Terms & Conditions

1. Definitions

1.1 "Carrier" shall mean ASET Services and its successors and assigns or any persons acting on behalf of and with the authority of ASET Services.

1.2 "Sub-Contractor" shall mean and include:
(a) Railways or Airways operated by the Commonwealth or any State or any other country or by any corporation; or
(b) Any other person, firm or Carrier with whom the Carrier may arrange for the carriage or storage of any Goods the subject of the contract; or
(c) And any person who is now or hereafter a servant, agent, employee or sub-contractor of any of the persons referred to in clause 1.2 (a) and 1.2 (b).

1.3 "Consignor" shall mean the Consignor or any person or persons acting on behalf of and with the authority of the Consignor. Where more than one consignor has entered into this agreement the Consignors shall be jointly and severally liable for all payments of the Price.

1.4 "Consignee" shall mean the person to whom the Goods are to be delivered by way of the carrier's Services.

1.5 "Guarantor" means that person (or persons), or entity who agrees herein to be liable for the debts of the Consignor on a principal debtor basis.

1.6 "Goods" shall mean cargo together with any container, packaging, or pallet(s) to be moved from one place to another by way of the Carrier's Services or for storage by the Carrier.

1.7 "Services" shall mean all services supplied by the Carrier to the consignor and are as described on the quotations, invoices, consignment note, airway bills, manifests, sales order or any other forms as provided by the Carrier to the consignor and includes any advice or recommendations.

1.8 "Price" shall mean the cost of the Services as agreed between the Carrier and the Consignor subject to clause 4 of this contract.

2. Acceptance

2.1 Any instructions received by the Carrier from the Consignor for the supply of Services shall constitute acceptance of the terms and conditions contained herein.

2.2 Upon acceptance of these terms and conditions by the Consignor the terms and conditions are irrevocable and can only be rescinded in accordance with these terms and conditions or with the written consent of the manager of the Carrier.

2.3 These terms and conditions are to be read in conjunction with the carrier's quotations, consignment note, agreement, airway bills, manifests, or any other forms as provided by the Carrier to the consignor. If there are and inconsistencies between these documents, then the terms and conditions contained in this document shall prevail.

3. Price and Payment

3.1 At the Carrier's sole discretion the Price shall be either;
(a) as indicated on invoices provided by the Carrier to the Consignor in respect of Services supplied; or
(b) Carriers quoted Price (subject to clause 4.2) which shall be biding upon the Carrier provided that the consignor shall accept in writing the carrier's quotation within thirty (30) days.

3.2 The carrier may, by giving notice to the consignor, increase the Price of the Services to reflect any increase in the cost to the Carrier beyond the reasonable control of the Carrier (including, without limitation, foreign exchange fluctuations, or increases in taxes or customs duties or insurance premiums or warehousing costs). – or cleaning costs that is associated with border control and any inspection costs.

3.3 The Carrier may charge freight by weight, measurement or value, and may at any time re-weigh, or re-value or re-measure or require the Goods to be re-weighed, or re-valued or re-measured and charge proportional additional freight accordingly.

3.4 Time for payment for the Services shall be of the essence and will be stated on the invoice, consignment note, airway bills, manifests or any other forms. If no time is stated then payment shall be due thirty (30) days following the end of the month in which a statement is posted to the consignor's address or address for notices.

3.5 At the Carrier's sole discretion:
(a) payment shall be due on delivery of Goods, or
(b) payment shall be due before delivery of the Goods

3.6 Payment will be made by cash, or by cheque, or by bank cheque, or by direct credit, or by any other method as agreed to between the Consignor and the Carrier.

3.7 GST and other taxes and duties that may be applicable shall be added to the Price except when they are expressly included in the Price.

4. Carrier Not Common Carrier

4.1 The Carrier is not a Common Carrier and will accept no liability as such. All articles are carried or transported and all storage and other services performed by the Carrier subject only to these conditions and the Carrier reserves the right to refuse the carriage or transport of articles for any person, corporation or body, and the carriage or transport of any class of articles at its discretion.

