{"id":"C2004A00046","name":"Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973","slug":"seas-and-submerged-lands-act-1973","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"161 of 1973","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":2697,"registerId":"commonwealth-C2004A00046-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-03-29","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Part I","sectionType":"part","heading":"Preliminary","content":"## Part I—Preliminary","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Short title","content":"#### 1 Short title\n\n  This Act may be cited as the Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973.","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"2","sectionType":"section","heading":"Commencement","content":"#### 2 Commencement\n\n  This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Interpretation","content":"#### 3 Interpretation\n\n  (1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:\n\n> Australia includes the Territories to which this Act extends.\n\n> contiguous zone has the same meaning as in Article 33 of the Convention.\n\n> continental shelf has the same meaning as in paragraph 1 of Article 76 of the Convention.\n\n> exclusive economic zone has the same meaning as in Articles 55 and 57 of the Convention.\n\n> Greater Sunrise special regime area means the area described in clause 1 of Schedule 2.\n\n> territorial sea has the same meaning as in Articles 3 and 4 of the Convention.\n\n> the Convention means the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea done at Montego Bay on 10 December 1982 (Parts II, V and VI of which are set out in Schedule 1).\n\n> Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty means the Treaty between Australia and the Democratic Republic of Timor‑Leste Establishing their Maritime Boundaries in the Timor Sea done at New York on 6 March 2018, as in force from time to time.\n\n> Note: The Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty could in 2019 be viewed in the Australian Treaties Library on the AustLII website (http://www.austlii.edu.au).\n\n  (2) In this Act, including section 6, a reference to the territorial sea of Australia is a reference to that territorial sea so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (2A) In this Act, including section 10A, a reference to the exclusive economic zone of Australia is a reference to that zone so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (3) In this Act, including section 11, a reference to the continental shelf of Australia is a reference to that continental shelf so far as it extends from time to time.\n\n> Note: Division 2AA of Part 2 affects the operation of laws in the part of the continental shelf of Australia in the Greater Sunrise special regime area.\n\n  (3A) In this Act, including section 13A, a reference to the contiguous zone of Australia is a reference to that zone so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (4) Where a Proclamation is in force under section 7, the territorial sea of Australia shall, for all purposes of this Act, be taken to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (4A) If a Proclamation is in force under section 10B, the exclusive economic zone of Australia is taken, for all purposes of this Act, to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (5) Where a Proclamation is in force under section 12, the continental shelf of Australia shall, for all purposes of this Act, be taken to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (5A) If a Proclamation is in force under section 13B, the contiguous zone of Australia is taken, for all purposes of this Act, to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.","sortOrder":3},{"sectionNumber":"4","sectionType":"section","heading":"Extension to Territories","content":"#### 4 Extension to Territories\n\n  This Act extends to all the Territories.","sortOrder":4},{"sectionNumber":"Part II","sectionType":"part","heading":"Sovereignty, sovereign rights and rights of control","content":"An Act relating to Sovereignty in respect of certain Waters of the Sea and in respect of the Airspace over, and the Sea‑bed and Subsoil beneath, those Waters and to Sovereign Rights in respect of the Continental Shelf and the Exclusive Economic Zone and to certain rights of control in respect of the Contiguous Zone\n\nPreamble\n\nWHEREAS a belt of sea adjacent to the coast of Australia, known as the territorial sea, and the airspace over the territorial sea and the bed and subsoil of the territorial sea, are within the sovereignty of Australia:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has:\n\n    (a) sovereign rights in respect of the waters, the sea‑bed and the subsoil that constitute the exclusive economic zone of Australia for the purposes of:\n    (i) exploring the zone; and\n    (ii) exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources of the zone; and\n    (b) sovereign rights with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the exclusive economic zone of Australia, such as the production of energy from water, currents and winds; and\n    (c) jurisdiction in accordance with international law in relation to:\n    (i) the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (ii) marine scientific research in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (iii) the protection and preservation of the marine environment in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (d) other rights and duties in relation to the exclusive economic zone provided for in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has sovereign rights in respect of the continental shelf (that is to say, the sea‑bed and subsoil of certain submarine areas adjacent to its coast but outside the area of the territorial sea) for the purpose of exploring it and exploiting its natural resources:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has the right under international law to exercise control within a contiguous zone to:\n\n    (a) prevent infringements of customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws within Australia or the territorial sea of Australia;\n    (b) to punish infringements of those laws:\n\nBE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen, the Senate and the House of Representatives of Australia, as follows:\n\n## Part I—Preliminary\n\n#### 1 Short title\n\n  This Act may be cited as the Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973.\n\n#### 2 Commencement\n\n  This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.\n\n#### 3 Interpretation\n\n  (1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:\n\n> Australia includes the Territories to which this Act extends.\n\n> contiguous zone has the same meaning as in Article 33 of the Convention.\n\n> continental shelf has the same meaning as in paragraph 1 of Article 76 of the Convention.\n\n> exclusive economic zone has the same meaning as in Articles 55 and 57 of the Convention.\n\n> Greater Sunrise special regime area means the area described in clause 1 of Schedule 2.\n\n> territorial sea has the same meaning as in Articles 3 and 4 of the Convention.\n\n> the Convention means the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea done at Montego Bay on 10 December 1982 (Parts II, V and VI of which are set out in Schedule 1).\n\n> Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty means the Treaty between Australia and the Democratic Republic of Timor‑Leste Establishing their Maritime Boundaries in the Timor Sea done at New York on 6 March 2018, as in force from time to time.\n\n> Note: The Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty could in 2019 be viewed in the Australian Treaties Library on the AustLII website (http://www.austlii.edu.au).\n\n  (2) In this Act, including section 6, a reference to the territorial sea of Australia is a reference to that territorial sea so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (2A) In this Act, including section 10A, a reference to the exclusive economic zone of Australia is a reference to that zone so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (3) In this Act, including section 11, a reference to the continental shelf of Australia is a reference to that continental shelf so far as it extends from time to time.\n\n> Note: Division 2AA of Part 2 affects the operation of laws in the part of the continental shelf of Australia in the Greater Sunrise special regime area.\n\n  (3A) In this Act, including section 13A, a reference to the contiguous zone of Australia is a reference to that zone so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (4) Where a Proclamation is in force under section 7, the territorial sea of Australia shall, for all purposes of this Act, be taken to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (4A) If a Proclamation is in force under section 10B, the exclusive economic zone of Australia is taken, for all purposes of this Act, to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (5) Where a Proclamation is in force under section 12, the continental shelf of Australia shall, for all purposes of this Act, be taken to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (5A) If a Proclamation is in force under section 13B, the contiguous zone of Australia is taken, for all purposes of this Act, to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n\n#### 4 Extension to Territories\n\n  This Act extends to all the Territories.\n\n## Part II—Sovereignty, sovereign rights and rights of control\n\n### Division 1—The territorial sea\n\n#### 5 Interpretation\n\n  In this Division, the territorial sea means the territorial sea of Australia.\n\n#### 6 Sovereignty in respect of territorial sea\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereignty in respect of the territorial sea, and in respect of the airspace over it and in respect of its bed and subsoil, is vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 7 Limits of territorial sea\n\n  (1) The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation, declare, not inconsistently with Section 2 of Part II of the Convention, the limits of the whole or of any part of the territorial sea.\n  (2) For the purposes of such a Proclamation, the Governor‑General may, in particular, determine either or both of the following:\n    (a) the breadth of the territorial sea;\n    (b) the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea, or of any part of the territorial sea, is to be measured.\n\n#### 8 Declaration of historic bays and historic waters\n\n  Where the Governor‑General is satisfied:\n    (a) that a bay is an historic bay, he or she may, by Proclamation, declare that bay to be an historic bay and shall, by the same or another Proclamation, define the sea‑ward limits of that bay; or\n    (b) that waters are historic waters, he or she may, by Proclamation, declare those waters to be historic waters and shall, by the same or another Proclamation, define the limits of those waters.\n\n#### 9 Charts of limits of territorial sea\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared and issued such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the territorial sea.\n  (2) In particular, the Minister may cause to be prepared and issued large‑scale charts showing the low‑water line along the coast and may cause to be shown on such a chart any other matter referred to in subsection (1).\n  (3) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of a chart prepared under this section is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the territorial sea.\n\n#### 10 Sovereignty in respect of internal waters\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereignty in respect of the internal waters of Australia (that is to say, any waters of the sea on the landward side of the baseline of the territorial sea) so far as they extend from time to time, and in respect of the airspace over those waters and in respect of the sea‑bed and subsoil beneath those waters, is vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n### Division 1A—The exclusive economic zone\n\n#### 10A Sovereign rights in respect of exclusive economic zone\n\n  It is declared and enacted that the rights and jurisdiction of Australia in its exclusive economic zone are vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 10B Limits of exclusive economic zone\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation declare, not inconsistently with:\n    (a) Article 55 or 57 of the Convention; or\n    (b) any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party;\n  the limits of the whole or of any part of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n\n#### 10C Charts of limits of exclusive economic zone\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of such a chart is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n\n### Division 2—The continental shelf\n\n#### 11 Sovereign rights in respect of continental shelf\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereign rights of Australia as a coastal State in respect of the continental shelf of Australia, for the purpose of exploring it and exploiting its natural resources, are vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 12 Limits of continental shelf\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time by Proclamation, declare, not inconsistently with Article 76 of the Convention or any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party, the limits of the whole or any part of the continental shelf of Australia.\n\n#### 13 Charts of limits of continental shelf\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared and issued such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the continental shelf of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of a chart prepared under this section is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the continental shelf of Australia.\n\n### Division 2AA—Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n#### 13AA Joint exercise of rights in Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n  Within the Greater Sunrise special regime area, Australia is to exercise its rights as a coastal state pursuant to Article 77 of the Convention jointly with Timor‑Leste.\n\n> Note: Under section 780M of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006, Australia’s rights may be exercised by the Designated Authority, the Governance Board or the Dispute Resolution Committee provided for by the Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty.\n\n#### 13AB Operation of Commonwealth law in relation to Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n  (1) A law of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory does not apply in relation to an act, omission, matter or thing directly or indirectly connected with the exploration of, or exploitation of the natural resources of, the continental shelf in the Greater Sunrise special regime area.\n  (2) Subsection (1) is subject to a contrary intention.\n\n#### 13AC Cessation of effect of this Division\n\n  (1) This Division ceases to have effect at the start of the day after the Greater Sunrise Special Regime, within the meaning of the Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty, ceases to be in force under the treaty.\n  (2) The Minister must announce, by notifiable instrument, the day that regime ceases to be in force under that treaty.\n\n### Division 2A—The contiguous zone\n\n#### 13A Rights of control in respect of contiguous zone\n\n  It is declared and enacted that Australia has a contiguous zone.\n\n> Note: The rights of control that Australia, as a coastal state, has in respect of the contiguous zone of Australia are exercisable in accordance with applicable Commonwealth, State and Territory laws.\n\n#### 13B Limits of contiguous zone\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation declare, not inconsistently with:\n    (a) Section 4 of Part II of the Convention; or\n    (b) any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party;\n  the limits of the whole or of any part of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n\n#### 13C Charts of limits of contiguous zone\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of such a chart is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n\n### Division 3—Savings\n\n#### 14 Part II does not affect waters etc. within State limits\n\n  Nothing in this Part affects sovereignty or sovereign rights in respect of any waters of the sea that are waters of or within any bay, gulf, estuary, river, creek, inlet, port or harbour and:\n    (a) were, on 1st January, 1901, within the limits of a State; and\n    (b) remain within the limits of the State;\n  or in respect of the airspace over, or in respect of the sea‑bed or subsoil beneath, any such waters.\n\n#### 15 Certain property not vested in Commonwealth\n\n  Nothing in this Part shall be taken to vest in the Crown in right of the Commonwealth any wharf, jetty, pier, breakwater, building, platform, pipeline, lighthouse, beacon, navigational aid, buoy, cable or other structure or works.\n\n#### 16 Saving of other laws\n\n  (1) The preceding provisions of this Part:\n    (a) do not limit or exclude the operation of any law of the Commonwealth or of a Territory, other than the Northern Territory, in force at the date of commencement of this Act or coming into force after that date; and\n    (b) do not limit or exclude the operation of any law of a State or of the Northern Territory in force at the date of commencement of this Act or coming into force after that date, except in so far as the law is expressed to vest or make exercisable any sovereignty or sovereign rights otherwise than as provided by the preceding provisions of this Part.