1 Representations
made by You, may be relied upon by Us at any time
before, during and after you have entered into
this Agreement. It is Your responsibility and
obligation to Us to be truthful, honest, diligent
and to act in good faith towards Us at all times
and we reserve the right to cancel or amend this
Agreement on the basis of a reasonable or actual
belief by Us, howsoever formed, that You are not
dealing with Us in good faith, diligently, truthfully
or honestly.
2.2 In entering into this Agreement, You irrevocably
undertake to Us that:
(a) You alone own the goods or if they are owned
by a third party, You have specific authorization
to act as their agent or representative and that
they agree and consent to our services on the
terms provided in this Agreement and in the Consignment
Note.
(b) You have completed the Rate Agreement and
Consignment Note in a detailed, accurate, and
legible manner, providing any and all information
and instructions we require to provide the service
that you request from us and in the event that
you require additional physical space to record
this information pursuant to these undertakings
in this section, you advise us of same prior to
our provision of service to you. In some circumstances,
at our discretion we may accept verbal instructions
in relation thereto but at all times subject to
this Agreement and then only with our express
consent and authority.
(c) Any third party you engage sending or returning
goods has complied with 2.2(b) immediately above.
(d) That the goods are packaged to withstand handling,
transport and storage appropriate to the circumstances
of the service as provided by Us. Safe and adequate
packaging throughout the duration of the journey,
being that which is also fit for purpose in relation
to our handling and storage of the goods is Your
responsibility and you are advised and alerted
to consider all reasonably foreseeable circumstances
that accompany such transportation by the modes
and method that we provide in relation to same.
(e) You have complied with all appropriate and
current laws of those States and the Commonwealth
(or international laws as the case may be) in
connection with the goods to ensure that they
can be lawfully possessed, handled, transported,
stored and otherwise dealt with by Us.
(f) You will take all such reasonable steps to
ensure that the particulars relating to all goods
as shown on the Consignment Note are accurate,
legible and correct and that the goods are adequately
labeled and addressed by either You or any third
party acting on Your behalf so as to enable, facilitate
and guarantee effective delivery by Us in accordance
with this Agreement.
(g) You enter into this Agreement only on the
basis of those indemnities provided herein and
agree with those remedies as outlined herein or
( if legal proceedings are commenced by either
You or Us,) as decided by a duly constituted and
competent court of law in a jurisdiction as determined
by these Conditions.
(h) You will ensure that You will be able to be
contacted by Us in a prompt and timely manner
with respect to any matter pursuant to our services,
before during and after services rendered to you
by Us.
2.3 In the event that we determine, at our absolute
and entire discretion, that You have failed to
meet any, part thereof or all of those undertakings
as described in this section (2.2) we reserve
those rights as ascribed to Us in this Agreement
and You accept and acknowledge that we may act
in accordance with those rights as so defined.
3. OUR INDEMNITIES
We reserve the right
(at our entire and absolute discretion) to rely
upon any and all of the following indemnities:
3.1 Subject to law, You will indemnify Us entirely
and absolutely from any and all loss or damage
You or a third party sustains in connection with
any conveyance, handling or transport or storage
of Your goods by Us and in relation to any service
we provide you with be it negligent, willful or
by willful omission (this includes all subcontractors
of ours as herein defined).
3.2 You will indemnify Us for any loss or damage
caused to any third party whatsoever and entirely
(be they physical or property loss ) arising by
Your own acts, negligence or omission in relation
to Your engagement of Us for the services we provide.
3.3 You will indemnify
Us for any loss or damage You sustain resulting
from any reasonable delay by Us and You acknowledge
that in the normal course of business, delays
in delivery can be caused by factors beyond our
direct control or those that are not reasonably
foreseeable by Us, including but not limited to
road works, accidents on or near road carriageways,
acts of nature including rain, flood and fire,
delays in third party terminals including airports,
in connection to wharves, railway sidings and
freight stations, traffic jams, public events
including protests and sporting fixtures, with
respect to RTA monitoring of heavy transport including
weighing, break downs, laws pertaining to speed
limits for vehicles, unforeseen delays with respect
to administration, extraordinary staff situations
(such as strikes or industrial action), an act
of war and/or terrorism, or any other event including
those related to collection and delivery points.
3.4 From time to time, misadventure, accidents
or other circumstances may occur that may render
us unable to deliver your goods. In such cases,
you agree to indemnify Us from any and all loss
as sustained by You in relation to non-delivery
that arise from such circumstances beyond our
direct control and influence. In such case, you
may have remedies against other parties.