5. Consignor Packed Containers

5.1 If a Container has not been stowed by or on behalf of the carrier the Carrier shall not be liable for loss of or damage to the goods caused by:
(a) the manner in which the Container has been stowed; or
(b) the unsuitability of the goods for carriage or storage in Containers; or
(c) the unsuitability or defective condition of the Container.

6. Nomination of Sub-Contractor

6.1 The consignor hereby authorises the carrier (if it should think fit to do so) to arrange with a Sub-Contractor for the carriage of any Goods that are the subject of the contract. Any such arrangement shall be deemed to be ratified by the Consignor upon deliver of the said Goods to such Sub-Contractor, who shall thereupon be entitled to the full benefit of these terms and conditions to the same extent as the carrier. In so far as it may be necessary to ensure that such Sub-contractor shall be so entitled the carrier shall be deemed to enter into this contract for its own benefit and also as agent for the sub-contractor.

7. Method of Transport

7.1 If the consignor instructs the carrier to use a particular method of carriage whether by road, rail, sea or air the carrier will give priority to the method designated but if that method cannot conveniently be adopted by the Carrier the consignor shall be deemed to authorise the Carrier to carry or have the goods carried by another method or methods.

8. Route Deviation

8.1 The Consignor shall be deemed to authorise any deviation from the usual route or manner of carriage of Goods that may in the absolute discretion of the Carrier be deemed reasonable or necessary in the circumstances.

9. Delivery

9.1 The carrier is authorised to deliver the goods at the address given to the Carrier by the Consignor for that purpose and it is expressly agreed that the Carrier shall be taken to have delivered the goods in accordance with this contract if at that address the carrier obtains from any person a receipt or a signed delivery docket for the Goods.

9.2 The carrier may deliver the goods by separate instalments (in accordance with the agreed delivery schedule). Each separate instalment shall be invoiced and paid for in accordance with the provisions in this contract.

9.3 Deliver of the Goods to a third party nominated by the consignor is deemed to be delivery for the purposes of this agreement.

9.4 It is the consignor's sole responsibility to address adequately each consignment and to provide written delivery instructions to enable effective delivery.

9.5 The failure of the Carrier to deliver shall not entitle either party to treat this contract as repudiated.

10. Loss or Damage

10.1 This Contract is "at limited carrier's risk"

10.2 Subject to statutory provisions imposing liability in respect of the loss of or damage to the goods (including but not limited to chilled, frozen, refrigerated or perishable Goods):
(a) The Carrier shall not be under any liability, howsoever caused or arising and (without limiting the generality of the foregoing) whether caused or arising as a result of the negligence of the Carrier or otherwise, for any damage to, loss, deterioration, misdelivery, delay in delivery or non-delivery of the Goods (whether the Goods are or have been in the possession of the Carrier or not) nor for any instruction, advice, information or service given or provided to any person, whether in respect of the Goods or any other thing or matter, nor for any consequential or indirect loss, loss of market or consequences of delay: and
(b) The Consignor will indemnify the Carrier against all claims of any kind whatsoever, howsoever caused or arising and, (without limiting the generality of the foregoing) whether caused or arising as a result of the negligence of the Carrier or otherwise, brought by any person in connection with any matter or thing done, said or omitted by the Carrier in connection with the Goods.

11. Insurance

11.1 The Carrier is not an authorised agent for the purposes of selling insurance. It is the Consignor's sole responsibility to arrange insurance of the Goods. And the consignor acknowledges that such insurance shall not be arranged.

12. Unpaid Carrier's Rights to Dispose of Goods.

12.1 The Carrier shall have a lien on any Goods (and any documents relating to those Goods) in the possession or control of the Carrier for all sums payable by the consignor to the carrier, and the Carrier shall have the right to sell such Goods or cargo by public auction or private treaty after giving notice to the Consignor. The Carrier shall be entitled to retain the sums due to it, in addition to the charges incurred in detention and sale of such Goods or cargo, from the proceeds of sale and shall render any surplus to the entitled person.

13. Charges Earned

13.1 the Carrier's charges shall be considered earned in the case of Goods for carriage as soon as the goods are loaded and despatched from the consignor's premises.

