Crimes Act 1914

Part I - Preliminary  

SECTION 3AA   STATE OFFENCES THAT HAVE A FEDERAL ASPECT  

Object

3AA(1A)    
The object of this section is to identify State offences that have a federal aspect because:

(a) they potentially fall within Commonwealth legislative power because of the elements of the State offence; or

(b) they potentially fall within Commonwealth legislative power because of the circumstances in which the State offence was committed (whether or not those circumstances are expressed to be acts or omissions involved in committing the offence); or

(c) the Australian Federal Police investigating them is incidental to the Australian Federal Police investigating an offence against a law of the Commonwealth or a Territory.

State offences that have a federal aspect

3AA(1)    
For the purposes of this Act, a State offence has a federal aspect if, and only if:

(a) both:

(i) the State offence is not an ancillary offence; and

(ii) assuming that the provision creating the State offence had been enacted by the Parliament of the Commonwealth instead of by the Parliament of the State - the provision would have been a valid law of the Commonwealth; or

(b) both:

(i) the State offence is an ancillary offence that relates to a particular primary offence; and

(ii) assuming that the provision creating the primary offence had been enacted by the Parliament of the Commonwealth instead of by the Parliament of the State - the provision would have been a valid law of the Commonwealth; or

(c) assuming that the Parliament of the Commonwealth had enacted a provision that created an offence penalising the specific acts or omissions involved in committing the State offence - that provision would have been a valid law of the Commonwealth; or

(d) both:

(i) the Australian Federal Police is investigating an offence against a law of the Commonwealth or a Territory; and

(ii) if the Australian Federal Police is investigating, or were to investigate, the State offence - that investigation is, or would be, incidental to the investigation mentioned in subparagraph (i).

Specificity of acts or omissions

3AA(2)    
For the purposes of paragraph (1)(c), the specificity of the acts or omissions involved in committing a State offence is to be determined having regard to the circumstances in which the offence was committed (whether or not those circumstances are expressed to be elements of the offence).

State offences covered by paragraph (1)(c)

3AA(3)    
A State offence is taken to be covered by paragraph (1)(c) if the conduct constituting the State offence:

(a) affects the interests of:

(i) the Commonwealth; or

(ii) an authority of the Commonwealth; or

(iii) a constitutional corporation; or

(b) was engaged in by a constitutional corporation; or

(c) was engaged in in a Commonwealth place; or

(d) involved the use of a postal service or other like service; or

(e) involved an electronic communication; or

(f) involved trade or commerce:

(i) between Australia and places outside Australia; or

(ii) among the States; or

(iii) within a Territory, between a State and a Territory or between 2 Territories; or

(g) involved:

(i) banking (other than State banking not extending beyond the limits of the State concerned); or

(ii) insurance (other than State insurance not extending beyond the limits of the State concerned); or

(h) relates to a matter outside Australia; or

(i) relates to a matter in respect of which an international agreement to which Australia is a party imposes obligations to which effect could be given by the creation of an offence against the domestic laws of the parties to the agreement; or

(j) relates to a matter that affects the relations between Australia and another country or countries or is otherwise a subject of international concern.

3AA(4)    
Subsection (3) does not limit paragraph (1)(c).

Definitions

3AA(5)    
In this section:

ancillary offence ,
in relation to an offence (the primary offence ), means:

(a) an offence of conspiring to commit the primary offence; or

(b) an offence of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring, or being in any way knowingly concerned in, the commission of the primary offence; or

(c) an offence of attempting to commit the primary offence.

Commonwealth place
has the same meaning as in the Commonwealth Places (Application of Laws) Act 1970 .

conduct
has the same meaning as in the Criminal Code .

constitutional corporation
means a corporation to which paragraph 51(xx) of the Constitution applies.

electronic communication
means a communication of information:

(a) whether in the form of text; or

(b) whether in the form of data; or

(c) whether in the form of speech, music or other sounds; or

(d) whether in the form of visual images (animated or otherwise); or

(e) whether in any other form; or

(f) whether in any combination of forms;

by means of guided and/or unguided electromagnetic energy.

engage in conduct
has the same meaning as in the Criminal Code .

State
includes the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.

State offence
means an offence against a law of a State.

Note:

Subsection 3(1) defines State to include the Northern Territory.