{"id":"F2009B00099","name":"Proclamation - Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 - Queensland","slug":"proclamation-historic-shipwrecks-act-1976-queensland","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"repealed","isInForce":false,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":121381,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2009B00099-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"Repealed","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Proclamation - Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 - Queensland","content":"PROCLAMATION\n\nCommonwealth of Australia\n\nJOHN R. KERR\n\nGovernor-General\n\n  \nBy His Excellency the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia\n\nWHEREAS it is provided by section 2 of the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 that that Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent but shall not apply in relation to waters (including waters above the continental shelf) adjacent to the coast of a State until a Proclamation has been made declaring that that Act applies in relation to waters adjacent to the coast of that State:\n\nNOW THEREFORE I, Sir John Robert Kerr, the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby declare that the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 applies in relation to waters adjacent to the coast of the State of Queensland.\n\n(L.S.) GIVEN under my Hand and the Great Seal of Australia on 18 November 1977\n\nBy His Excellency’s Command,\n\nROBERT COTTON\n\nMinister of State for Industry and Commerce\n\nfor and on behalf of the Minister of State for Administrative Services\n\nGOD SAVE THE QUEEN!","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"_metrics":{"model":"kimi-k2.5","source":"moonshot-batch","completionTokens":1804},"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The proclamation operates strictly within the mechanism established by section 2 of the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976, which expressly contemplates extension to State waters via proclamation. It does not expand the Act's substantive scope or powers beyond the geographic application framework provided in the parent legislation."},"complexity_factors":["Single operative clause extending existing law to a specific jurisdiction","No defined terms or interpretation sections","No conditional logic or exceptions","Merely triggers application of existing legislation rather than creating new substantive rules"],"plain_english_summary":"This proclamation \"switches on\" federal historic shipwreck protection laws for **Queensland's coastal waters**.\n\n**What it does:**\nThe *Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976* protects shipwrecks of historic significance and their associated artifacts from damage, looting, or unauthorized disturbance. However, the Act only applies to waters adjacent to a State once a Proclamation is made. This document does exactly that for Queensland, meaning:\n\n*   Historic shipwrecks in Queensland waters are now protected under Commonwealth law\n*   Anyone wanting to disturb, excavate, or remove artifacts from these wrecks must obtain a federal permit\n*   Penalties apply for damaging or interfering with protected sites\n\n**Why it matters:**\nWithout this proclamation, historic shipwrecks off the Queensland coast (including significant sites on the Great Barrier Reef) would lack protection under the national heritage regime. This ensures nationally significant maritime heritage is preserved regardless of whether it lies in state or federal waters."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/proclamation-historic-shipwrecks-act-1976-queensland","history":"/api/acts/proclamation-historic-shipwrecks-act-1976-queensland/history","analysis":"/api/acts/proclamation-historic-shipwrecks-act-1976-queensland/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/proclamation-historic-shipwrecks-act-1976-queensland/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/proclamation-historic-shipwrecks-act-1976-queensland/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/proclamation-historic-shipwrecks-act-1976-queensland/documents"}}