\n  (2) A law of a State or of the Northern Territory shall not be taken to be within the words of exception in paragraph (b) of subsection (1):\n    (a) by reason that the law makes provision with respect to, or touching or concerning, any sea‑bed or subsoil that is declared by Division 1 to be within the sovereign of the Crown in right of the Commonwealth, or the living or non‑living resources of any such sea‑bed or subsoil, if proprietary rights in respect of that sea‑bed or subsoil have become vested in the Crown in right of the State or of the Northern Territory, as the case may be, by or under a law of the Commonwealth; or\n    (b) by reason that the law makes provision with respect to, or touching or concerning, any sea‑bed or subsoil referred to in Division 1 or Division 2 but in respect of which paragraph (a) does not apply, or the living or non‑living resources of any such sea‑bed or subsoil, if the law is otherwise within powers with respect to particular matters that are conferred on the legislature of the State or of the Northern Territory, as the case may be, by the Coastal Waters (State Powers) Act 1980 or the Coastal Waters (Northern Territory Powers) Act 1980.","sortOrder":5},{"sectionNumber":"Division 1","sectionType":"division","heading":"The territorial sea","content":"An Act relating to Sovereignty in respect of certain Waters of the Sea and in respect of the Airspace over, and the Sea‑bed and Subsoil beneath, those Waters and to Sovereign Rights in respect of the Continental Shelf and the Exclusive Economic Zone and to certain rights of control in respect of the Contiguous Zone\n\nPreamble\n\nWHEREAS a belt of sea adjacent to the coast of Australia, known as the territorial sea, and the airspace over the territorial sea and the bed and subsoil of the territorial sea, are within the sovereignty of Australia:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has:\n\n    (a) sovereign rights in respect of the waters, the sea‑bed and the subsoil that constitute the exclusive economic zone of Australia for the purposes of:\n    (i) exploring the zone; and\n    (ii) exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources of the zone; and\n    (b) sovereign rights with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the exclusive economic zone of Australia, such as the production of energy from water, currents and winds; and\n    (c) jurisdiction in accordance with international law in relation to:\n    (i) the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (ii) marine scientific research in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (iii) the protection and preservation of the marine environment in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (d) other rights and duties in relation to the exclusive economic zone provided for in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has sovereign rights in respect of the continental shelf (that is to say, the sea‑bed and subsoil of certain submarine areas adjacent to its coast but outside the area of the territorial sea) for the purpose of exploring it and exploiting its natural resources:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has the right under international law to exercise control within a contiguous zone to:\n\n    (a) prevent infringements of customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws within Australia or the territorial sea of Australia;\n    (b) to punish infringements of those laws:\n\nBE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen, the Senate and the House of Representatives of Australia, as follows:\n\n## Part I—Preliminary\n\n#### 1 Short title\n\n  This Act may be cited as the Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973.\n\n#### 2 Commencement\n\n  This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.\n\n#### 3 Interpretation\n\n  (1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:\n\n> Australia includes the Territories to which this Act extends.\n\n> contiguous zone has the same meaning as in Article 33 of the Convention.\n\n> continental shelf has the same meaning as in paragraph 1 of Article 76 of the Convention.\n\n> exclusive economic zone has the same meaning as in Articles 55 and 57 of the Convention.\n\n> Greater Sunrise special regime area means the area described in clause 1 of Schedule 2.\n\n> territorial sea has the same meaning as in Articles 3 and 4 of the Convention.\n\n> the Convention means the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea done at Montego Bay on 10 December 1982 (Parts II, V and VI of which are set out in Schedule 1).\n\n> Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty means the Treaty between Australia and the Democratic Republic of Timor‑Leste Establishing their Maritime Boundaries in the Timor Sea done at New York on 6 March 2018, as in force from time to time.\n\n> Note: The Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty could in 2019 be viewed in the Australian Treaties Library on the AustLII website (http://www.austlii.edu.au).\n\n  (2) In this Act, including section 6, a reference to the territorial sea of Australia is a reference to that territorial sea so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (2A) In this Act, including section 10A, a reference to the exclusive economic zone of Australia is a reference to that zone so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (3) In this Act, including section 11, a reference to the continental shelf of Australia is a reference to that continental shelf so far as it extends from time to time.\n\n> Note: Division 2AA of Part 2 affects the operation of laws in the part of the continental shelf of Australia in the Greater Sunrise special regime area.\n\n  (3A) In this Act, including section 13A, a reference to the contiguous zone of Australia is a reference to that zone so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (4) Where a Proclamation is in force under section 7, the territorial sea of Australia shall, for all purposes of this Act, be taken to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (4A) If a Proclamation is in force under section 10B, the exclusive economic zone of Australia is taken, for all purposes of this Act, to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (5) Where a Proclamation is in force under section 12, the continental shelf of Australia shall, for all purposes of this Act, be taken to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (5A) If a Proclamation is in force under section 13B, the contiguous zone of Australia is taken, for all purposes of this Act, to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n\n#### 4 Extension to Territories\n\n  This Act extends to all the Territories.\n\n## Part II—Sovereignty, sovereign rights and rights of control\n\n### Division 1—The territorial sea\n\n#### 5 Interpretation\n\n  In this Division, the territorial sea means the territorial sea of Australia.\n\n#### 6 Sovereignty in respect of territorial sea\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereignty in respect of the territorial sea, and in respect of the airspace over it and in respect of its bed and subsoil, is vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 7 Limits of territorial sea\n\n  (1) The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation, declare, not inconsistently with Section 2 of Part II of the Convention, the limits of the whole or of any part of the territorial sea.\n  (2) For the purposes of such a Proclamation, the Governor‑General may, in particular, determine either or both of the following:\n    (a) the breadth of the territorial sea;\n    (b) the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea, or of any part of the territorial sea, is to be measured.\n\n#### 8 Declaration of historic bays and historic waters\n\n  Where the Governor‑General is satisfied:\n    (a) that a bay is an historic bay, he or she may, by Proclamation, declare that bay to be an historic bay and shall, by the same or another Proclamation, define the sea‑ward limits of that bay; or\n    (b) that waters are historic waters, he or she may, by Proclamation, declare those waters to be historic waters and shall, by the same or another Proclamation, define the limits of those waters.\n\n#### 9 Charts of limits of territorial sea\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared and issued such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the territorial sea.\n  (2) In particular, the Minister may cause to be prepared and issued large‑scale charts showing the low‑water line along the coast and may cause to be shown on such a chart any other matter referred to in subsection (1).\n  (3) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of a chart prepared under this section is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the territorial sea.\n\n#### 10 Sovereignty in respect of internal waters\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereignty in respect of the internal waters of Australia (that is to say, any waters of the sea on the landward side of the baseline of the territorial sea) so far as they extend from time to time, and in respect of the airspace over those waters and in respect of the sea‑bed and subsoil beneath those waters, is vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n### Division 1A—The exclusive economic zone\n\n#### 10A Sovereign rights in respect of exclusive economic zone\n\n  It is declared and enacted that the rights and jurisdiction of Australia in its exclusive economic zone are vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 10B Limits of exclusive economic zone\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation declare, not inconsistently with:\n    (a) Article 55 or 57 of the Convention; or\n    (b) any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party;\n  the limits of the whole or of any part of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n\n#### 10C Charts of limits of exclusive economic zone\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of such a chart is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n\n### Division 2—The continental shelf\n\n#### 11 Sovereign rights in respect of continental shelf\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereign rights of Australia as a coastal State in respect of the continental shelf of Australia, for the purpose of exploring it and exploiting its natural resources, are vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 12 Limits of continental shelf\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time by Proclamation, declare, not inconsistently with Article 76 of the Convention or any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party, the limits of the whole or any part of the continental shelf of Australia.\n\n#### 13 Charts of limits of continental shelf\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared and issued such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the continental shelf of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of a chart prepared under this section is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the continental shelf of Australia.\n\n### Division 2AA—Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n#### 13AA Joint exercise of rights in Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n  Within the Greater Sunrise special regime area, Australia is to exercise its rights as a coastal state pursuant to Article 77 of the Convention jointly with Timor‑Leste.\n\n> Note: Under section 780M of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006, Australia’s rights may be exercised by the Designated Authority, the Governance Board or the Dispute Resolution Committee provided for by the Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty.\n\n#### 13AB Operation of Commonwealth law in relation to Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n  (1) A law of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory does not apply in relation to an act, omission, matter or thing directly or indirectly connected with the exploration of, or exploitation of the natural resources of, the continental shelf in the Greater Sunrise special regime area.\n  (2) Subsection (1) is subject to a contrary intention.\n\n#### 13AC Cessation of effect of this Division\n\n  (1) This Division ceases to have effect at the start of the day after the Greater Sunrise Special Regime, within the meaning of the Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty, ceases to be in force under the treaty.\n  (2) The Minister must announce, by notifiable instrument, the day that regime ceases to be in force under that treaty.\n\n### Division 2A—The contiguous zone\n\n#### 13A Rights of control in respect of contiguous zone\n\n  It is declared and enacted that Australia has a contiguous zone.\n\n> Note: The rights of control that Australia, as a coastal state, has in respect of the contiguous zone of Australia are exercisable in accordance with applicable Commonwealth, State and Territory laws.\n\n#### 13B Limits of contiguous zone\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation declare, not inconsistently with:\n    (a) Section 4 of Part II of the Convention; or\n    (b) any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party;\n  the limits of the whole or of any part of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n\n#### 13C Charts of limits of contiguous zone\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of such a chart is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n\n### Division 3—Savings\n\n#### 14 Part II does not affect waters etc. within State limits\n\n  Nothing in this Part affects sovereignty or sovereign rights in respect of any waters of the sea that are waters of or within any bay, gulf, estuary, river, creek, inlet, port or harbour and:\n    (a) were, on 1st January, 1901, within the limits of a State; and\n    (b) remain within the limits of the State;\n  or in respect of the airspace over, or in respect of the sea‑bed or subsoil beneath, any such waters.\n\n#### 15 Certain property not vested in Commonwealth\n\n  Nothing in this Part shall be taken to vest in the Crown in right of the Commonwealth any wharf, jetty, pier, breakwater, building, platform, pipeline, lighthouse, beacon, navigational aid, buoy, cable or other structure or works.\n\n#### 16 Saving of other laws\n\n  (1) The preceding provisions of this Part:\n    (a) do not limit or exclude the operation of any law of the Commonwealth or of a Territory, other than the Northern Territory, in force at the date of commencement of this Act or coming into force after that date; and\n    (b) do not limit or exclude the operation of any law of a State or of the Northern Territory in force at the date of commencement of this Act or coming into force after that date, except in so far as the law is expressed to vest or make exercisable any sovereignty or sovereign rights otherwise than as provided by the preceding provisions of this Part.\n  (2) A law of a State or of the Northern Territory shall not be taken to be within the words of exception in paragraph (b) of subsection (1):\n    (a) by reason that the law makes provision with respect to, or touching or concerning, any sea‑bed or subsoil that is declared by Division 1 to be within the sovereign of the Crown in right of the Commonwealth, or the living or non‑living resources of any such sea‑bed or subsoil, if proprietary rights in respect of that sea‑bed or subsoil have become vested in the Crown in right of the State or of the Northern Territory, as the case may be, by or under a law of the Commonwealth; or\n    (b) by reason that the law makes provision with respect to, or touching or concerning, any sea‑bed or subsoil referred to in Division 1 or Division 2 but in respect of which paragraph (a) does not apply, or the living or non‑living resources of any such sea‑bed or subsoil, if the law is otherwise within powers with respect to particular matters that are conferred on the legislature of the State or of the Northern Territory, as the case may be, by the Coastal Waters (State Powers) Act 1980 or the Coastal Waters (Northern Territory Powers) Act 1980.","sortOrder":6},{"sectionNumber":"5","sectionType":"section","heading":"Interpretation","content":"#### 5 Interpretation\n\n  In this Division, the territorial sea means the territorial sea of Australia.","sortOrder":7},{"sectionNumber":"6","sectionType":"section","heading":"Sovereignty in respect of territorial sea","content":"#### 6 Sovereignty in respect of territorial sea\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereignty in respect of the territorial sea, and in respect of the airspace over it and in respect of its bed and subsoil, is vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.","sortOrder":8},{"sectionNumber":"7","sectionType":"section","heading":"Limits of territorial sea","content":"#### 7 Limits of territorial sea\n\n  (1) The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation, declare, not inconsistently with Section 2 of Part II of the Convention, the limits of the whole or of any part of the territorial sea.\n  (2) For the purposes of such a Proclamation, the Governor‑General may, in particular, determine either or both of the following:\n    (a) the breadth of the territorial sea;\n    (b) the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea, or of any part of the territorial sea, is to be measured.","sortOrder":9},{"sectionNumber":"8","sectionType":"section","heading":"Declaration of historic bays and historic waters","content":"#### 8 Declaration of historic bays and historic waters\n\n  Where the Governor‑General is satisfied:\n    (a) that a bay is an historic bay, he or she may, by Proclamation, declare that bay to be an historic bay and shall, by the same or another Proclamation, define the sea‑ward limits of that bay; or\n    (b) that waters are historic waters, he or she may, by Proclamation, declare those waters to be historic waters and shall, by the same or another Proclamation, define the limits of those waters.","sortOrder":10},{"sectionNumber":"9","sectionType":"section","heading":"Charts of limits of territorial sea","content":"#### 9 Charts of limits of territorial sea\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared and issued such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the territorial sea.