14. Demurrage

14.1 The consignor will be and shall remain responsible to the carrier for all its proper charges incurred for any reason. A charge may be made by the carrier in respect of any delay in excess of thirty (30) minutes in loading or unloading occurring other than from the default of the Carrier. Such permissible delay period shall commence upon the Carrier reporting for loading or unloading. Labour to load or unload the vehicle shall be the responsibility and expense of the Consignor or Consignee.

15. Dangerous Goods

15.1 Unless otherwise agreed in advance in writing with the Carrier the Consignor or his authorised agent shall not tender for carriage or for storage any explosive, inflammable or otherwise Dangerous Goods. The Consigner shall be liable for and hereby indemnifies the Carrier for all loss or damage whatsoever caused by any Dangerous Goods.

16. Consignment Note

16.1 It is agreed that the person delivering any Goods to the Carrier for carriage or forwarding is authorised to sign the consignment note for the Consignor.

17. Consignors Responsibility

17.1 The Consignor expressly warrants to the Carrier that the Consignor is either the owner or the authorised agent of the owner of any Goods or property that is the subject matter of this contract of cartage and/or storage and by entering into this contract the Consignor accepts these conditions of contract for the Consignee as well as for all other persons on whose behalf the Consignor is acting.

18. Carrier's Servants or Agents

18.1 The Consignor undertakes that no claim or allegation shall be made against any servant or agent of the Carrier which attempts to impose upon any of them any liability whatsoever in connection with the Goods and, if any such claim or allegation should nevertheless be made, to indemnify the Carrier and any such servant or agent against all consequences thereof.

19. The Commonwealth Trade Practices Act 1974 and Fair Trading Acts

19.1 Nothing in this agreement is intended to have the affect of contracting out of any applicable provisions of the Fair Trading Acts in each of the States and Territories of Australia, except to the extent permitted by those Acts where applicable.

19.2 Liability of the Carrier arising out of any one incident whether or not there has been any declaration of value of the Goods, for breach of warranty implied into these terms and conditions by the Trade Practices Act 1974 or howsoever arising, is limited to any of the following as determined by the Carrier:
(a) The supplying of the Services again; or
(b) The Payment of the cost of having the Services supplied again; or
(c) The lesser of AUD$200.00 for loss of or damage to any such Goods, packages or units or AUD$2.00 per kilogram or the gross weight for loss of or damage to any such Goods, packages or units or AUD$20.00 per package or unit lost or damaged, For the purpose of this clause the word "package" shall include the contents even if particulars have been provided or incorporated in any document of the Carrier.

19.3 The Carrier shall be under no liability whatsoever for loss or damage to Goods

20. Default & Consequences of Default

20.1 Interest on overdue Invoices shall accrue from the date when payment becomes due daily until the date of payment at a rate of 11% per annum and such interest shall compound monthly at such a rate after as well as before any court order.

20.2 If the Consignor defaults in payment of any invoice when due, the Consignor shall indemnify the Carrier from and against all costs and disbursements incurred by the Carrier in pursuing the debt including legal costs on a solicitor and own client basis and the Carrier's collection agency costs.

20.3 Without prejudice to any other remedies the Carrier may have. If at any time the Consignor is in breach of any obligation (including those relating to payment), the Carrier may suspend or terminate the supply of Services to the Consignor and any of its other obligations under the terms and conditions. The Carrier will not be liable to the Consignor for any loss or damage the Consignor suffers because the Carrier exercised its rights under this clause.

20.4 If any account remains overdue after thirty (30) days then an amount of the greater of $20.00 or 10.00% of the amount overdue (up to a maximum of $200) shall be levied for administration fees which sum shall become immediately due and payable.

20.5 Without prejudice to the Carrier's other remedies at law the Carrier shall be entitled to cancel all or any part of any order of the Consignor which remains unperformed in addition to and without prejudice to any other remedies and all amounts owing to the Carrier shall, whether or not due for payment, become immediately payable in the event that:
(a) any money payable to the Carrier becomes overdue, or in the Carrier's opinion the Consignor will be unable to meet its payments as they fall due; or
(b) the Consignor becomes insolvent, convenes a meeting with its creditors or proposes or enters into an arrangement with creditors, or makes an assignment for the benefit of its creditors; or
(c) a receiver, manager, liquidator (provisional or otherwise) or similar person is appointed in respect of the consignor or any asset of the Consignor.

