Crimes ACT 1914

CRIMES ACT 1914

CRIMES ACT 1914 SECT 51

Part IV--Piracy 51 Interpretation

In this Part:

act of piracy means an act of violence, detention or depredation committed for private ends by the crew or passengers of a private ship or aircraft and directed:

(a): if the act is done on the high seas or in the coastal sea of Australia—against another ship or aircraft or against persons or property on board another ship or aircraft; or
(b): if the act is done in a place beyond the jurisdiction of any country—against a ship, aircraft, persons or property.

Australia includes the External Territories.

coastal sea of Australia means:

(a): the territorial sea of Australia; and
(b): the sea on the landward side of the territorial sea of Australia and not within the limits of a State or Territory;

and includes airspace over those seas.

high seas means seas that are beyond the territorial sea of Australia and of any foreign country and includes the airspace over those seas.

offence against this Part includes:

(a): an offence against a provision of this Part because of section 5; and
(b): an offence against section 6, 7 or 7A that relates to an offence against a provision of this Part; and
(c): an offence against subsection 86(1) because of paragraph (a) of that subsection, being an offence that relates to an offence against a provision of this Part.

pirate-controlled ship or aircraft means a private ship or aircraft which is under the control of persons that:

(a): have used, are using or intend to use the ship or aircraft in the commission of acts of piracy; or
(b): have seized control of the ship or aircraft by an act of piracy.

place beyond the jurisdiction of any country means a place, other than the high seas, that is not within the territorial jurisdiction of Australia or of any foreign country.

private ship or aircraft means a ship or aircraft that is not being operated for naval, military, customs or law enforcement purposes by Australia or by a foreign country, and includes a ship or aircraft that has been taken over by its crew or passengers.

ship means a vessel of any type not permanently attached to the sea-bed, and includes any dynamically supported craft, submersible, or any other floating craft, other than a vessel that has been withdrawn from navigation or is laid up.