\n  (2) In particular, the Minister may cause to be prepared and issued large‑scale charts showing the low‑water line along the coast and may cause to be shown on such a chart any other matter referred to in subsection (1).\n  (3) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of a chart prepared under this section is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the territorial sea.","sortOrder":11},{"sectionNumber":"10","sectionType":"section","heading":"Sovereignty in respect of internal waters","content":"#### 10 Sovereignty in respect of internal waters\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereignty in respect of the internal waters of Australia (that is to say, any waters of the sea on the landward side of the baseline of the territorial sea) so far as they extend from time to time, and in respect of the airspace over those waters and in respect of the sea‑bed and subsoil beneath those waters, is vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.","sortOrder":12},{"sectionNumber":"Division 1A","sectionType":"division","heading":"The exclusive economic zone","content":"An Act relating to Sovereignty in respect of certain Waters of the Sea and in respect of the Airspace over, and the Sea‑bed and Subsoil beneath, those Waters and to Sovereign Rights in respect of the Continental Shelf and the Exclusive Economic Zone and to certain rights of control in respect of the Contiguous Zone\n\nPreamble\n\nWHEREAS a belt of sea adjacent to the coast of Australia, known as the territorial sea, and the airspace over the territorial sea and the bed and subsoil of the territorial sea, are within the sovereignty of Australia:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has:\n\n    (a) sovereign rights in respect of the waters, the sea‑bed and the subsoil that constitute the exclusive economic zone of Australia for the purposes of:\n    (i) exploring the zone; and\n    (ii) exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources of the zone; and\n    (b) sovereign rights with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the exclusive economic zone of Australia, such as the production of energy from water, currents and winds; and\n    (c) jurisdiction in accordance with international law in relation to:\n    (i) the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (ii) marine scientific research in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (iii) the protection and preservation of the marine environment in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (d) other rights and duties in relation to the exclusive economic zone provided for in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has sovereign rights in respect of the continental shelf (that is to say, the sea‑bed and subsoil of certain submarine areas adjacent to its coast but outside the area of the territorial sea) for the purpose of exploring it and exploiting its natural resources:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has the right under international law to exercise control within a contiguous zone to:\n\n    (a) prevent infringements of customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws within Australia or the territorial sea of Australia;\n    (b) to punish infringements of those laws:\n\nBE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen, the Senate and the House of Representatives of Australia, as follows:\n\n## Part I—Preliminary\n\n#### 1 Short title\n\n  This Act may be cited as the Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973.\n\n#### 2 Commencement\n\n  This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.\n\n#### 3 Interpretation\n\n  (1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:\n\n> Australia includes the Territories to which this Act extends.\n\n> contiguous zone has the same meaning as in Article 33 of the Convention.\n\n> continental shelf has the same meaning as in paragraph 1 of Article 76 of the Convention.\n\n> exclusive economic zone has the same meaning as in Articles 55 and 57 of the Convention.\n\n> Greater Sunrise special regime area means the area described in clause 1 of Schedule 2.\n\n> territorial sea has the same meaning as in Articles 3 and 4 of the Convention.\n\n> the Convention means the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea done at Montego Bay on 10 December 1982 (Parts II, V and VI of which are set out in Schedule 1).\n\n> Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty means the Treaty between Australia and the Democratic Republic of Timor‑Leste Establishing their Maritime Boundaries in the Timor Sea done at New York on 6 March 2018, as in force from time to time.\n\n> Note: The Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty could in 2019 be viewed in the Australian Treaties Library on the AustLII website (http://www.austlii.edu.au).\n\n  (2) In this Act, including section 6, a reference to the territorial sea of Australia is a reference to that territorial sea so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (2A) In this Act, including section 10A, a reference to the exclusive economic zone of Australia is a reference to that zone so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (3) In this Act, including section 11, a reference to the continental shelf of Australia is a reference to that continental shelf so far as it extends from time to time.\n\n> Note: Division 2AA of Part 2 affects the operation of laws in the part of the continental shelf of Australia in the Greater Sunrise special regime area.\n\n  (3A) In this Act, including section 13A, a reference to the contiguous zone of Australia is a reference to that zone so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (4) Where a Proclamation is in force under section 7, the territorial sea of Australia shall, for all purposes of this Act, be taken to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (4A) If a Proclamation is in force under section 10B, the exclusive economic zone of Australia is taken, for all purposes of this Act, to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (5) Where a Proclamation is in force under section 12, the continental shelf of Australia shall, for all purposes of this Act, be taken to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (5A) If a Proclamation is in force under section 13B, the contiguous zone of Australia is taken, for all purposes of this Act, to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n\n#### 4 Extension to Territories\n\n  This Act extends to all the Territories.\n\n## Part II—Sovereignty, sovereign rights and rights of control\n\n### Division 1—The territorial sea\n\n#### 5 Interpretation\n\n  In this Division, the territorial sea means the territorial sea of Australia.\n\n#### 6 Sovereignty in respect of territorial sea\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereignty in respect of the territorial sea, and in respect of the airspace over it and in respect of its bed and subsoil, is vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 7 Limits of territorial sea\n\n  (1) The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation, declare, not inconsistently with Section 2 of Part II of the Convention, the limits of the whole or of any part of the territorial sea.\n  (2) For the purposes of such a Proclamation, the Governor‑General may, in particular, determine either or both of the following:\n    (a) the breadth of the territorial sea;\n    (b) the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea, or of any part of the territorial sea, is to be measured.\n\n#### 8 Declaration of historic bays and historic waters\n\n  Where the Governor‑General is satisfied:\n    (a) that a bay is an historic bay, he or she may, by Proclamation, declare that bay to be an historic bay and shall, by the same or another Proclamation, define the sea‑ward limits of that bay; or\n    (b) that waters are historic waters, he or she may, by Proclamation, declare those waters to be historic waters and shall, by the same or another Proclamation, define the limits of those waters.\n\n#### 9 Charts of limits of territorial sea\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared and issued such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the territorial sea.\n  (2) In particular, the Minister may cause to be prepared and issued large‑scale charts showing the low‑water line along the coast and may cause to be shown on such a chart any other matter referred to in subsection (1).\n  (3) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of a chart prepared under this section is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the territorial sea.\n\n#### 10 Sovereignty in respect of internal waters\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereignty in respect of the internal waters of Australia (that is to say, any waters of the sea on the landward side of the baseline of the territorial sea) so far as they extend from time to time, and in respect of the airspace over those waters and in respect of the sea‑bed and subsoil beneath those waters, is vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n### Division 1A—The exclusive economic zone\n\n#### 10A Sovereign rights in respect of exclusive economic zone\n\n  It is declared and enacted that the rights and jurisdiction of Australia in its exclusive economic zone are vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 10B Limits of exclusive economic zone\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation declare, not inconsistently with:\n    (a) Article 55 or 57 of the Convention; or\n    (b) any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party;\n  the limits of the whole or of any part of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n\n#### 10C Charts of limits of exclusive economic zone\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of such a chart is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n\n### Division 2—The continental shelf\n\n#### 11 Sovereign rights in respect of continental shelf\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereign rights of Australia as a coastal State in respect of the continental shelf of Australia, for the purpose of exploring it and exploiting its natural resources, are vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 12 Limits of continental shelf\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time by Proclamation, declare, not inconsistently with Article 76 of the Convention or any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party, the limits of the whole or any part of the continental shelf of Australia.\n\n#### 13 Charts of limits of continental shelf\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared and issued such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the continental shelf of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of a chart prepared under this section is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the continental shelf of Australia.\n\n### Division 2AA—Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n#### 13AA Joint exercise of rights in Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n  Within the Greater Sunrise special regime area, Australia is to exercise its rights as a coastal state pursuant to Article 77 of the Convention jointly with Timor‑Leste.\n\n> Note: Under section 780M of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006, Australia’s rights may be exercised by the Designated Authority, the Governance Board or the Dispute Resolution Committee provided for by the Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty.\n\n#### 13AB Operation of Commonwealth law in relation to Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n  (1) A law of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory does not apply in relation to an act, omission, matter or thing directly or indirectly connected with the exploration of, or exploitation of the natural resources of, the continental shelf in the Greater Sunrise special regime area.\n  (2) Subsection (1) is subject to a contrary intention.\n\n#### 13AC Cessation of effect of this Division\n\n  (1) This Division ceases to have effect at the start of the day after the Greater Sunrise Special Regime, within the meaning of the Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty, ceases to be in force under the treaty.\n  (2) The Minister must announce, by notifiable instrument, the day that regime ceases to be in force under that treaty.\n\n### Division 2A—The contiguous zone\n\n#### 13A Rights of control in respect of contiguous zone\n\n  It is declared and enacted that Australia has a contiguous zone.\n\n> Note: The rights of control that Australia, as a coastal state, has in respect of the contiguous zone of Australia are exercisable in accordance with applicable Commonwealth, State and Territory laws.\n\n#### 13B Limits of contiguous zone\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation declare, not inconsistently with:\n    (a) Section 4 of Part II of the Convention; or\n    (b) any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party;\n  the limits of the whole or of any part of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n\n#### 13C Charts of limits of contiguous zone\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of such a chart is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n\n### Division 3—Savings\n\n#### 14 Part II does not affect waters etc. within State limits\n\n  Nothing in this Part affects sovereignty or sovereign rights in respect of any waters of the sea that are waters of or within any bay, gulf, estuary, river, creek, inlet, port or harbour and:\n    (a) were, on 1st January, 1901, within the limits of a State; and\n    (b) remain within the limits of the State;\n  or in respect of the airspace over, or in respect of the sea‑bed or subsoil beneath, any such waters.\n\n#### 15 Certain property not vested in Commonwealth\n\n  Nothing in this Part shall be taken to vest in the Crown in right of the Commonwealth any wharf, jetty, pier, breakwater, building, platform, pipeline, lighthouse, beacon, navigational aid, buoy, cable or other structure or works.\n\n#### 16 Saving of other laws\n\n  (1) The preceding provisions of this Part:\n    (a) do not limit or exclude the operation of any law of the Commonwealth or of a Territory, other than the Northern Territory, in force at the date of commencement of this Act or coming into force after that date; and\n    (b) do not limit or exclude the operation of any law of a State or of the Northern Territory in force at the date of commencement of this Act or coming into force after that date, except in so far as the law is expressed to vest or make exercisable any sovereignty or sovereign rights otherwise than as provided by the preceding provisions of this Part.\n  (2) A law of a State or of the Northern Territory shall not be taken to be within the words of exception in paragraph (b) of subsection (1):\n    (a) by reason that the law makes provision with respect to, or touching or concerning, any sea‑bed or subsoil that is declared by Division 1 to be within the sovereign of the Crown in right of the Commonwealth, or the living or non‑living resources of any such sea‑bed or subsoil, if proprietary rights in respect of that sea‑bed or subsoil have become vested in the Crown in right of the State or of the Northern Territory, as the case may be, by or under a law of the Commonwealth; or\n    (b) by reason that the law makes provision with respect to, or touching or concerning, any sea‑bed or subsoil referred to in Division 1 or Division 2 but in respect of which paragraph (a) does not apply, or the living or non‑living resources of any such sea‑bed or subsoil, if the law is otherwise within powers with respect to particular matters that are conferred on the legislature of the State or of the Northern Territory, as the case may be, by the Coastal Waters (State Powers) Act 1980 or the Coastal Waters (Northern Territory Powers) Act 1980.","sortOrder":13},{"sectionNumber":"10A","sectionType":"section","heading":"Sovereign rights in respect of exclusive economic zone","content":"#### 10A Sovereign rights in respect of exclusive economic zone\n\n  It is declared and enacted that the rights and jurisdiction of Australia in its exclusive economic zone are vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.","sortOrder":14},{"sectionNumber":"10B","sectionType":"section","heading":"Limits of exclusive economic zone","content":"#### 10B Limits of exclusive economic zone\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation declare, not inconsistently with:\n    (a) Article 55 or 57 of the Convention; or\n    (b) any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party;\n  the limits of the whole or of any part of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.","sortOrder":15},{"sectionNumber":"10C","sectionType":"section","heading":"Charts of limits of exclusive economic zone","content":"#### 10C Charts of limits of exclusive economic zone\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of such a chart is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.","sortOrder":16},{"sectionNumber":"Division 2","sectionType":"division","heading":"The continental shelf","content":"An Act relating to Sovereignty in respect of certain Waters of the Sea and in respect of the Airspace over, and the Sea‑bed and Subsoil beneath, those Waters and to Sovereign Rights in respect of the Continental Shelf and the Exclusive Economic Zone and to certain rights of control in respect of the Contiguous Zone\n\nPreamble\n\nWHEREAS a belt of sea adjacent to the coast of Australia, known as the territorial sea, and the airspace over the territorial sea and the bed and subsoil of the territorial sea, are within the sovereignty of Australia:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has:\n\n    (a) sovereign rights in respect of the waters, the sea‑bed and the subsoil that constitute the exclusive economic zone of Australia for the purposes of:\n    (i) exploring the zone; and\n    (ii) exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources of the zone; and\n    (b) sovereign rights with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the exclusive economic zone of Australia, such as the production of energy from water, currents and winds; and\n    (c) jurisdiction in accordance with international law in relation to:\n    (i) the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (ii) marine scientific research in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (iii) the protection and preservation of the marine environment in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (d) other rights and duties in relation to the exclusive economic zone provided for in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has sovereign rights in respect of the continental shelf (that is to say, the sea‑bed and subsoil of certain submarine areas adjacent to its coast but outside the area of the territorial sea) for the purpose of exploring it and exploiting its natural resources:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has the right under international law to exercise control within a contiguous zone to:\n\n    (a) prevent infringements of customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws within Australia or the territorial sea of Australia;\n    (b) to punish infringements of those laws:\n\nBE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen, the Senate and the House of Representatives of Australia, as follows:\n\n## Part I—Preliminary\n\n#### 1 Short title\n\n  This Act may be cited as the Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973.