{"id":"F2006B00277","name":"Application of Laws Ordinance 1973 (Coral Sea Islands)","slug":"application-of-laws-ordinance-1973-coral-sea-islands","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":40589,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B00277-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Application of Laws Ordinance 1973 (Coral Sea Islands)","content":"![](image.001.png)\n\nCoral Sea Islands Territory\n\nApplication of Laws Ordinance 1973\n\nOrdinance No. 1 of 1973 as amended\n\nmade under the\n\nCoral Sea Islands Act 1969\n\nThis compilation was prepared on 10 March 2002 \ntaking into account amendments up to Ordinance No. 1 of 1979\n\nPrepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting and Publishing, \nAttorney‑General’s Department, Canberra\n\nContents\n\n1 Short title and citation \\[see Note 1\\]\n\n2 Interpretation\n\n3 Application of provisions of laws of the Australian Capital Territory\n\n4 Exercise of powers and performance of functions under applied provisions\n\n5 Delegation by Minister\n\n6 Appointment of officers\n\n7 Repeal of inconsistent laws\n\nNotes\n\nAn Ordinance relating to the Application and Administration of Laws in the Coral Sea Islands Territory\n\n1 Short title and citation \\[see Note 1\\]\n\nThis Ordinance may be cited as the Application of Laws Ordinance 1973.\n\n2 Interpretation\n\n(1) In this Ordinance, unless the contrary intention appears:\n\n> applied provision means a provision of a law of the Australian Capital Territory that, in accordance with section 3, applies in and in relation to the Territory as a law of the Territory.\n\n> the Act means the Coral Sea Islands Act 1969.\n\n> the laws of the Australian Capital Territory means the laws in force in the Australian Capital Territory, whether written or unwritten, and law of the Australian Capital Territory has a corresponding meaning.\n\n> the Minister means the Minister for the time being administering the Act.\n\n> the Territory means the Coral Sea Islands Territory.\n\n(2) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any applied provision, a reference in an applied provision to a Minister shall be read as a reference to the Minister.\n\n3 Application of provisions of laws of the Australian Capital Territory\n\n(1) Subject to the Act and subsection 2 (2), the provisions of the laws of the Australian Capital Territory for the time being in force in the Australian Capital Territory, so far as applicable to the Territory, apply in and in relation to the Territory as laws of the Territory.\n\n(2) Subsection (1) does not extend to a provision of a law of the Australian Capital Territory, being a provision of an Act.\n\n4 Exercise of powers and performance of functions under applied provisions\n\nWhere, by an applied provision, a power or function is, in relation to the Australian Capital Territory, vested in a person or authority (not being a court), that power or function is, in relation to the Territory, deemed to be vested in, and may be exercised or performed by, that person or authority, or such other person or authority as the Minister specifies, under and by virtue of the applied provision.\n\n5 Delegation by Minister\n\nThe Minister may, by writing under his hand, delegate to the Secretary to the Department of Home Affairs all or any of his powers under an applied provision.\n\n6 Appointment of officers\n\nThe Minister may appoint such officers as are necessary to execute the laws of the Territory.\n\n7 Repeal of inconsistent laws\n\nAll laws in force in the Territory immediately before the commencement of this Ordinance that are inconsistent with any applied provision are repealed.\n\n> Notes to the Application of Laws Ordinance 1973\n\n> Note 1\n\n> Note: The Application of Laws Ordinance 1973 (in force under the Coral Sea Islands Act 1969) as shown in this compilation comprise Ordinance No. 1 of 1973 amended as indicated in the Tables below.\n\n> Note: Table of Ordinances\n\n| Year andnumber | Date of notificationin Gazette | Date ofcommencement | Application, saving ortransitional provisions |\n| -------------- | ------------------------------ | ------------------- | --------------------------------------------- |\n| No. 1, 1973 | 19 Oct 1973 | 19 Oct 1973 | |\n| No. 1, 1976 | 3 Dec 1976 | 3 Dec 1976 | — |\n| No. 1, 1979 | 24 Dec 1979 | 24 Dec 1979 | — |\n\n> Note: Table of Amendments\n\n```html\n

ad. = added or inserted am. = amended rep. = repealed rs. = repealed and substituted

