Australian Capital Territory Current Regulations Australian Capital Territory Current Regulations(1) A person commits an offence if—
(a) the person releases 20 or more balloons at or about the same time; and
(b) 20 or more of the balloons are inflated with a gas that causes them to rise.
Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.
Note A reference to an offence against a territory law includes a reference to a related ancillary offence, eg attempt (see href="http://www.legislation.act.gov.au/a/2001-14" title="A2001-14">Legislation Act
, s 189). This means an offence under this section also covers the offence of inciting the offence or conspiring to commit the offence.
(2) An offence against this section is a strict liability offence.
(3) In a prosecution for an offence against this section—
(a) it is not necessary for the prosecution to establish the exact number of balloons released; and
(b) evidence that a balloon rose after being released is, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, evidence that the balloon was inflated with a gas that caused it to rise.
(4) This section is subject to the following sections:
(a) section 17 (Balloons—exception if balloons not outside);
(b) section 18 (Balloons—exception for hot-air balloons);
(c) section 19 (Balloons—exception for science).
Note A person charged with an offence against s (1) has the evidential burden of proving anything mentioned in s 17, s 18 or s 19 (see href="http://www.legislation.act.gov.au/a/2002-51" title="A2002-51">Criminal Code
, s 58).