\n\n#### 2 Commencement\n\n  This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.\n\n#### 3 Interpretation\n\n  (1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:\n\n> Australia includes the Territories to which this Act extends.\n\n> contiguous zone has the same meaning as in Article 33 of the Convention.\n\n> continental shelf has the same meaning as in paragraph 1 of Article 76 of the Convention.\n\n> exclusive economic zone has the same meaning as in Articles 55 and 57 of the Convention.\n\n> Greater Sunrise special regime area means the area described in clause 1 of Schedule 2.\n\n> territorial sea has the same meaning as in Articles 3 and 4 of the Convention.\n\n> the Convention means the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea done at Montego Bay on 10 December 1982 (Parts II, V and VI of which are set out in Schedule 1).\n\n> Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty means the Treaty between Australia and the Democratic Republic of Timor‑Leste Establishing their Maritime Boundaries in the Timor Sea done at New York on 6 March 2018, as in force from time to time.\n\n> Note: The Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty could in 2019 be viewed in the Australian Treaties Library on the AustLII website (http://www.austlii.edu.au).\n\n  (2) In this Act, including section 6, a reference to the territorial sea of Australia is a reference to that territorial sea so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (2A) In this Act, including section 10A, a reference to the exclusive economic zone of Australia is a reference to that zone so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (3) In this Act, including section 11, a reference to the continental shelf of Australia is a reference to that continental shelf so far as it extends from time to time.\n\n> Note: Division 2AA of Part 2 affects the operation of laws in the part of the continental shelf of Australia in the Greater Sunrise special regime area.\n\n  (3A) In this Act, including section 13A, a reference to the contiguous zone of Australia is a reference to that zone so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (4) Where a Proclamation is in force under section 7, the territorial sea of Australia shall, for all purposes of this Act, be taken to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (4A) If a Proclamation is in force under section 10B, the exclusive economic zone of Australia is taken, for all purposes of this Act, to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (5) Where a Proclamation is in force under section 12, the continental shelf of Australia shall, for all purposes of this Act, be taken to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (5A) If a Proclamation is in force under section 13B, the contiguous zone of Australia is taken, for all purposes of this Act, to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n\n#### 4 Extension to Territories\n\n  This Act extends to all the Territories.\n\n## Part II—Sovereignty, sovereign rights and rights of control\n\n### Division 1—The territorial sea\n\n#### 5 Interpretation\n\n  In this Division, the territorial sea means the territorial sea of Australia.\n\n#### 6 Sovereignty in respect of territorial sea\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereignty in respect of the territorial sea, and in respect of the airspace over it and in respect of its bed and subsoil, is vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 7 Limits of territorial sea\n\n  (1) The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation, declare, not inconsistently with Section 2 of Part II of the Convention, the limits of the whole or of any part of the territorial sea.\n  (2) For the purposes of such a Proclamation, the Governor‑General may, in particular, determine either or both of the following:\n    (a) the breadth of the territorial sea;\n    (b) the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea, or of any part of the territorial sea, is to be measured.\n\n#### 8 Declaration of historic bays and historic waters\n\n  Where the Governor‑General is satisfied:\n    (a) that a bay is an historic bay, he or she may, by Proclamation, declare that bay to be an historic bay and shall, by the same or another Proclamation, define the sea‑ward limits of that bay; or\n    (b) that waters are historic waters, he or she may, by Proclamation, declare those waters to be historic waters and shall, by the same or another Proclamation, define the limits of those waters.\n\n#### 9 Charts of limits of territorial sea\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared and issued such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the territorial sea.\n  (2) In particular, the Minister may cause to be prepared and issued large‑scale charts showing the low‑water line along the coast and may cause to be shown on such a chart any other matter referred to in subsection (1).\n  (3) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of a chart prepared under this section is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the territorial sea.\n\n#### 10 Sovereignty in respect of internal waters\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereignty in respect of the internal waters of Australia (that is to say, any waters of the sea on the landward side of the baseline of the territorial sea) so far as they extend from time to time, and in respect of the airspace over those waters and in respect of the sea‑bed and subsoil beneath those waters, is vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n### Division 1A—The exclusive economic zone\n\n#### 10A Sovereign rights in respect of exclusive economic zone\n\n  It is declared and enacted that the rights and jurisdiction of Australia in its exclusive economic zone are vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 10B Limits of exclusive economic zone\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation declare, not inconsistently with:\n    (a) Article 55 or 57 of the Convention; or\n    (b) any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party;\n  the limits of the whole or of any part of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n\n#### 10C Charts of limits of exclusive economic zone\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of such a chart is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n\n### Division 2—The continental shelf\n\n#### 11 Sovereign rights in respect of continental shelf\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereign rights of Australia as a coastal State in respect of the continental shelf of Australia, for the purpose of exploring it and exploiting its natural resources, are vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 12 Limits of continental shelf\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time by Proclamation, declare, not inconsistently with Article 76 of the Convention or any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party, the limits of the whole or any part of the continental shelf of Australia.\n\n#### 13 Charts of limits of continental shelf\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared and issued such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the continental shelf of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of a chart prepared under this section is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the continental shelf of Australia.\n\n### Division 2AA—Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n#### 13AA Joint exercise of rights in Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n  Within the Greater Sunrise special regime area, Australia is to exercise its rights as a coastal state pursuant to Article 77 of the Convention jointly with Timor‑Leste.\n\n> Note: Under section 780M of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006, Australia’s rights may be exercised by the Designated Authority, the Governance Board or the Dispute Resolution Committee provided for by the Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty.\n\n#### 13AB Operation of Commonwealth law in relation to Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n  (1) A law of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory does not apply in relation to an act, omission, matter or thing directly or indirectly connected with the exploration of, or exploitation of the natural resources of, the continental shelf in the Greater Sunrise special regime area.\n  (2) Subsection (1) is subject to a contrary intention.\n\n#### 13AC Cessation of effect of this Division\n\n  (1) This Division ceases to have effect at the start of the day after the Greater Sunrise Special Regime, within the meaning of the Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty, ceases to be in force under the treaty.\n  (2) The Minister must announce, by notifiable instrument, the day that regime ceases to be in force under that treaty.\n\n### Division 2A—The contiguous zone\n\n#### 13A Rights of control in respect of contiguous zone\n\n  It is declared and enacted that Australia has a contiguous zone.\n\n> Note: The rights of control that Australia, as a coastal state, has in respect of the contiguous zone of Australia are exercisable in accordance with applicable Commonwealth, State and Territory laws.\n\n#### 13B Limits of contiguous zone\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation declare, not inconsistently with:\n    (a) Section 4 of Part II of the Convention; or\n    (b) any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party;\n  the limits of the whole or of any part of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n\n#### 13C Charts of limits of contiguous zone\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of such a chart is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n\n### Division 3—Savings\n\n#### 14 Part II does not affect waters etc. within State limits\n\n  Nothing in this Part affects sovereignty or sovereign rights in respect of any waters of the sea that are waters of or within any bay, gulf, estuary, river, creek, inlet, port or harbour and:\n    (a) were, on 1st January, 1901, within the limits of a State; and\n    (b) remain within the limits of the State;\n  or in respect of the airspace over, or in respect of the sea‑bed or subsoil beneath, any such waters.\n\n#### 15 Certain property not vested in Commonwealth\n\n  Nothing in this Part shall be taken to vest in the Crown in right of the Commonwealth any wharf, jetty, pier, breakwater, building, platform, pipeline, lighthouse, beacon, navigational aid, buoy, cable or other structure or works.\n\n#### 16 Saving of other laws\n\n  (1) The preceding provisions of this Part:\n    (a) do not limit or exclude the operation of any law of the Commonwealth or of a Territory, other than the Northern Territory, in force at the date of commencement of this Act or coming into force after that date; and\n    (b) do not limit or exclude the operation of any law of a State or of the Northern Territory in force at the date of commencement of this Act or coming into force after that date, except in so far as the law is expressed to vest or make exercisable any sovereignty or sovereign rights otherwise than as provided by the preceding provisions of this Part.\n  (2) A law of a State or of the Northern Territory shall not be taken to be within the words of exception in paragraph (b) of subsection (1):\n    (a) by reason that the law makes provision with respect to, or touching or concerning, any sea‑bed or subsoil that is declared by Division 1 to be within the sovereign of the Crown in right of the Commonwealth, or the living or non‑living resources of any such sea‑bed or subsoil, if proprietary rights in respect of that sea‑bed or subsoil have become vested in the Crown in right of the State or of the Northern Territory, as the case may be, by or under a law of the Commonwealth; or\n    (b) by reason that the law makes provision with respect to, or touching or concerning, any sea‑bed or subsoil referred to in Division 1 or Division 2 but in respect of which paragraph (a) does not apply, or the living or non‑living resources of any such sea‑bed or subsoil, if the law is otherwise within powers with respect to particular matters that are conferred on the legislature of the State or of the Northern Territory, as the case may be, by the Coastal Waters (State Powers) Act 1980 or the Coastal Waters (Northern Territory Powers) Act 1980.","sortOrder":17},{"sectionNumber":"11","sectionType":"section","heading":"Sovereign rights in respect of continental shelf","content":"#### 11 Sovereign rights in respect of continental shelf\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereign rights of Australia as a coastal State in respect of the continental shelf of Australia, for the purpose of exploring it and exploiting its natural resources, are vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.","sortOrder":18},{"sectionNumber":"12","sectionType":"section","heading":"Limits of continental shelf","content":"#### 12 Limits of continental shelf\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time by Proclamation, declare, not inconsistently with Article 76 of the Convention or any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party, the limits of the whole or any part of the continental shelf of Australia.","sortOrder":19},{"sectionNumber":"13","sectionType":"section","heading":"Charts of limits of continental shelf","content":"#### 13 Charts of limits of continental shelf\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared and issued such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the continental shelf of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of a chart prepared under this section is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the continental shelf of Australia.","sortOrder":20},{"sectionNumber":"Division 2AA","sectionType":"division","heading":"—Greater Sunrise special regime area","content":"An Act relating to Sovereignty in respect of certain Waters of the Sea and in respect of the Airspace over, and the Sea‑bed and Subsoil beneath, those Waters and to Sovereign Rights in respect of the Continental Shelf and the Exclusive Economic Zone and to certain rights of control in respect of the Contiguous Zone\n\nPreamble\n\nWHEREAS a belt of sea adjacent to the coast of Australia, known as the territorial sea, and the airspace over the territorial sea and the bed and subsoil of the territorial sea, are within the sovereignty of Australia:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has:\n\n    (a) sovereign rights in respect of the waters, the sea‑bed and the subsoil that constitute the exclusive economic zone of Australia for the purposes of:\n    (i) exploring the zone; and\n    (ii) exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources of the zone; and\n    (b) sovereign rights with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the exclusive economic zone of Australia, such as the production of energy from water, currents and winds; and\n    (c) jurisdiction in accordance with international law in relation to:\n    (i) the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (ii) marine scientific research in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (iii) the protection and preservation of the marine environment in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (d) other rights and duties in relation to the exclusive economic zone provided for in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has sovereign rights in respect of the continental shelf (that is to say, the sea‑bed and subsoil of certain submarine areas adjacent to its coast but outside the area of the territorial sea) for the purpose of exploring it and exploiting its natural resources:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has the right under international law to exercise control within a contiguous zone to:\n\n    (a) prevent infringements of customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws within Australia or the territorial sea of Australia;\n    (b) to punish infringements of those laws:\n\nBE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen, the Senate and the House of Representatives of Australia, as follows:\n\n## Part I—Preliminary\n\n#### 1 Short title\n\n  This Act may be cited as the Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973.