21. Security And Charge

21.1 Despite anything to the contrary contained herein or any other rights which the Carrier may have howsoever;
(a) where the Consignor and/or the Guarantor (if any) is the owner of land, realty or any other asset capable of being charged, both the Consignor and/or the Guarantor agree to mortgage and/or charge all of their joint and/or several interest in the said land, realty or any other asset to the Carrier or the Carrier's nominee to secure all amounts and other monetary obligations payable under the terms and conditions. The Consignor and/or the Guarantor acknowledge and agree that the Carrier (or the Carrier's nominee) shall be entitled to lodge where appropriate a caveat, against the said land or realty which caveat shall be released once all payments and other monetary obligations payable hereunder have been met.
(b) should the Carrier elect to proceed in any manner in accordance with this clause and/or its subclauses, the Consignor and/or Guarantor shall indemnify the Carrier from and against all the Carrier's costs and disbursements including legal costs on a solicitor and own client basis.
(c) the Consignor and/or the Guarantor (if any) agree to irrevocably nominate constitute and appoint the Carrier or the Carrier's nominee as the Consignor's and/or Guarantor's true and lawful attorney to perform all necessary acts to give effect to the provisions of this clause 21.1.

22. Privacy Act 1988

22.1 The Consignor and/or the Guarantor/s agree for the Carrier to obtain from a credit reporting agency a credit report containing personal credit information about the Consignor and Guarantor/s in relation to credit provided by the Carrier.

22.2 The Consignor and/or the Guarantor/s agree that the Carrier may exchange information about the Consignor and the Guarantor/s with those credit providers either named as trade referees by the consignor or named in a consumer credit report issued by a credit reporting agency for the following purposes
(a) to asses an application by Consignor; and/or
(b) to notify other credit providers of a default by the Consignor; and/or
(c) to exchange information with other credit providers as to the status of this credit account, where the Consignor is in default with other credit providers; and/or
(d) to assess the credit worthiness of the Consignor and/or Guarantor/s.

22.3 The Consignor consents to the Carrier being given a consumer credit report to collect overdue payment on commercial credit (Section 18K(1)(h) Privacy Act 1988).

22.4 The Consignor agrees that personal credit information provided may be used and retained by the Carrier for the following purposes and for other purposes as shall be agreed between the Consignor and Carrier or required by law from time to time:
(a) provision of Services; and/or
(b) marketing of Services by the Carrier, its agents or distributors in relation to the Services; and/or
(c) analysing, verifying and/or checking the Consignor's credit, payment and/or status in relation to provision of Services; and/or
(d) processing of any payment instructions; direct debit facilities and/or credit facilities requested by Consignor; and/or
(e) enabling the daily operation of Consignor/s account and/or the collection of amounts outstanding in the Consignor's account in relation to the Services.

22.5 The Carrier may give information about the Consignor to a credit reporting agency for the following purposes;
(a) to obtain a consumer credit report about the Consignor; and/or
(b) allow the credit reporting agency to create or maintain a credit information file containing information about the Consignor.

23. General

23.1 If any provision of these terms and conditions shall be invalid, void, illegal or unenforceable the validity, existence, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not be affected, prejudiced or impaired.

23.2 These terms and conditions and any contract to which they apply shall be governed by the laws of South Australia and are subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of South Australia.

23.3 The Consignor shall not be entitled to set off against or deduct from the Price any sums owed or claimed to be owed to the Consignor by the Carrier.

23.4 The Carrier reserves the right to review these terms and conditions at any time. If, following any such review, there is to be any change to these terms and conditions, then that change will take effect from the date on which the Carrier notifies the Consignor of such change.

23.5 Neither party shall be liable for any default due to any act of God, war, terrorism, strike, lock out, Industrial action, fire, flood, drought, storm or other event beyond the reasonable control of either party.

23.6 The terms and conditions set out herein shall prevail over the terms and conditions set out in any document used by the Consignor, the owner or any other person having an interest in the Goods and purporting to have a contractual effect.