Crimes Act 1914

Part IV - Piracy  

SECTION 51  

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 section 6 that relates to an offence against a provision of this Part; and

(b) an offence against a provision of this Part that is taken to have been committed because of section 11.2 or 11.2A of the Criminal Code ; and

(c) an offence against section 11.1 , 11.4 or 11.5 of the Criminal Code 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includes any dynamically supported craft, submersible, or any other floating craft, other than a vessel that has been withdrawn from navigation or is laid up.