\n\n#### 2 Commencement\n\n  This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.\n\n#### 3 Interpretation\n\n  (1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:\n\n> Australia includes the Territories to which this Act extends.\n\n> contiguous zone has the same meaning as in Article 33 of the Convention.\n\n> continental shelf has the same meaning as in paragraph 1 of Article 76 of the Convention.\n\n> exclusive economic zone has the same meaning as in Articles 55 and 57 of the Convention.\n\n> Greater Sunrise special regime area means the area described in clause 1 of Schedule 2.\n\n> territorial sea has the same meaning as in Articles 3 and 4 of the Convention.\n\n> the Convention means the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea done at Montego Bay on 10 December 1982 (Parts II, V and VI of which are set out in Schedule 1).\n\n> Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty means the Treaty between Australia and the Democratic Republic of Timor‑Leste Establishing their Maritime Boundaries in the Timor Sea done at New York on 6 March 2018, as in force from time to time.\n\n> Note: The Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty could in 2019 be viewed in the Australian Treaties Library on the AustLII website (http://www.austlii.edu.au).\n\n  (2) In this Act, including section 6, a reference to the territorial sea of Australia is a reference to that territorial sea so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (2A) In this Act, including section 10A, a reference to the exclusive economic zone of Australia is a reference to that zone so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (3) In this Act, including section 11, a reference to the continental shelf of Australia is a reference to that continental shelf so far as it extends from time to time.\n\n> Note: Division 2AA of Part 2 affects the operation of laws in the part of the continental shelf of Australia in the Greater Sunrise special regime area.\n\n  (3A) In this Act, including section 13A, a reference to the contiguous zone of Australia is a reference to that zone so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (4) Where a Proclamation is in force under section 7, the territorial sea of Australia shall, for all purposes of this Act, be taken to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (4A) If a Proclamation is in force under section 10B, the exclusive economic zone of Australia is taken, for all purposes of this Act, to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (5) Where a Proclamation is in force under section 12, the continental shelf of Australia shall, for all purposes of this Act, be taken to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (5A) If a Proclamation is in force under section 13B, the contiguous zone of Australia is taken, for all purposes of this Act, to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n\n#### 4 Extension to Territories\n\n  This Act extends to all the Territories.\n\n## Part II—Sovereignty, sovereign rights and rights of control\n\n### Division 1—The territorial sea\n\n#### 5 Interpretation\n\n  In this Division, the territorial sea means the territorial sea of Australia.\n\n#### 6 Sovereignty in respect of territorial sea\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereignty in respect of the territorial sea, and in respect of the airspace over it and in respect of its bed and subsoil, is vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 7 Limits of territorial sea\n\n  (1) The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation, declare, not inconsistently with Section 2 of Part II of the Convention, the limits of the whole or of any part of the territorial sea.\n  (2) For the purposes of such a Proclamation, the Governor‑General may, in particular, determine either or both of the following:\n    (a) the breadth of the territorial sea;\n    (b) the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea, or of any part of the territorial sea, is to be measured.\n\n#### 8 Declaration of historic bays and historic waters\n\n  Where the Governor‑General is satisfied:\n    (a) that a bay is an historic bay, he or she may, by Proclamation, declare that bay to be an historic bay and shall, by the same or another Proclamation, define the sea‑ward limits of that bay; or\n    (b) that waters are historic waters, he or she may, by Proclamation, declare those waters to be historic waters and shall, by the same or another Proclamation, define the limits of those waters.\n\n#### 9 Charts of limits of territorial sea\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared and issued such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the territorial sea.\n  (2) In particular, the Minister may cause to be prepared and issued large‑scale charts showing the low‑water line along the coast and may cause to be shown on such a chart any other matter referred to in subsection (1).\n  (3) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of a chart prepared under this section is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the territorial sea.\n\n#### 10 Sovereignty in respect of internal waters\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereignty in respect of the internal waters of Australia (that is to say, any waters of the sea on the landward side of the baseline of the territorial sea) so far as they extend from time to time, and in respect of the airspace over those waters and in respect of the sea‑bed and subsoil beneath those waters, is vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n### Division 1A—The exclusive economic zone\n\n#### 10A Sovereign rights in respect of exclusive economic zone\n\n  It is declared and enacted that the rights and jurisdiction of Australia in its exclusive economic zone are vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 10B Limits of exclusive economic zone\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation declare, not inconsistently with:\n    (a) Article 55 or 57 of the Convention; or\n    (b) any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party;\n  the limits of the whole or of any part of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n\n#### 10C Charts of limits of exclusive economic zone\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of such a chart is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n\n### Division 2—The continental shelf\n\n#### 11 Sovereign rights in respect of continental shelf\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereign rights of Australia as a coastal State in respect of the continental shelf of Australia, for the purpose of exploring it and exploiting its natural resources, are vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 12 Limits of continental shelf\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time by Proclamation, declare, not inconsistently with Article 76 of the Convention or any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party, the limits of the whole or any part of the continental shelf of Australia.\n\n#### 13 Charts of limits of continental shelf\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared and issued such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the continental shelf of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of a chart prepared under this section is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the continental shelf of Australia.\n\n### Division 2AA—Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n#### 13AA Joint exercise of rights in Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n  Within the Greater Sunrise special regime area, Australia is to exercise its rights as a coastal state pursuant to Article 77 of the Convention jointly with Timor‑Leste.\n\n> Note: Under section 780M of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006, Australia’s rights may be exercised by the Designated Authority, the Governance Board or the Dispute Resolution Committee provided for by the Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty.\n\n#### 13AB Operation of Commonwealth law in relation to Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n  (1) A law of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory does not apply in relation to an act, omission, matter or thing directly or indirectly connected with the exploration of, or exploitation of the natural resources of, the continental shelf in the Greater Sunrise special regime area.\n  (2) Subsection (1) is subject to a contrary intention.\n\n#### 13AC Cessation of effect of this Division\n\n  (1) This Division ceases to have effect at the start of the day after the Greater Sunrise Special Regime, within the meaning of the Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty, ceases to be in force under the treaty.\n  (2) The Minister must announce, by notifiable instrument, the day that regime ceases to be in force under that treaty.\n\n### Division 2A—The contiguous zone\n\n#### 13A Rights of control in respect of contiguous zone\n\n  It is declared and enacted that Australia has a contiguous zone.\n\n> Note: The rights of control that Australia, as a coastal state, has in respect of the contiguous zone of Australia are exercisable in accordance with applicable Commonwealth, State and Territory laws.\n\n#### 13B Limits of contiguous zone\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation declare, not inconsistently with:\n    (a) Section 4 of Part II of the Convention; or\n    (b) any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party;\n  the limits of the whole or of any part of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n\n#### 13C Charts of limits of contiguous zone\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of such a chart is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n\n### Division 3—Savings\n\n#### 14 Part II does not affect waters etc. within State limits\n\n  Nothing in this Part affects sovereignty or sovereign rights in respect of any waters of the sea that are waters of or within any bay, gulf, estuary, river, creek, inlet, port or harbour and:\n    (a) were, on 1st January, 1901, within the limits of a State; and\n    (b) remain within the limits of the State;\n  or in respect of the airspace over, or in respect of the sea‑bed or subsoil beneath, any such waters.\n\n#### 15 Certain property not vested in Commonwealth\n\n  Nothing in this Part shall be taken to vest in the Crown in right of the Commonwealth any wharf, jetty, pier, breakwater, building, platform, pipeline, lighthouse, beacon, navigational aid, buoy, cable or other structure or works.\n\n#### 16 Saving of other laws\n\n  (1) The preceding provisions of this Part:\n    (a) do not limit or exclude the operation of any law of the Commonwealth or of a Territory, other than the Northern Territory, in force at the date of commencement of this Act or coming into force after that date; and\n    (b) do not limit or exclude the operation of any law of a State or of the Northern Territory in force at the date of commencement of this Act or coming into force after that date, except in so far as the law is expressed to vest or make exercisable any sovereignty or sovereign rights otherwise than as provided by the preceding provisions of this Part.\n  (2) A law of a State or of the Northern Territory shall not be taken to be within the words of exception in paragraph (b) of subsection (1):\n    (a) by reason that the law makes provision with respect to, or touching or concerning, any sea‑bed or subsoil that is declared by Division 1 to be within the sovereign of the Crown in right of the Commonwealth, or the living or non‑living resources of any such sea‑bed or subsoil, if proprietary rights in respect of that sea‑bed or subsoil have become vested in the Crown in right of the State or of the Northern Territory, as the case may be, by or under a law of the Commonwealth; or\n    (b) by reason that the law makes provision with respect to, or touching or concerning, any sea‑bed or subsoil referred to in Division 1 or Division 2 but in respect of which paragraph (a) does not apply, or the living or non‑living resources of any such sea‑bed or subsoil, if the law is otherwise within powers with respect to particular matters that are conferred on the legislature of the State or of the Northern Territory, as the case may be, by the Coastal Waters (State Powers) Act 1980 or the Coastal Waters (Northern Territory Powers) Act 1980.","sortOrder":21},{"sectionNumber":"13AA","sectionType":"section","heading":"Joint exercise of rights in Greater Sunrise special regime area","content":"#### 13AA Joint exercise of rights in Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n  Within the Greater Sunrise special regime area, Australia is to exercise its rights as a coastal state pursuant to Article 77 of the Convention jointly with Timor‑Leste.\n\n> Note: Under section 780M of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006, Australia’s rights may be exercised by the Designated Authority, the Governance Board or the Dispute Resolution Committee provided for by the Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty.","sortOrder":22},{"sectionNumber":"13AB","sectionType":"section","heading":"Operation of Commonwealth law in relation to Greater Sunrise special regime area","content":"#### 13AB Operation of Commonwealth law in relation to Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n  (1) A law of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory does not apply in relation to an act, omission, matter or thing directly or indirectly connected with the exploration of, or exploitation of the natural resources of, the continental shelf in the Greater Sunrise special regime area.\n  (2) Subsection (1) is subject to a contrary intention.","sortOrder":23},{"sectionNumber":"13AC","sectionType":"section","heading":"Cessation of effect of this Division","content":"#### 13AC Cessation of effect of this Division\n\n  (1) This Division ceases to have effect at the start of the day after the Greater Sunrise Special Regime, within the meaning of the Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty, ceases to be in force under the treaty.\n  (2) The Minister must announce, by notifiable instrument, the day that regime ceases to be in force under that treaty.","sortOrder":24},{"sectionNumber":"Division 2A","sectionType":"division","heading":"The contiguous zone","content":"An Act relating to Sovereignty in respect of certain Waters of the Sea and in respect of the Airspace over, and the Sea‑bed and Subsoil beneath, those Waters and to Sovereign Rights in respect of the Continental Shelf and the Exclusive Economic Zone and to certain rights of control in respect of the Contiguous Zone\n\nPreamble\n\nWHEREAS a belt of sea adjacent to the coast of Australia, known as the territorial sea, and the airspace over the territorial sea and the bed and subsoil of the territorial sea, are within the sovereignty of Australia:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has:\n\n    (a) sovereign rights in respect of the waters, the sea‑bed and the subsoil that constitute the exclusive economic zone of Australia for the purposes of:\n    (i) exploring the zone; and\n    (ii) exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources of the zone; and\n    (b) sovereign rights with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the exclusive economic zone of Australia, such as the production of energy from water, currents and winds; and\n    (c) jurisdiction in accordance with international law in relation to:\n    (i) the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (ii) marine scientific research in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (iii) the protection and preservation of the marine environment in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (d) other rights and duties in relation to the exclusive economic zone provided for in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has sovereign rights in respect of the continental shelf (that is to say, the sea‑bed and subsoil of certain submarine areas adjacent to its coast but outside the area of the territorial sea) for the purpose of exploring it and exploiting its natural resources:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has the right under international law to exercise control within a contiguous zone to:\n\n    (a) prevent infringements of customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws within Australia or the territorial sea of Australia;\n    (b) to punish infringements of those laws:\n\nBE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen, the Senate and the House of Representatives of Australia, as follows:\n\n## Part I—Preliminary\n\n#### 1 Short title\n\n  This Act may be cited as the Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973.\n\n#### 2 Commencement\n\n  This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.