3.6 In any lawsuit commenced by You, You shall
make payment into court a reasonable amount at
our or the court's discretion to secure our legal
costs of defending any and all legal proceedings
brought by You or including You or Us as a joined
party.
3.7 All services are supplied at your own risk.
We are not liable for any delay, loss or damage
arising from supply or our failure to supply services
and this shall apply to any consequential losses
including but not limited to loss of profits.
4. UNNACCEPTABLE
CARRIAGES
4.1 If You ask Us
to deliver goods which at our discretion we regard
as unacceptable, or which You have undervalued
for Australian Customs purposes, we may contact
You to determine whether You desire to continue
with the delivery or return the subject goods
to You. In that case, we may levy an additional
charge upon You which You agree to pay as and
when we request same. In addition, in the absence
of any further Agreement between You or Us, in
the event that:
a) We are unable, after reasonable attempts made
by Us, to contact You to procure Your further
instructions or
b) You do not immediately accept total liability
for those additional expenses as when we advise.
We reserve the right to dispose or otherwise dispossess
us of those goods, at any time and in any manner
at our absolute and entire discretion and shall
be entitled to procure from You any and all costs
associated with such disposal or dispossession
including those relating to any actual or prospective
transporting of same to any location and in administration.
In such case those costs shall become immediately
due and payable by You to Us as and when we invoice
you.
4.2 Where You are going away or perceive that
You will not be able to be contacted throughout
the term of this Agreement and our service to
You, You must advise Us in advance and at our
request, arrange an appropriate contact person
who is authorized and has the capacity and desire
to instruct Us on Your behalf.
5. DANGEROUS
GOODS
5.1 The definition
of dangerous goods appears in the definitions
section of this Agreement.
5.2 You must advise Us if the goods are dangerous
in advance of our collection and provide Us with
full accurate and detailed description of the
goods in the Consignment Note clearly labeling
same as "DANGEROUS GOODS" and attach
appropriate documents for transporting such goods.
5.3 You must provide Us with those details we
need in 5.2 prior to contracting with Us for their
carriage so that our drivers and other relevant
personnel are familiar with the nature of the
goods, the risk that they pose to life and property
and the remedies available to Us and any and all
authorities in the event of an accident, incident
or if the goods otherwise escape or move beyond
the confines of their designated container be
it in transit or in storage or during handling.
5.4 You will also ensure that Our proposed transport
arrangements including type of vehicle, security
and stowage therein and any and all storage and
handling techniques for the goods are fit-for-purpose
and at all times lawful. You will indemnify Us
entirely and absolutely from any loss or damage
either We or You or any third party incurs if
that is not the case, including all consequential
losses to any party.
5.5. We shall not be held liable for any loss
suffered by You or Us with respect to our carriage
of dangerous goods. You agree to indemnify Us
entirely and absolutely in relation thereto against
all claims arising from whatever source including
but not limited to those claims by You, third
parties and our employees and subcontractors.
5.6 Where in our
opinion, based on reasonable grounds, the goods
represent an immediate or present danger, or a
potential danger to property or life, we reserve
the right to dispose or dispossess ourselves of
such goods immediately and/or without notice to
You and You shall be responsible of paying our
reasonable costs in relation thereto and You indemnify
Us entirely and absolutely for any loss or damage
You or any third party may incur as a result of
same. This includes a situation where the goods
have not been packaged properly and any contents
escape beyond their packaging, including but not
limited to any chemical spill requiring special
clean up operations and/or those that attract
the provisions of Environmental and/or Pollution
Acts.
5.7 By entering into this Agreement You are on
notice that all goods in our possession may be
subjected to x-ray, security and safety inspections
by Us or our nominated representatives. You must
advise Us in advance if any such x-ray, security
and safety inspections that we may undertake represent
a threat or danger to property or life in advance
of such measures and you shall be liable for any
special arrangements We make with regards to undertaking
same as well as any and all additional costs associated
with same.
5.8 If, in the absence of any notification by
You, we determine that the goods are dangerous
as defined within this Agreement, this section
shall take effect notwithstanding any knowledge
of same by You at that time and you explicitly
authorise Us to act in reliance of this section
in relation thereto.
5.9 You will always bear all risk of loss and
damage to, or arising in connection with, dangerous
goods that you request us to convey.
6. PAYMENTS
6.1 You must pay
Us as and when contracted for and in the event
that you do not pay as and when payment falls
due as determined by Us, we may take legal action
against you at any time in the appropriate legal
jurisdictions. Apart from usual Court action we
may use Bankruptcy or Winding Up proceedings as
advised to us by our legal advisors.
