{"id":"F2023L00298","name":"2023 Section 11 exemption for voyages between Christmas Island and Australian states and territories","slug":"2023-section-11-exemption-for-voyages-between-christmas-island-and-australian-states-and-territories","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":103955,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2023L00298-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"2023 Section 11 exemption for voyages between Christmas Island and Australian states and territories","content":"![Commonwealth Coat of Arms Australian Government logo](image.001.jpeg)\n\nCoastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Act 2012\n\n2023 Section 11 exemption for voyages between Christmas Island and Australian states and territories\n\nI, CATHERINE FIONA KING, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, for the purposes of section 11 of the Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Act 2012, having taken into account all relevant considerations, hereby direct that the provisions of the Coastal Trading Act (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Act 2012 do not apply to the class of vessels described in the Schedule below.\n\nThis exemption has effect for the period commencing 8 April 2023 and ceasing on 7 April 2028.\n\nCATHERINE KING\n\nMinister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government\n\nDate: 6 March 2023\n\nSchedule\n\nAll vessels undertaking any voyage for the carriage of cargo or passengers between Christmas Island and any port in the Commonwealth or in the Territories, but not including any voyage in the course of which a vessel takes on cargo or passengers from any port in the Commonwealth or in the Territories other than a port in Christmas Island for unloading or disembarking at another such port.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument operates exactly as intended by the parent Act — section 11 of the Coastal Trading Act specifically empowers the Minister to grant exemptions for classes of vessels. The narrow, geographically-specific scope (Christmas Island only) and time limitation align with the Act's framework for targeted exemptions."},"complexity_factors":["Single operative provision with straightforward conditional logic","Only one defined term implied ('vessel' references the parent Act)","Simple temporal limitation (fixed 5-year period)","Single exclusion clause in the Schedule (the 'milk run' prohibition)","No cross-references to other legislation beyond the enabling Act","Total length is approximately 200 words"],"plain_english_summary":"This ministerial exemption lets any ship carry cargo or passengers between Christmas Island and mainland Australia or other Australian territories without the usual coastal trading licence. It runs from 8 April 2023 to 7 April 2028 and forbids multi-stop pickups at multiple Australian ports on the same voyage.\n\nIt matters because removing the licence barrier makes shipping to the isolated island cheaper and more reliable, supporting essential supplies and services."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The instrument narrows the practical scope of the Coastal Trading Act 2012 by exempting, for five years, vessels on voyages between Christmas Island and Australian states/territories (Schedule). It preserves the Act's coverage for voyages that take on cargo or passengers at other Australian ports for discharge elsewhere, so the exemption removes Act obligations only for the defined class and period."},"complexity_factors":["Targeted, time‑limited exemption (Schedule; effective 8 April 2023–7 April 2028) — narrow temporal scope reduces complexity.","Ministerial direction under s 11 of the Coastal Trading Act — centralised executive decision point determines application.","Clear geographic and functional boundary (voyages between Christmas Island and any Commonwealth/Territory port) — straightforward delimitation.","Express exclusion for voyages that 'take on' cargo or passengers at other Australian ports for discharge elsewhere (Schedule) — creates an interpretive edge‑case about when the exemption stops applying.","Legal effect is non‑application of the Act to the specified class — shifts compliance obligations away from affected operators and may change administrative practice."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument directs (under s 11) that the Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Act 2012 does not apply to vessels on voyages carrying cargo or passengers between Christmas Island and any Australian state or territory. The exemption is time‑limited, effective 8 April 2023 to 7 April 2028.\n\nMechanically, the Minister removes Act licensing and related compliance obligations for that class; voyages that embark cargo or passengers at other Australian ports for discharge elsewhere are excluded from the exemption."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/2023-section-11-exemption-for-voyages-between-christmas-island-and-australian-states-and-territories","history":"/api/acts/2023-section-11-exemption-for-voyages-between-christmas-island-and-australian-states-and-territories/history","analysis":"/api/acts/2023-section-11-exemption-for-voyages-between-christmas-island-and-australian-states-and-territories/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/2023-section-11-exemption-for-voyages-between-christmas-island-and-australian-states-and-territories/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/2023-section-11-exemption-for-voyages-between-christmas-island-and-australian-states-and-territories/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/2023-section-11-exemption-for-voyages-between-christmas-island-and-australian-states-and-territories/documents"}}