\n\n#### 3 Interpretation\n\n  (1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:\n\n> Australia includes the Territories to which this Act extends.\n\n> contiguous zone has the same meaning as in Article 33 of the Convention.\n\n> continental shelf has the same meaning as in paragraph 1 of Article 76 of the Convention.\n\n> exclusive economic zone has the same meaning as in Articles 55 and 57 of the Convention.\n\n> Greater Sunrise special regime area means the area described in clause 1 of Schedule 2.\n\n> territorial sea has the same meaning as in Articles 3 and 4 of the Convention.\n\n> the Convention means the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea done at Montego Bay on 10 December 1982 (Parts II, V and VI of which are set out in Schedule 1).\n\n> Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty means the Treaty between Australia and the Democratic Republic of Timor‑Leste Establishing their Maritime Boundaries in the Timor Sea done at New York on 6 March 2018, as in force from time to time.\n\n> Note: The Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty could in 2019 be viewed in the Australian Treaties Library on the AustLII website (http://www.austlii.edu.au).\n\n  (2) In this Act, including section 6, a reference to the territorial sea of Australia is a reference to that territorial sea so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (2A) In this Act, including section 10A, a reference to the exclusive economic zone of Australia is a reference to that zone so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (3) In this Act, including section 11, a reference to the continental shelf of Australia is a reference to that continental shelf so far as it extends from time to time.\n\n> Note: Division 2AA of Part 2 affects the operation of laws in the part of the continental shelf of Australia in the Greater Sunrise special regime area.\n\n  (3A) In this Act, including section 13A, a reference to the contiguous zone of Australia is a reference to that zone so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (4) Where a Proclamation is in force under section 7, the territorial sea of Australia shall, for all purposes of this Act, be taken to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (4A) If a Proclamation is in force under section 10B, the exclusive economic zone of Australia is taken, for all purposes of this Act, to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (5) Where a Proclamation is in force under section 12, the continental shelf of Australia shall, for all purposes of this Act, be taken to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (5A) If a Proclamation is in force under section 13B, the contiguous zone of Australia is taken, for all purposes of this Act, to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n\n#### 4 Extension to Territories\n\n  This Act extends to all the Territories.\n\n## Part II—Sovereignty, sovereign rights and rights of control\n\n### Division 1—The territorial sea\n\n#### 5 Interpretation\n\n  In this Division, the territorial sea means the territorial sea of Australia.\n\n#### 6 Sovereignty in respect of territorial sea\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereignty in respect of the territorial sea, and in respect of the airspace over it and in respect of its bed and subsoil, is vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 7 Limits of territorial sea\n\n  (1) The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation, declare, not inconsistently with Section 2 of Part II of the Convention, the limits of the whole or of any part of the territorial sea.\n  (2) For the purposes of such a Proclamation, the Governor‑General may, in particular, determine either or both of the following:\n    (a) the breadth of the territorial sea;\n    (b) the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea, or of any part of the territorial sea, is to be measured.\n\n#### 8 Declaration of historic bays and historic waters\n\n  Where the Governor‑General is satisfied:\n    (a) that a bay is an historic bay, he or she may, by Proclamation, declare that bay to be an historic bay and shall, by the same or another Proclamation, define the sea‑ward limits of that bay; or\n    (b) that waters are historic waters, he or she may, by Proclamation, declare those waters to be historic waters and shall, by the same or another Proclamation, define the limits of those waters.\n\n#### 9 Charts of limits of territorial sea\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared and issued such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the territorial sea.\n  (2) In particular, the Minister may cause to be prepared and issued large‑scale charts showing the low‑water line along the coast and may cause to be shown on such a chart any other matter referred to in subsection (1).\n  (3) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of a chart prepared under this section is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the territorial sea.\n\n#### 10 Sovereignty in respect of internal waters\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereignty in respect of the internal waters of Australia (that is to say, any waters of the sea on the landward side of the baseline of the territorial sea) so far as they extend from time to time, and in respect of the airspace over those waters and in respect of the sea‑bed and subsoil beneath those waters, is vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n### Division 1A—The exclusive economic zone\n\n#### 10A Sovereign rights in respect of exclusive economic zone\n\n  It is declared and enacted that the rights and jurisdiction of Australia in its exclusive economic zone are vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 10B Limits of exclusive economic zone\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation declare, not inconsistently with:\n    (a) Article 55 or 57 of the Convention; or\n    (b) any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party;\n  the limits of the whole or of any part of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n\n#### 10C Charts of limits of exclusive economic zone\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of such a chart is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n\n### Division 2—The continental shelf\n\n#### 11 Sovereign rights in respect of continental shelf\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereign rights of Australia as a coastal State in respect of the continental shelf of Australia, for the purpose of exploring it and exploiting its natural resources, are vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 12 Limits of continental shelf\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time by Proclamation, declare, not inconsistently with Article 76 of the Convention or any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party, the limits of the whole or any part of the continental shelf of Australia.\n\n#### 13 Charts of limits of continental shelf\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared and issued such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the continental shelf of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of a chart prepared under this section is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the continental shelf of Australia.\n\n### Division 2AA—Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n#### 13AA Joint exercise of rights in Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n  Within the Greater Sunrise special regime area, Australia is to exercise its rights as a coastal state pursuant to Article 77 of the Convention jointly with Timor‑Leste.\n\n> Note: Under section 780M of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006, Australia’s rights may be exercised by the Designated Authority, the Governance Board or the Dispute Resolution Committee provided for by the Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty.\n\n#### 13AB Operation of Commonwealth law in relation to Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n  (1) A law of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory does not apply in relation to an act, omission, matter or thing directly or indirectly connected with the exploration of, or exploitation of the natural resources of, the continental shelf in the Greater Sunrise special regime area.\n  (2) Subsection (1) is subject to a contrary intention.\n\n#### 13AC Cessation of effect of this Division\n\n  (1) This Division ceases to have effect at the start of the day after the Greater Sunrise Special Regime, within the meaning of the Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty, ceases to be in force under the treaty.\n  (2) The Minister must announce, by notifiable instrument, the day that regime ceases to be in force under that treaty.\n\n### Division 2A—The contiguous zone\n\n#### 13A Rights of control in respect of contiguous zone\n\n  It is declared and enacted that Australia has a contiguous zone.\n\n> Note: The rights of control that Australia, as a coastal state, has in respect of the contiguous zone of Australia are exercisable in accordance with applicable Commonwealth, State and Territory laws.\n\n#### 13B Limits of contiguous zone\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation declare, not inconsistently with:\n    (a) Section 4 of Part II of the Convention; or\n    (b) any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party;\n  the limits of the whole or of any part of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n\n#### 13C Charts of limits of contiguous zone\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of such a chart is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n\n### Division 3—Savings\n\n#### 14 Part II does not affect waters etc. within State limits\n\n  Nothing in this Part affects sovereignty or sovereign rights in respect of any waters of the sea that are waters of or within any bay, gulf, estuary, river, creek, inlet, port or harbour and:\n    (a) were, on 1st January, 1901, within the limits of a State; and\n    (b) remain within the limits of the State;\n  or in respect of the airspace over, or in respect of the sea‑bed or subsoil beneath, any such waters.\n\n#### 15 Certain property not vested in Commonwealth\n\n  Nothing in this Part shall be taken to vest in the Crown in right of the Commonwealth any wharf, jetty, pier, breakwater, building, platform, pipeline, lighthouse, beacon, navigational aid, buoy, cable or other structure or works.\n\n#### 16 Saving of other laws\n\n  (1) The preceding provisions of this Part:\n    (a) do not limit or exclude the operation of any law of the Commonwealth or of a Territory, other than the Northern Territory, in force at the date of commencement of this Act or coming into force after that date; and\n    (b) do not limit or exclude the operation of any law of a State or of the Northern Territory in force at the date of commencement of this Act or coming into force after that date, except in so far as the law is expressed to vest or make exercisable any sovereignty or sovereign rights otherwise than as provided by the preceding provisions of this Part.\n  (2) A law of a State or of the Northern Territory shall not be taken to be within the words of exception in paragraph (b) of subsection (1):\n    (a) by reason that the law makes provision with respect to, or touching or concerning, any sea‑bed or subsoil that is declared by Division 1 to be within the sovereign of the Crown in right of the Commonwealth, or the living or non‑living resources of any such sea‑bed or subsoil, if proprietary rights in respect of that sea‑bed or subsoil have become vested in the Crown in right of the State or of the Northern Territory, as the case may be, by or under a law of the Commonwealth; or\n    (b) by reason that the law makes provision with respect to, or touching or concerning, any sea‑bed or subsoil referred to in Division 1 or Division 2 but in respect of which paragraph (a) does not apply, or the living or non‑living resources of any such sea‑bed or subsoil, if the law is otherwise within powers with respect to particular matters that are conferred on the legislature of the State or of the Northern Territory, as the case may be, by the Coastal Waters (State Powers) Act 1980 or the Coastal Waters (Northern Territory Powers) Act 1980.","sortOrder":25},{"sectionNumber":"13A","sectionType":"section","heading":"Rights of control in respect of contiguous zone","content":"#### 13A Rights of control in respect of contiguous zone\n\n  It is declared and enacted that Australia has a contiguous zone.\n\n> Note: The rights of control that Australia, as a coastal state, has in respect of the contiguous zone of Australia are exercisable in accordance with applicable Commonwealth, State and Territory laws.","sortOrder":26},{"sectionNumber":"13B","sectionType":"section","heading":"Limits of contiguous zone","content":"#### 13B Limits of contiguous zone\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation declare, not inconsistently with:\n    (a) Section 4 of Part II of the Convention; or\n    (b) any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party;\n  the limits of the whole or of any part of the contiguous zone of Australia.","sortOrder":27},{"sectionNumber":"13C","sectionType":"section","heading":"Charts of limits of contiguous zone","content":"#### 13C Charts of limits of contiguous zone\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of such a chart is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the contiguous zone of Australia.","sortOrder":28},{"sectionNumber":"Division 3","sectionType":"division","heading":"Savings","content":"An Act relating to Sovereignty in respect of certain Waters of the Sea and in respect of the Airspace over, and the Sea‑bed and Subsoil beneath, those Waters and to Sovereign Rights in respect of the Continental Shelf and the Exclusive Economic Zone and to certain rights of control in respect of the Contiguous Zone\n\nPreamble\n\nWHEREAS a belt of sea adjacent to the coast of Australia, known as the territorial sea, and the airspace over the territorial sea and the bed and subsoil of the territorial sea, are within the sovereignty of Australia:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has:\n\n    (a) sovereign rights in respect of the waters, the sea‑bed and the subsoil that constitute the exclusive economic zone of Australia for the purposes of:\n    (i) exploring the zone; and\n    (ii) exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources of the zone; and\n    (b) sovereign rights with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the exclusive economic zone of Australia, such as the production of energy from water, currents and winds; and\n    (c) jurisdiction in accordance with international law in relation to:\n    (i) the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (ii) marine scientific research in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (iii) the protection and preservation of the marine environment in the exclusive economic zone; and\n    (d) other rights and duties in relation to the exclusive economic zone provided for in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has sovereign rights in respect of the continental shelf (that is to say, the sea‑bed and subsoil of certain submarine areas adjacent to its coast but outside the area of the territorial sea) for the purpose of exploring it and exploiting its natural resources:\n\nAND WHEREAS Australia as a coastal state has the right under international law to exercise control within a contiguous zone to:\n\n    (a) prevent infringements of customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws within Australia or the territorial sea of Australia;\n    (b) to punish infringements of those laws:\n\nBE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen, the Senate and the House of Representatives of Australia, as follows:\n\n## Part I—Preliminary\n\n#### 1 Short title\n\n  This Act may be cited as the Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973.\n\n#### 2 Commencement\n\n  This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.\n\n#### 3 Interpretation\n\n  (1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:\n\n> Australia includes the Territories to which this Act extends.\n\n> contiguous zone has the same meaning as in Article 33 of the Convention.\n\n> continental shelf has the same meaning as in paragraph 1 of Article 76 of the Convention.\n\n> exclusive economic zone has the same meaning as in Articles 55 and 57 of the Convention.\n\n> Greater Sunrise special regime area means the area described in clause 1 of Schedule 2.\n\n> territorial sea has the same meaning as in Articles 3 and 4 of the Convention.\n\n> the Convention means the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea done at Montego Bay on 10 December 1982 (Parts II, V and VI of which are set out in Schedule 1).\n\n> Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty means the Treaty between Australia and the Democratic Republic of Timor‑Leste Establishing their Maritime Boundaries in the Timor Sea done at New York on 6 March 2018, as in force from time to time.\n\n> Note: The Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty could in 2019 be viewed in the Australian Treaties Library on the AustLII website (http://www.austlii.edu.au).\n\n  (2) In this Act, including section 6, a reference to the territorial sea of Australia is a reference to that territorial sea so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (2A) In this Act, including section 10A, a reference to the exclusive economic zone of Australia is a reference to that zone so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (3) In this Act, including section 11, a reference to the continental shelf of Australia is a reference to that continental shelf so far as it extends from time to time.