Commonwealth Numbered Regulations - Explanatory Statements

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CRIMES (PROTECTION OF AIRCRAFT) REGULATIONS 1991 NO. 217

STATUTORY RULES 1991 No. 217

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

CRIMES (PROTECTION OF AIRCRAFT) REGULATIONS

The Crimes (Protection of Aircraft) Regulations prescribe airports at which certain new offences are to apply under section 7 of the rim (Protection of Aircraft) Act 1973. The Act was originally passed in accordance with Australia's obligations under the Convention for the suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation. The Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts of Violence at Airports Serving international Civil Aviation, which supplements the above Convention, requires Australia to make it an offence to act violently against people at an airport serving international civil aviation or destroy or seriously damage facilities. It was clear during the development of the Protocol that it was not meant to apply to airports which only intermittently serve international civil aviation.

The Crimes Legislation Amendment Act 1991 amended the Crimes (Protection of Aircraft) Act and made these acts offences if committed at "prescribed airports", leaving it for Regulations to prescribe the airports which serve international civil aviation. The Regulations specify the Australian airports which may be used by an aircraft in international civil aviation (except those which may only be used as alternates when it is not possible to use the appropriate international airport). Foreign airports serving international civil aviation are prescribed in the same terms as in the Protocol, instead of being listed.