{"id":"angurugu-community-government-council-offensive-weapons-bylaws-1989","name":"ANGURUGU COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT COUNCIL (OFFENSIVE WEAPONS) BY-LAWS 1989","slug":"angurugu-community-government-council-offensive-weapons-by-laws-1989","collection":"regulation","jurisdiction":"nt","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":174225,"registerId":"nt-angurugu-community-government-council-offensive-weapons-bylaws-1989-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"ANGURUGU COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT COUNCIL (OFFENSIVE WEAPONS) BY-LAWS 1989","content":"NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\nANGURUGU COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT COUNCIL (OFFENSIVE\nWEAPONS) BY-LAWS 1989\nAs in force at 18 January 1989\nTable of provisions\n1 Citation ............................................................................................ 1\n2 Using or threatening to use offensive weapon ................................. 1\n3 Election to pay fixed penalty ............................................................ 2\n4 Publication of By-laws ..................................................................... 2\nSchedule\nENDNOTES\n\n\n\nNORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\n____________________\nAs in force at 18 January 1989\n____________________\nANGURUGU COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT COUNCIL (OFFENSIVE\nWEAPONS) BY-LAWS 1989\nBy-laws under the Local Government Act 2008\n1 Citation\nThese By-laws may be cited as the Angurugu Community\nGovernment Council (Offensive Weapons) By-laws 1989.\n2 Using or threatening to use offensive weapon\n(1) A person shall not without lawful authority, justification or excuse:\n(a) use; or\n(b) threaten to use,\nan offensive weapon in the Angurugu community government area.\nPenalty: $200.\n(2) In this by-law, offensive weapon\n(a) does not include a firearm within the meaning of the\nFirearms Act 1997;\n(b) subject to paragraph (a), means any article –\n(i) which is made or adapted to cause injury, or fear of\ninjury, to the person; or\n(ii) by which the person having it intends to cause injury, or\nfear of injury, to the person; and\n(c) includes in particular a spear, a knife, and a shanghai or\ncatapult.\n(3) A prosecution for an offence against clause (1) may be instituted in\nthe name of the Angurugu Community Government Council by the\nclerk of the Council.\n\nAngurugu Community Government Council (Offensive Weapons) By-laws 1989 2\n(4) An officer of the Council to whom it appears that a person is\ncommitting an offence against clause (1) may seize and take\npossession of the weapon involved, and the weapon shall be dealt\nwith as the Council may decide.\n3 Election to pay fixed penalty\n(1) Where it appears to an officer of the Angurugu Community\nGovernment Council that a person has infringed by-law 2(1), the\nofficer may serve on that person a notice of infringement in\naccordance with the form in the Schedule.\n(2) A person on whom a notice of infringement is served may, within a\nperiod of 14 days beginning with the date on which it is served, pay\nto the clerk of the Council a penalty of $20 in respect of the\ninfringement alleged.\n(3) A prosecution shall not be brought against a person for an\ninfringement of by-law 2(1) in respect of which he has paid a\npenalty in accordance with clause (2), but payment of the penalty\ndoes not prevent the taking of proceedings against that person for\nany other offence he may have committed.\n4 Publication of By-laws\n(1) Section 57 of the Interpretation Act 1978 does not apply to these\nBy-laws.\n(2) Copies of these By-laws shall be available for inspection by\nmembers of the public during office hours at the office of the\nAngurugu Community Government Council.\n\nSchedule\nAngurugu Community Government Council (Offensive Weapons) By-laws 1989 3\nSchedule\nBy-law 3(1)\nAngurugu Community Government Council (Offensive Weapons)\nBy-laws 1989\nNOTICE OF INFRINGEMENT\nTo .............……..……………… of …………………...……..........................\n(name) (address, if known)\nYou are alleged to have committed an offence against by-law 2(1) of the\nabove By-laws by:\n[ ] using an offensive weapon\n[ ] threatening to use an offensive weapon\n(tick box as appropriate)\nwithin the Angurugu community government area without lawful authority,\njustification or excuse.\nThe offence is alleged to have taken place at\n..........………………………………...........……………………………………\n(place)\non ........……………………………………...... at ....…………………...........\n(date) (time)\nYou may choose to have the alleged offence:\n(a) prosecuted in a court of competent jurisdiction; or\n(b) disposed of without prosecution by paying a fixed penalty of\n$20.\nIf you choose option (b), you must pay the $20 to the clerk of the\nAngurugu Community Government Council, at the council office and\nwithin 14 days beginning with the date of service of this notice.\nDated ...../...../19....\nCouncil Officer\n\nENDNOTES\nAngurugu Community Government Council (Offensive Weapons) By-laws 1989 4\nENDNOTES\n1 KEY\nKey to abbreviations\namd = amended od = order\napp = appendix om = omitted\nbl = by-law pt = Part\nch = Chapter r = regulation/rule\ncl = clause rem = remainder\ndiv = Division renum = renumbered\nexp = expires/expired rep = repealed\nf = forms s = section\nGaz = Gazette sch = Schedule\nhdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision\nins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation\nlt = long title sub = substituted\nnc = not commenced\n2 LIST OF LEGISLATION\nAngurugu Community Government Council (Offensive Weapons) By-laws\nNotified 18 January 1989\nCommenced 18 January 1989\n3 GENERAL AMENDMENTS\nGeneral amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table\nof amendments to this reprint) are made by the Interpretation Legislation\nAmendment Act 2018 (Act No. 22 of 2018) to: bl 1, 2 and 4 and sch 1.