\n\n> Note: Division 2AA of Part 2 affects the operation of laws in the part of the continental shelf of Australia in the Greater Sunrise special regime area.\n\n  (3A) In this Act, including section 13A, a reference to the contiguous zone of Australia is a reference to that zone so far as it extends from time to time.\n  (4) Where a Proclamation is in force under section 7, the territorial sea of Australia shall, for all purposes of this Act, be taken to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (4A) If a Proclamation is in force under section 10B, the exclusive economic zone of Australia is taken, for all purposes of this Act, to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (5) Where a Proclamation is in force under section 12, the continental shelf of Australia shall, for all purposes of this Act, be taken to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n  (5A) If a Proclamation is in force under section 13B, the contiguous zone of Australia is taken, for all purposes of this Act, to extend to the limits declared by that Proclamation.\n\n#### 4 Extension to Territories\n\n  This Act extends to all the Territories.\n\n## Part II—Sovereignty, sovereign rights and rights of control\n\n### Division 1—The territorial sea\n\n#### 5 Interpretation\n\n  In this Division, the territorial sea means the territorial sea of Australia.\n\n#### 6 Sovereignty in respect of territorial sea\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereignty in respect of the territorial sea, and in respect of the airspace over it and in respect of its bed and subsoil, is vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 7 Limits of territorial sea\n\n  (1) The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation, declare, not inconsistently with Section 2 of Part II of the Convention, the limits of the whole or of any part of the territorial sea.\n  (2) For the purposes of such a Proclamation, the Governor‑General may, in particular, determine either or both of the following:\n    (a) the breadth of the territorial sea;\n    (b) the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea, or of any part of the territorial sea, is to be measured.\n\n#### 8 Declaration of historic bays and historic waters\n\n  Where the Governor‑General is satisfied:\n    (a) that a bay is an historic bay, he or she may, by Proclamation, declare that bay to be an historic bay and shall, by the same or another Proclamation, define the sea‑ward limits of that bay; or\n    (b) that waters are historic waters, he or she may, by Proclamation, declare those waters to be historic waters and shall, by the same or another Proclamation, define the limits of those waters.\n\n#### 9 Charts of limits of territorial sea\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared and issued such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the territorial sea.\n  (2) In particular, the Minister may cause to be prepared and issued large‑scale charts showing the low‑water line along the coast and may cause to be shown on such a chart any other matter referred to in subsection (1).\n  (3) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of a chart prepared under this section is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the territorial sea.\n\n#### 10 Sovereignty in respect of internal waters\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereignty in respect of the internal waters of Australia (that is to say, any waters of the sea on the landward side of the baseline of the territorial sea) so far as they extend from time to time, and in respect of the airspace over those waters and in respect of the sea‑bed and subsoil beneath those waters, is vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n### Division 1A—The exclusive economic zone\n\n#### 10A Sovereign rights in respect of exclusive economic zone\n\n  It is declared and enacted that the rights and jurisdiction of Australia in its exclusive economic zone are vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 10B Limits of exclusive economic zone\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation declare, not inconsistently with:\n    (a) Article 55 or 57 of the Convention; or\n    (b) any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party;\n  the limits of the whole or of any part of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n\n#### 10C Charts of limits of exclusive economic zone\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of such a chart is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n\n### Division 2—The continental shelf\n\n#### 11 Sovereign rights in respect of continental shelf\n\n  It is by this Act declared and enacted that the sovereign rights of Australia as a coastal State in respect of the continental shelf of Australia, for the purpose of exploring it and exploiting its natural resources, are vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.\n\n#### 12 Limits of continental shelf\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time by Proclamation, declare, not inconsistently with Article 76 of the Convention or any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party, the limits of the whole or any part of the continental shelf of Australia.\n\n#### 13 Charts of limits of continental shelf\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared and issued such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the continental shelf of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of a chart prepared under this section is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the continental shelf of Australia.\n\n### Division 2AA—Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n#### 13AA Joint exercise of rights in Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n  Within the Greater Sunrise special regime area, Australia is to exercise its rights as a coastal state pursuant to Article 77 of the Convention jointly with Timor‑Leste.\n\n> Note: Under section 780M of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006, Australia’s rights may be exercised by the Designated Authority, the Governance Board or the Dispute Resolution Committee provided for by the Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty.\n\n#### 13AB Operation of Commonwealth law in relation to Greater Sunrise special regime area\n\n  (1) A law of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory does not apply in relation to an act, omission, matter or thing directly or indirectly connected with the exploration of, or exploitation of the natural resources of, the continental shelf in the Greater Sunrise special regime area.\n  (2) Subsection (1) is subject to a contrary intention.\n\n#### 13AC Cessation of effect of this Division\n\n  (1) This Division ceases to have effect at the start of the day after the Greater Sunrise Special Regime, within the meaning of the Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty, ceases to be in force under the treaty.\n  (2) The Minister must announce, by notifiable instrument, the day that regime ceases to be in force under that treaty.\n\n### Division 2A—The contiguous zone\n\n#### 13A Rights of control in respect of contiguous zone\n\n  It is declared and enacted that Australia has a contiguous zone.\n\n> Note: The rights of control that Australia, as a coastal state, has in respect of the contiguous zone of Australia are exercisable in accordance with applicable Commonwealth, State and Territory laws.\n\n#### 13B Limits of contiguous zone\n\n  The Governor‑General may, from time to time, by Proclamation declare, not inconsistently with:\n    (a) Section 4 of Part II of the Convention; or\n    (b) any relevant international agreement to which Australia is a party;\n  the limits of the whole or of any part of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n\n#### 13C Charts of limits of contiguous zone\n\n  (1) The Minister may cause to be prepared such charts as he or she thinks fit showing any matter relating to the limits of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n  (2) The mere production of a copy of a paper purporting to be certified by the Minister to be a true copy of such a chart is prima facie evidence of any matter shown on the chart relating to the limits of the contiguous zone of Australia.\n\n### Division 3—Savings\n\n#### 14 Part II does not affect waters etc. within State limits\n\n  Nothing in this Part affects sovereignty or sovereign rights in respect of any waters of the sea that are waters of or within any bay, gulf, estuary, river, creek, inlet, port or harbour and:\n    (a) were, on 1st January, 1901, within the limits of a State; and\n    (b) remain within the limits of the State;\n  or in respect of the airspace over, or in respect of the sea‑bed or subsoil beneath, any such waters.\n\n#### 15 Certain property not vested in Commonwealth\n\n  Nothing in this Part shall be taken to vest in the Crown in right of the Commonwealth any wharf, jetty, pier, breakwater, building, platform, pipeline, lighthouse, beacon, navigational aid, buoy, cable or other structure or works.\n\n#### 16 Saving of other laws\n\n  (1) The preceding provisions of this Part:\n    (a) do not limit or exclude the operation of any law of the Commonwealth or of a Territory, other than the Northern Territory, in force at the date of commencement of this Act or coming into force after that date; and\n    (b) do not limit or exclude the operation of any law of a State or of the Northern Territory in force at the date of commencement of this Act or coming into force after that date, except in so far as the law is expressed to vest or make exercisable any sovereignty or sovereign rights otherwise than as provided by the preceding provisions of this Part.\n  (2) A law of a State or of the Northern Territory shall not be taken to be within the words of exception in paragraph (b) of subsection (1):\n    (a) by reason that the law makes provision with respect to, or touching or concerning, any sea‑bed or subsoil that is declared by Division 1 to be within the sovereign of the Crown in right of the Commonwealth, or the living or non‑living resources of any such sea‑bed or subsoil, if proprietary rights in respect of that sea‑bed or subsoil have become vested in the Crown in right of the State or of the Northern Territory, as the case may be, by or under a law of the Commonwealth; or\n    (b) by reason that the law makes provision with respect to, or touching or concerning, any sea‑bed or subsoil referred to in Division 1 or Division 2 but in respect of which paragraph (a) does not apply, or the living or non‑living resources of any such sea‑bed or subsoil, if the law is otherwise within powers with respect to particular matters that are conferred on the legislature of the State or of the Northern Territory, as the case may be, by the Coastal Waters (State Powers) Act 1980 or the Coastal Waters (Northern Territory Powers) Act 1980.","sortOrder":29},{"sectionNumber":"14","sectionType":"section","heading":"Part II does not affect waters etc. within State limits","content":"#### 14 Part II does not affect waters etc. within State limits\n\n  Nothing in this Part affects sovereignty or sovereign rights in respect of any waters of the sea that are waters of or within any bay, gulf, estuary, river, creek, inlet, port or harbour and:\n    (a) were, on 1st January, 1901, within the limits of a State; and\n    (b) remain within the limits of the State;\n  or in respect of the airspace over, or in respect of the sea‑bed or subsoil beneath, any such waters.","sortOrder":30},{"sectionNumber":"15","sectionType":"section","heading":"Certain property not vested in Commonwealth","content":"#### 15 Certain property not vested in Commonwealth\n\n  Nothing in this Part shall be taken to vest in the Crown in right of the Commonwealth any wharf, jetty, pier, breakwater, building, platform, pipeline, lighthouse, beacon, navigational aid, buoy, cable or other structure or works.","sortOrder":31},{"sectionNumber":"16","sectionType":"section","heading":"Saving of other laws","content":"#### 16 Saving of other laws\n\n  (1) The preceding provisions of this Part:\n    (a) do not limit or exclude the operation of any law of the Commonwealth or of a Territory, other than the Northern Territory, in force at the date of commencement of this Act or coming into force after that date; and\n    (b) do not limit or exclude the operation of any law of a State or of the Northern Territory in force at the date of commencement of this Act or coming into force after that date, except in so far as the law is expressed to vest or make exercisable any sovereignty or sovereign rights otherwise than as provided by the preceding provisions of this Part.\n  (2) A law of a State or of the Northern Territory shall not be taken to be within the words of exception in paragraph (b) of subsection (1):\n    (a) by reason that the law makes provision with respect to, or touching or concerning, any sea‑bed or subsoil that is declared by Division 1 to be within the sovereign of the Crown in right of the Commonwealth, or the living or non‑living resources of any such sea‑bed or subsoil, if proprietary rights in respect of that sea‑bed or subsoil have become vested in the Crown in right of the State or of the Northern Territory, as the case may be, by or under a law of the Commonwealth; or\n    (b) by reason that the law makes provision with respect to, or touching or concerning, any sea‑bed or subsoil referred to in Division 1 or Division 2 but in respect of which paragraph (a) does not apply, or the living or non‑living resources of any such sea‑bed or subsoil, if the law is otherwise within powers with respect to particular matters that are conferred on the legislature of the State or of the Northern Territory, as the case may be, by the Coastal Waters (State Powers) Act 1980 or the Coastal Waters (Northern Territory Powers) Act 1980.","sortOrder":32}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[{"type":"self_contradicting","section":"13AC(2)","severity":"high","reasoning":"If Division 2AA ceases to have effect at the start of the day after the regime ceases, then section 13AC(2) — which imposes the announcement obligation — is part of that Division and also ceases to have effect at that point. The obligation to announce the cessation is extinguished by the very event it is meant to report on. There is no savings provision preserving the announcement obligation after cessation of the Division.","confidence":0.82,"description":"The Minister is required to announce by notifiable instrument the day that the Greater Sunrise Special Regime ceases to be in force, but section 13AC(1) provides that Division 2AA ceases to have effect at the start of the day AFTER that regime ceases. This creates a practical impossibility: the obligation to make the announcement is itself contained within Division 2AA, which ceases to have effect contemporaneously with or immediately after the triggering event. The Minister's obligation to announce may itself have ceased to exist by the time the announcement is required or able to be made."},{"type":"other","section":"13AB(1) and 13AB(2)","severity":"medium","reasoning":"The savings clause in subsection (2) is so broad that the substantive rule in subsection (1) is effectively a default that can be overridden by any legislative instrument expressing a 'contrary intention.' This gives the primary rule almost no operative content. The section declares a position and then immediately allows any law to contradict it without any requirement for specificity or hierarchy.","confidence":0.75,"description":"Section 13AB(1) provides that a law of the Commonwealth, a State or Territory does not apply in the Greater Sunrise special regime area in relation to exploration or exploitation of natural resources. Section 13AB(2) states that subsection (1) is 'subject to a contrary intention.' This means that any law of a State, Territory or the Commonwealth can override the exclusion simply by expressing a contrary intention, rendering the exclusion effectively illusory and providing no meaningful legal protection or certainty."},{"type":"retroactive_impossibility","section":"3(1) — definition of 'the Convention'","severity":"medium","reasoning":"While amendments have since updated the definitions, the structural absurdity remains in the text: a 1973 Act purports to have always defined its central concepts by reference to a 1982 treaty. The commencement provision (s.2) says the Act came into force on Royal Assent, but core definitions could not have been operative as drafted until 1982 at the earliest. This is a historical drafting artifact but a genuine logical flaw in the face of the Act.","confidence":0.78,"description":"Key terms including 'territorial sea,' 'continental shelf,' 'exclusive economic zone,' and 'contiguous zone' are all defined by reference to UNCLOS, which was concluded in 1982. However, this Act was enacted in 1973 — nine years before the Convention existed. The Act as originally enacted therefore contained definitions that incorporated a non-existent treaty, meaning the definitional framework was inoperative at the time of enactment and the Act retrospectively incorporated an external instrument."},{"type":"other","section":"16(2)(a)","severity":"low","reasoning":"The phrase 'within the sovereign of the Crown' is grammatically nonsensical. 'Sovereign' is an adjective or noun (referring to a person), not a legal concept equivalent to 'sovereignty.' In a section that carves out the scope of State legislative powers against Commonwealth sovereignty, this ambiguity — however minor — is a real drafting flaw.","confidence":0.88,"description":"Section 16(2)(a) contains a typographical and grammatical error, referring to sea-bed 'within the sovereign of the Crown' rather than 'within the sovereignty of the Crown.' While minor, this is a defect in a provisions dealing with the scope of Commonwealth sovereignty and could theoretically create interpretive uncertainty about what legal concept is being invoked."