Provision affected

How affected

S. 5.................

am. No. 1, 1976; No. 1, 1979

\n```","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose of importing ACT laws to the Coral Sea Islands. The amendments shown (1976, 1979) only modified the delegation power in section 5, without expanding the scope beyond the original intent."},"complexity_factors":["Only 7 operative sections","5 defined terms in the interpretation section","Single cross-reference to the parent Coral Sea Islands Act 1969","Simple conditional logic: 'so far as applicable' qualifier in section 3(1)","One explicit exclusion (ACT Acts don't apply) in section 3(2)","No nested exceptions or complex temporal provisions"],"plain_english_summary":"This law applies most ACT laws (mainly subordinate instruments, not ACT Acts) to the Coral Sea Islands, adapting references so the federal Minister responsible runs things and can redirect or delegate powers as needed. It also removes any conflicting local laws.\n\nIt mainly affects federal officials and occasional visitors (scientists, fishers) and matters because it supplies a ready-made legal framework for an otherwise uninhabited territory without bespoke legislation."},"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"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The amendments reflected in the compilation (noted in the Table of Amendments) relate to section 5 (delegation by the Minister) in 1976 and 1979. Those are administrative adjustments to who may exercise delegated powers; they do not materially expand the Ordinance's core purpose, which is to apply relevant ACT laws to the Coral Sea Islands Territory (subject to the exclusion of ACT Acts) and to provide mechanics for administration, delegation and repeal of inconsistent territory laws (sections 2–3, 4–7)."},"complexity_factors":["Short instrument (7 operative sections)","5 specifically defined terms in section 2 (including 'applied provision', 'Act', 'the Minister', 'the Territory')","Cross‑reference to external statute: Coral Sea Islands Act 1969","Conditional application phrasing: 'so far as applicable' (section 3(1))","Explicit exclusion of ACT Acts from application (section 3(2))","Delegation and substitution rules allowing the Minister to specify alternate persons (sections 4–5)","Repeal of inconsistent pre‑existing Territory laws (section 7)","Minor amendments history limited to section 5 (delegation) in 1976 and 1979"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this Ordinance does (mechanically)\n\n- It makes most of the laws that apply in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) also operate in the Coral Sea Islands Territory — but only those parts that are \"so far as applicable\" to the Territory and excluding provisions that are part of an ACT Act (section 3(1)–(2)).\n\n- It defines how terms are read for that purpose (section 2). In particular, \"applied provision\" means any ACT law provision that is applied under section 3, and references to \"Minister\" in such applied provisions are to be read as references to the Commonwealth Minister who administers the Coral Sea Islands Act (section 2(1)–(2)).\n\n- It allows powers or functions that, under an applied ACT provision, are vested in a particular person or authority (other than a court) to be treated as vested in that same person or authority for the Territory, or in another person or authority specified by the Commonwealth Minister (section 4).\n\n- The Commonwealth Minister may delegate his powers under an applied provision to the Secretary to the Department of Home Affairs in writing (section 5).\n\n- The Minister may appoint officers necessary to carry out the Territory's laws (section 6).\n\n- Any Territory laws in force immediately before this Ordinance that are inconsistent with applied ACT provisions are repealed (section 7).\n\nWho is affected\n\n- Residents, visitors and any businesses or activities in the Coral Sea Islands Territory: they become subject to relevant ACT rules (regulations, subordinate legislation and other non‑Act laws) that are applied to the Territory.\n\n- The Commonwealth Minister responsible for the Coral Sea Islands Act and the Department of Home Affairs: they administer and enforce those applied provisions, can delegate functions, and appoint officers (sections 2, 4–6).\n\n- Any person or authority in the ACT who would hold a power under an applied provision: that power can be treated as applying within the Territory too, unless the Minister specifies otherwise (section 4).\n\nWhy it matters (claimed purpose and practical trade‑offs)\n\n- Purpose claimed by the instrument: to avoid creating a separate, full body of Territory law by re‑using ACT laws where appropriate, and to provide a clear mechanism for administration and enforcement in the Territory (see section 3 and definition of \"applied provision\").\n\n- Net effect on private actors: businesses and individuals in the Territory may face regulatory obligations taken from ACT law (compliance costs depend on which ACT provisions are applied). Because ACT Acts are expressly excluded (section 3(2)), the Ordinance tends to rely on subordinate rules and other non‑Act law rather than wholesale transfer of ACT primary statutes.\n\n- Who pays and who decides: the Commonwealth (Minister and Department of Home Affairs) bears administration and enforcement costs; the Minister decides which exercising authority applies and may delegate functions (sections 4–6). That centralises decision‑making at the Commonwealth level rather than creating local legislative or executive organs.\n\n- Implementation risks and legal friction: the phrase \"so far as applicable\" creates judgment calls about which ACT provisions genuinely fit the Territory context; cross‑jurisdiction application can create uncertainty and require administrative tailoring (section 3). Repealing pre‑existing Territory laws inconsistent with applied provisions (section 7) reduces legal duplication but can create gaps if an ACT provision does not perfectly map to local circumstances.\n\n- Incentives and effects on competition and private choice: applying an external jurisdiction's rules can raise or lower regulatory costs relative to bespoke Territory rules. Because Acts are excluded, major policy choices expressed in ACT primary legislation are not necessarily imported, limiting scope of automatic policy transfer (section 3(2)).\n\nConcrete mechanics to look for on implementation\n\n- Which ACT provisions are in force and considered \"applicable\" to the Territory.\n- How the Minister specifies alternative persons or authorities to exercise applied powers (section 4).\n- Delegation records when powers are passed to the Department of Home Affairs (section 5).\n\nKey provisions cited: sections 2–7 (interpretation, application, vesting of powers, delegation, appointments, repeal of inconsistent laws)."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/application-of-laws-ordinance-1973-coral-sea-islands","history":"/api/acts/application-of-laws-ordinance-1973-coral-sea-islands/history","analysis":"/api/acts/application-of-laws-ordinance-1973-coral-sea-islands/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/application-of-laws-ordinance-1973-coral-sea-islands/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/application-of-laws-ordinance-1973-coral-sea-islands/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/application-of-laws-ordinance-1973-coral-sea-islands/documents"}}