6.2 Where we take legal action to recover our
costs, you may be liable for the debt due and
interest at the relevant legal rate calculated
daily thereon as well as our legal expenses. In
that case, we may rely upon the terms of this
Agreement and that information as contained in
any invoice and/or Consignment Note as we deem
fit.
6.3 We are entitled to retain and be paid in full
all commissions, allowances and remuneration paid
including those customarily paid by or to customs
agents, forwarding agents, shipping agents, forwaders,
storers, carriers or bailees as the circumstances
dictate.
6.4 In some circumstances, where freight is to
be charged to the receiving or third party, then
a valid account number of the paying party must
be stated on the Consignment Note. Please note
that our charges are earned as soon as we collect
the goods from you or from the location as nominated
by you.
6.5 Where you instruct us to collect goods and
we undertake all such reasonable steps to collect
such goods and we find that they are:
a) Not at the location you nominate or
b) Not ready to be collected or
c) You re-direct Us to another address before,
during or after collection,
You may be liable to pay Us any additional charges
that we may levy as a result of these new or un-intended
arrangements. Other charges may apply in accordance
with these Conditions.
6.6 Our charges are a matter for our absolute
discretion based upon the particulars of the circumstances
of the service that we provide, but they are approximately
based upon:
a) The greater of the actual weight or cubic volume
of the goods (for the purpose of calculating weight
we round up to the nearest whole metric kilogram),
and
b) Distance traveled ,and
c) Operational logistics as undertaken by us to
service you. .
6.7 The charges contained in this Agreement (including
but not limited to any separately levied customs
charges) are exclusive of any Goods and Services
Tax, value added consumption tax or similar tax.
If any such tax is applicable to any of the services
supplied by Us, we may pass this tax onto you
and you agree to pay such tax in addition to the
charges and/or rates specified in this Agreement.
6.8 We retain the right to use all legal remedies
to ensure that we are paid, this may include retention
or disposal of your goods and we reserve the right
to sell same privately to any party or by public
auction as determined by Us.
6.9 Where no time has been specified by you or
us in relation to your payment of any service
we provide, all amounts are due and payable to
us within 14 days of being invoiced or of delivery
as may be determined by us. Any late payment by
you may be subject to additional fees by us related
to administration of same as we determine.
7. DELIVERY
7.1 It is Your
responsibility to ensure that the recipient at
point of delivery:
(a) Has prior knowledge of our arrival, and
(b) Is equipped and prepared to take delivery
of the goods as delivered by Us, and
(c) Will readily and without grievance,accept
the delivery of the goods by Us.
7.2 Where no previous arrangement has been made
between You and Us, and we deliver goods to a
location as nominated by you and We form the view
that:
a) There is nobody present suitable or authorized
to take collection of the goods or
b) The delivery environment is unsuitable to take
possession of the goods or
c) Our access to that delivery location is frustrated
physically including but not limited to poor or
inadequate access, another vehicle blocking our
path, absence or changed circumstances of loading
dock or building) or by verbal or written direction
of authorized officer assigned to manage or with
control of delivery area):-Then we reserve the
right to take all such reasonable steps as we
deem necessary to deal with goods thereafter.
This may include seeking your further instructions,
leaving the goods at the point of delivery (even
if unattended) returning the goods to the collection
point or elsewhere, storage of goods at our facility
or that owned by another person or entity or in
some circumstances, dispossession or even disposal
of goods. Where we leave the goods at the point
of delivery, their safety and security is your
responsibility and you indemnify us entirely and
absolutely from any theft or damage of the goods
as well as well as any loss you may suffer as
a result of our delivery of the goods in this
circumstance.
7.3 Whilst we undertake to use all reasonable
efforts to give effect to representations made
by Us in relation to timing of deliveries, we
note that any and all such representations by
us are made in approximates measures of time only.
In certain circumstances including but not limited
to those detailed in clause 3.3, it may not be
possible for Us or our subcontractors to deliver
at a particular time as represented to You. Further,
we reserve the right to change or amend, expected
collection and delivery times, at any time, at
our entire and absolute discretion.
7.4 Where those circumstances arise in 7.2, we
reserve the right to levy any additional fees
as we may reasonably incur relating to resources
and efforts we have expended in remedying any
unforeseen difficulties in delivery. These may
include costs to third parties that you will be
responsible for, that are not quantifiable at
this time.
8. ADDITIONAL
LEGAL PROVISIONS
8.1 We reserve the
right to change this Agreement at any time , without
notice at our discretion. Should you have queries
with this regard, please contact Us prior to entering
into this contract.
8.2 In this Agreement, the singular includes the
plural and vice versa.