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on the available information, the by-laws appear to remain focused on their original purpose: regulating offensive weapons within the Angurugu community. The dual-agency administration (with the Electoral Commission handling Chapter 8) suggests the by-laws may have been expanded at some point to include electoral or governance provisions, but this is a structural/administrative matter rather than a fundamental change in scope. Insufficient detail is available to confirm any substantive scope changes."},"complexity_factors":["Dual administration between two government agencies adds a layer of complexity","By-laws operate within a broader framework of NT local government legislation, requiring cross-referencing","Application is geographically limited to a specific remote community, which may involve unique jurisdictional considerations","Limited metadata available — no gazette details, no regs number — making it difficult to trace full legislative history","Community government council by-laws can intersect with both NT and Commonwealth law, particularly regarding Aboriginal land rights"],"plain_english_summary":"These local Angurugu by‑laws (in force since 1989) regulate offensive weapons within the Groote Eylandt community, giving the Angurugu Community Government Council authority to control possession and use of items that threaten safety. They apply to residents, workers, and visitors within the community boundaries and can attract penalties for breaches.\n\nAdministration is mainly by the NT Department of Housing, Local Government and Community Development, with Chapter 8 administered by the Northern Territory Electoral Commission."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"No substantive change of scope is evident in the text provided. Endnotes state only general/formal amendments to certain clauses (Endnotes, item 3); the by-law remains focused on prohibiting use or threats with offensive weapons in the Angurugu community area and preserves the same enforcement options (cl.2–3)."},"complexity_factors":["Straightforward single-subject instrument (prohibits use/threat of offensive weapons).","Broad but concise statutory definition of “offensive weapon” with an express exclusion for firearms (cl.2(2)(a)–(b)).","Dual enforcement pathways: court prosecution initiated by the council clerk (cl.2(3)) or administrative fixed penalty process (cl.3).","Officer powers to seize and for the council to dispose of seized items create administrative discretion (cl.2(4)).","Fixed-penalty mechanics: prescribed form, $20 amount, and 14‑day payment window (cl.3(1)–(2) and Schedule).","Cross-references to other statutes and instruments (Local Government Act 2008, Firearms Act 1997) increase interpretive links.","Publication rule excludes a standard Interpretation Act provision and requires local availability of the by-laws (cl.4)."],"plain_english_summary":"This local by-law makes it an offence to use or threaten to use an “offensive weapon” in the Angurugu community area, defines that term (excluding firearms), imposes a $200 penalty and allows council officers to seize the weapon (cl.2(1)–(4)).\n\nSomeone served with an infringement notice may instead pay a $20 fixed penalty within 14 days to avoid prosecution; the council clerk may bring prosecutions and copies of the by-laws must be available at the council office (cl.3, cl.2(3), cl.4)."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose of regulating offensive weapons in the Angurugu community government area. The scope has not expanded beyond this local public safety function."},"complexity_factors":["Only 4 substantive clauses plus a schedule","Single offence provision with straightforward prohibition","Simple definition structure: exclusion (firearms), general definition, and specific examples","No cross-references to other legislation except Firearms Act 1997 and Interpretation Act 1978 (noted only for exemption purposes)","Fixed penalty scheme is linear with clear 14-day timeframe","Minimal conditional logic: only the lawful authority/justification/excuse defence and the payment-in-lieu-of-prosecution mechanism"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does:**\n\nThese by-laws make it illegal to **use or threaten to use an offensive weapon** in the Angurugu community area (a remote Indigenous community on Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory). The rules apply to everyone in that area.\n\n**What counts as an \"offensive weapon\":**\n- Anything made or adapted to hurt someone or make them fear being hurt\n- Anything someone intends to use to hurt someone or cause fear\n- Specifically includes: spears, knives, and shanghais/catapults\n- **Does NOT include firearms** (these are covered by separate gun laws)\n\n**What happens if you break the rule:**\n- **Maximum penalty:** $200 if the matter goes to court\n- **Fixed penalty option:** You can choose to pay $20 within 14 days to avoid going to court (similar to a parking fine)\n- Council officers can also **seize (take away)** any weapon they see being used illegally\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThese by-laws give the local Aboriginal community government a practical tool to reduce violence and weapon-related intimidation in their community, without needing to involve police for every incident. The fixed penalty option keeps minor matters out of court while still enforcing community safety standards.\n\n**Key features:**\n- Prosecutions can be brought by the Council itself (not just police)\n- The by-laws don't need to be published in the Government Gazette (unusual exemption)\n- Copies must be available at the Council office for public inspection"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/angurugu-community-government-council-offensive-weapons-by-laws-1989","history":"/api/acts/angurugu-community-government-council-offensive-weapons-by-laws-1989/history","analysis":"/api/acts/angurugu-community-government-council-offensive-weapons-by-laws-1989/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/angurugu-community-government-council-offensive-weapons-by-laws-1989/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/angurugu-community-government-council-offensive-weapons-by-laws-1989/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/angurugu-community-government-council-offensive-weapons-by-laws-1989/documents"}}