8.3 Headings to Sections are included for the
sake of convenience only and shall not effect
the interpretation of clauses to which they relate.
8.4 References to any statute or statutory provisions
include that statute or statutory provision as
amended, extended, consolidated or replaced by
subsequent legislation and any orders, regulations,
instruments or other subordinate legislation made
under the relevant statute.
8.5 The word "person" means and includes
a natural person, a company, a firm or any other
legal entity whether acting as a trustee or not.
8.6 This Agreement shall bind You or Our legal
personal representatives, successors and assigns.
8.7 When a party comprises of two or more persons,
the rights and obligations of such persons pursuant
to this Agreement shall enure for the benefit
of and bind all of them jointly and each of them
severally.
8.8 Any refusal, failure, or neglect by Us not
to exercise any right or entitlement herein shall
not constitute nor be construed as any acceptance
or condonment by Us of any act of thing done by
You, nor does it warrant nor compel Us to disregard
any provision at our discretion.
8.9 In any event of any covenant or other provision
of these Conditions being invalid, illegal or
unenforceable, unlawful or otherwise being incapable
of enforcement, all other clauses and covenants
of this Agreement shall nevertheless prevail and
remain in full force and effect and be valid and
fully enforceable and no covenant or other provision
hereof shall be construed to be dependant upon
any covenant or provision unless so expressed
herein and in the event that of any such provision
being severed pursuant to this clause the parties
shall endeavor and agree upon provisions substitution
therefore which are not illegal and which substantially
express the meaning of the severed provisions.
8.10 You undertake that no threat, promise or
inducement has been made by Us with respect to
your Agreement with these Conditions.
8.11 In the event of a dispute, you are invited
and encouraged to contact us directly in an effort
to resolve the dispute by informal means including
mediation or negotiation.
8.12 The laws of NSW and the Commonwealth (where
appropriate) apply to this Agreement.
8.13 Subject to law, VELLEX Group Pty Ltd, may
plead this Agreement as a bar against proceedings
generally.
9. MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS
9.1 If You expressly or impliedly instruct Us
to use, or it is expressly or impliedly agreed,
that we will use a particular method of handling
or storing of goods or a particular method of
carriage whether by road or rail, sea or air,
We shall give priority to that method but if it
cannot conveniently be adopted by Us, You authorize
Us, to handle and store or to carry or have goods
carried by alternate method or methods at our
entire and absolute discretion.
9.2 The goods are
at the risk of You and not Us and unless expressly
agreed in writing, We shall not be responsible
in tort or contract or otherwise for any loss
or damage or deterioration of goods or misdelivery
or failure to deliver or delay of goods including
chilled, frozen, refrigerated or perishable goods
either in transit or in storage whatsoever including
without limiting the forgoing, the negligence
or willful act or default of the carrier or others
and this clause shall apply to all such loss or
damage or to deterioration of goods or misdelivery
or failure to deliver or delay in delivery of
goods as aforesaid whether or not the same occurs
in the course of performance by Us of the contract
or in events which are in the contemplation of
Us or You or in the events which are foreseeable
by You or Us which would cause a fundamental breach
of contract or fundamental term hereof.
9.3 You agree that all of the rights, immunity,
exemptions from liability granted to Us by this
Agreement, shall have and continue to have, their
full force and effect in all circumstances, whether
or not, the same occurs in the course of performance
by Us of the Contract or are in the contemplation
of You and/or Us or are foreseeable by You or
Us or would constitute a fundamental breach of
the Agreement or any clause hereof.
9.4 You authorise us to deviate from the usual
route or manner of cartage of goods when we deem
same to be either reasonable or necessary by Us
in the circumstances, and we reserve the right
service you in such manner as we deem appropriate
in the circumstances.
9.5 In respect of any contract made in the state
of Queensland, these conditions shall be read
subject to the Carriage of Goods by Land (carriers
Liability) Act 1967, QLD and except where repugnant
to that Act, these conditions shall apply.
9.6 If you are a "consumer" as defined
in the Trades Practices Act (Cth), these Conditions
do not effect your rights under that Act.
9.7 You must notify us promptly if you have a
claim and you must notify us within 14 days. If
we do not receive a written notice from you within
14 days, we will have no liability to you. Notwithstanding
this, if you do not commence proceedings in court
within 6 months after the date of delivery, we
will have no liability to you.
DISCLAIMER
While these terms and conditions are current
at the time of production, management reserves
the right, without notice, to vary, change, amend
or delete any part thereof at any time for any
reason. Prior to acting on reliance of these terms
our valued customers are encouraged to confirm
that these as they are appear are current and
in force. E&EO information correct as at 30
August 2006.
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