},{"type":"other","section":"13A","severity":"low","reasoning":"Compare to s.6 (territorial sea sovereignty vested in the Crown) and s.11 (continental shelf sovereign rights vested in the Crown) — both vest rights in the Crown. Section 13A simply declares Australia 'has' a contiguous zone without vesting any rights or powers. The rights are said to exist under 'applicable' laws but no mechanism is provided to identify which laws or how they interact, creating a legally hollow declaration.","confidence":0.7,"description":"Section 13A declares that 'Australia has a contiguous zone' without specifying any rights, powers, or legal consequences that flow from that declaration beyond what the accompanying note says is exercisable under 'applicable Commonwealth, State and Territory laws.' The substantive content of Australia's rights of control in the contiguous zone is entirely absent from the Act itself and delegated to other laws, making the declaratory provision functionally empty."},{"type":"other","section":"Preamble — contiguous zone clause (b)","severity":"low","reasoning":"The double 'to' in paragraph (b) of the contiguous zone recital ('to punish') is a clear drafting error repeated throughout the document. Additionally, the Preamble asserts a right to 'punish' infringements but the operative provision (s.13A) merely declares Australia 'has a contiguous zone' without enacting any punitive jurisdiction, creating a mismatch between the recitals and the enacting provisions.","confidence":0.8,"description":"The Preamble's contiguous zone recital contains a grammatical and structural error. Paragraph (b) reads 'to punish infringements of those laws' preceded by '(a) prevent infringements...' with both preceded by the phrase 'to exercise control within a contiguous zone to:'. This means the Preamble states Australia has the right 'to exercise control... to (b) to punish' — the word 'to' appears twice, suggesting poor drafting. More substantively, the Preamble does not align with the operative provisions, which grant no punitive powers directly."}],"contradictions":[{"severity":"high","section_a":"11 — Sovereign rights in respect of continental shelf (vested in Crown in right of Commonwealth)","section_b":"13AA — Joint exercise of rights in Greater Sunrise special regime area","confidence":0.85,"description":"Section 11 declares that Australia's sovereign rights over the continental shelf are 'vested in and exercisable by the Crown in right of the Commonwealth.' Section 13AA then provides that within the Greater Sunrise special regime area, Australia is to exercise those same rights 'jointly with Timor-Leste.' Rights cannot simultaneously be exclusively vested in the Commonwealth Crown and jointly exercised with a foreign sovereign state without a clear mechanism reconciling the two positions. The Act provides no express qualification to section 11 for the Greater Sunrise area."},{"severity":"high","section_a":"13AB(1) — Commonwealth/State/Territory law does not apply in Greater Sunrise area","section_b":"13AA and Note to 13AA — Rights exercisable by Designated Authority, Governance Board or Dispute Resolution Committee under Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006","confidence":0.8,"description":"Section 13AB(1) provides that laws of the Commonwealth, States and Territories do not apply in the Greater Sunrise special regime area in relation to exploration and exploitation. However, the note to section 13AA explicitly states that Australia's rights 'may be exercised by the Designated Authority, the Governance Board or the Dispute Resolution Committee provided for by the Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty' under the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 — which is itself a law of the Commonwealth. If Commonwealth law does not apply, the mechanism for exercising rights under that Act would itself be excluded."},{"severity":"medium","section_a":"6 — Sovereignty over territorial sea vested in Crown in right of Commonwealth","section_b":"14 — Part II does not affect sovereignty over waters within State limits","confidence":0.78,"description":"Section 6 vests sovereignty over the territorial sea in the Commonwealth Crown absolutely. Section 14 then carves out waters within State limits (bays, gulfs, estuaries, etc. that were within State limits at Federation and remain so), preserving pre-existing State sovereignty or sovereign rights over those waters. However, section 6 contains no such carve-out on its face — it declares sovereignty 'in respect of the territorial sea' without qualification. A reader of s.6 alone would conclude Commonwealth sovereignty is absolute and unqualified over all territorial sea waters, while s.14 contradicts this by preserving State interests over overlapping waters."},{"severity":"medium","section_a":"3(2) — Territorial sea defined as extending 'from time to time'","section_b":"3(4) — Territorial sea taken to extend to Proclamation limits where Proclamation in force","confidence":0.72,"description":"Section 3(2) defines the territorial sea as extending to whatever limits apply 'from time to time' under international law (i.e., UNCLOS). Section 3(4) then provides that where a Proclamation is in force under s.7, the territorial sea 'shall be taken' to extend to the Proclamation limits. If a Proclamation declares limits narrower than those permitted under UNCLOS, the Act would deem the territorial sea to be smaller than Australia's entitlement under international law, potentially undermining sovereign rights that s.6 purports to vest. The two subsections create a potential gap between actual international law entitlements and the domestic legal position."},{"severity":"medium","section_a":"16(1)(a) — Commonwealth and Territory laws (except NT) not limited or excluded","section_b":"16(1)(b) — State and NT laws not limited except where vesting sovereignty inconsistently","confidence":0.75,"description":"Section 16(1)(a) explicitly excludes the Northern Territory from the category of Territories whose laws are freely preserved, treating it differently from other Territories. Section 16(1)(b) then groups the Northern Territory with States for the purposes of the savings provision. This creates an asymmetry: the Northern Territory is excluded from the broad preservation of Territory laws under (a) but is included in the more restricted (and conditional) preservation under (b) alongside States. The Northern Territory thus occupies an anomalous intermediate position with less protection than other Territories but the same conditional protection as States — without any stated rationale in the Act."},{"severity":"low","section_a":"10A — EEZ rights vested in Crown in right of Commonwealth","section_b":"Preamble — EEZ sovereign rights described as including jurisdiction over marine environment, artificial islands and marine scientific research","confidence":0.65,"description":"The Preamble recites a detailed list of Australia's EEZ rights including jurisdiction over artificial islands, marine scientific research, and environmental protection. Section 10A, however, vests only 'the rights and jurisdiction of Australia in its exclusive economic zone' in the Crown, without specifying which rights. The operative section is significantly thinner than the Preamble's recitals, creating uncertainty as to whether all the rights listed in the Preamble are actually vested, or only those recognised under the Convention definitions incorporated by reference."}]},"kimi_summary":{"_metrics":{"source":"grok-batch-everything"},"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":7,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Act's scope has expanded well beyond its original 1973 focus on sovereignty in the territorial sea and sovereign rights over the continental shelf. Amendments have added the exclusive economic zone, contiguous zone, and a joint special regime area with Timor-Leste under the 2018 Treaty, introducing new joint-exercise obligations, law-disapplication rules, and cessation triggers tied to international agreements."},"complexity_factors":["Extensive cross-references to specific articles of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (e.g. Articles 3, 4, 33, 55, 57, 76)","Separate divisions and subdivisions for each maritime zone (territorial sea, internal waters, exclusive economic zone, continental shelf, contiguous zone, Greater Sunrise special regime area)","Multiple proclamation powers (ss.7, 8, 10B, 12, 13B) that interact with dynamic 'from time to time' extension provisions in s.3(2)–(5A)","Layered savings and non-application clauses (ss.13AB, 14, 15, 16) including exceptions to exceptions regarding state laws and the Coastal Waters (State Powers) Act 1980","Incorporation of a bilateral treaty (Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty) and a detailed Schedule 2 coordinate table for the Greater Sunrise area"],"plain_english_summary":"**The Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973** is Australia's key law that officially claims control over the oceans surrounding the country.\n\nIt declares that the Australian federal government (the Crown in right of the Commonwealth) has full **sovereignty** (complete ownership and power) over the strip of sea nearest the coast called the territorial sea, plus the air above it and the seabed and soil beneath it. It also claims sovereign rights to explore for and use natural resources (like oil, gas, and fish) in a larger offshore area called the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and on the continental shelf that extends even further out to sea. In a buffer area known as the contiguous zone, Australia has rights to enforce customs, immigration, health, and tax laws.\n\nThe Act follows rules set out in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The Governor-General can issue official proclamations to set exact boundaries, and the government can produce charts that serve as legal evidence of those boundaries. A special section creates a 'Greater Sunrise special regime area' in the Timor Sea where Australia must share certain continental shelf rights jointly with Timor-Leste; normal Australian, state, or territory laws generally do not apply there unless a law says otherwise.\n\nThe law applies to all Australian territories and includes protections so it does not interfere with certain historic state waters or private structures like piers and lighthouses. It matters because it decides who can fish, drill for resources, build offshore platforms, or conduct research in these vast ocean areas, while aiming to prevent conflicts with neighbouring countries and between the federal government and the states."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Compared to an Act that would deal only with a single maritime concept, the text extends Commonwealth legal control across multiple maritime zones (territorial sea, internal waters, exclusive economic zone, continental shelf and contiguous zone) and adds a treaty‑linked special regime for a defined area (Greater Sunrise). The Act ties domestic effects to international instruments and grants the executive powers to proclaim limits and publish charts (ss 3(1); ss 6, 10A, 11, 13A; ss 7, 10B, 12, 13B; Div 2AA (ss 13AA–13AC); Schedule 2). Those additions expand the Act’s operational scope from simple sovereignty declarations to a framework that governs boundary fixing, evidentiary mapping, and the substitution of treaty governance for ordinary domestic law in a specified maritime area."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple maritime zones covered (territorial sea, internal waters, exclusive economic zone, continental shelf, contiguous zone) with different legal consequences (ss 6, 10, 10A, 11, 13A).","Proclamation powers dispersed to the Governor‑General for limits across different zones (ss 7, 10B, 12, 13B) creating administrative flexibility and potential legal variability.","Interaction with international law and specific UNCLOS articles through definitions and consistency requirements (s 3(1); ss 7, 10B, 12, 13B referencing Convention articles).","Evidentiary rules giving Minister‑certified charts prima facie effect (ss 9(3), 10C(2), 13(2), 13C(2)), which have practical legal significance in disputes.","A treaty‑linked special regime (Greater Sunrise) that disapplies ordinary domestic laws for certain activities and bridges domestic law and treaty governance (Div 2AA: ss 13AA–13AC; Schedule 2).","Savings and exceptions (ss 14–16) requiring cross‑reference to State rights and other Commonwealth statutes, increasing interpretive work.","Technical geographic specificity (Schedule 2 coordinates and GDA94 datum) that requires precision in implementation.","Frequent legislative cross‑references and notes to other Acts (e.g. Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act) and treaty instruments, producing multi‑instrument complexity."],"plain_english_summary":"What this instrument does, mechanically\n\n- Declares who holds sovereignty, sovereign rights and rights of control over Australian maritime areas and the seabed: the Crown in right of the Commonwealth (territorial sea (s 6), internal waters (s 10), exclusive economic zone (s 10A), continental shelf (s 11), and contiguous zone (s 13A)).\n- Gives executive officials power to fix the boundaries and publish maps: the Governor‑General may declare the limits of the territorial sea, exclusive economic zone, continental shelf and contiguous zone by Proclamation (ss 7, 10B, 12, 13B). The Minister may prepare charts; a Minister‑certified chart is prima facie evidence of matters shown on it (ss 9(1)–(3), 10C(1)–(2), 13(1)–(2), 13C(1)–(2)).\n- Sets out a narrowly defined special regime area (the Greater Sunrise special regime area) by geographic coordinates and datum and provides special rules for it (Schedule 2 cl 1; GDA94 datum in Schedule 2 cl 1(2); see also Div 2AA). The coordinates are listed in the Schedule and an illustrative map is provided.\n- Provides that, in the Greater Sunrise area, Australia will exercise its coastal‑state rights jointly with Timor‑Leste (s 13AA) and that Commonwealth, State or Territory laws do not apply to acts connected with exploration or exploitation of the continental shelf in that area unless a contrary intention appears (s 13AB). That Division ends once the Greater Sunrise Special Regime under the Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty ceases; the Minister must announce that day (s 13AC).\n- Preserves existing State limits and certain existing property rights and leaves other existing laws in force subject to limited exceptions (ss 14–16).\n\nOfficial purpose claims and the statutory basis\n\n- The Act uses definitions drawn from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (the Convention) to define terms such as territorial sea, contiguous zone, continental shelf and exclusive economic zone, and links their meaning to the Convention (s 3(1)).\n- The Preamble and operative provisions frame the statutory purpose as implementing Australia’s sovereignty and coastal‑state rights under international law (Preamble; ss 6, 10A, 11).\n\nTesting the statutory mechanisms against costs, incentives and implementation factors (source‑grounded)\n\nWho decides\n\n- Boundary and limit decisions are made by the Governor‑General by Proclamation (ss 7, 10B, 12, 13B).\n- The Minister decides what charts to prepare and may certify copies as evidence (ss 9(1)–(3), 10C(1)–(2), 13(1)–(2), 13C(1)–(2)).\n- For the Greater Sunrise area, the Act directs joint exercise of coastal‑state rights with Timor‑Leste (s 13AA) and cross‑references treaty‑provided bodies that may exercise Australia’s rights (note to s 13AA referencing s 780M of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006).\n\nWho pays / implementation costs\n\n- The Act does not specify financial charges, fees or funding sources for map‑making, charting or administration. The making and certification of charts and preparation of proclamations are executive functions (ss 7, 9, 10B, 12, 13B, 10C, 13C); the text does not state who bears those administrative costs.\n\nWhat behaviour changes and incentives the law produces\n\n- The Commonwealth centralises decision‑making over maritime boundaries and over sovereign rights and jurisdiction in maritime zones (ss 6, 10A, 11, 13A). That centralisation places the authority to permit, regulate or exploit seabed and EEZ resources primarily at Commonwealth level rather than at State level in those zones (ss 6, 10A, 11; see saving rules in s 16 which delimit the interaction with State and Territory law).\n- In the Greater Sunrise special regime area, domestic laws (Commonwealth, State, Territory) do not apply to exploration/exploitation‑connected acts unless a contrary intention appears; that substitutes treaty governance for ordinary domestic regulatory regimes for those activities (s 13AB). The statutory effect is to shift the legal regime applicable to exploration and exploitation in that area away from normal domestic laws to the arrangements provided by the treaty and its implementing measures (s 13AA, s 13AB, s 13AC).\n\nCompliance burden and legal effects on private actors (source‑grounded)\n\n- Private businesses operating in the EEZ or on the continental shelf will operate under Commonwealth sovereign rights and jurisdiction as the Act declares them vested in the Crown (ss 10A, 11). The Act does not itself set licensing or permit conditions for private parties; such requirements would arise from other legislation or from treaty instruments referred to in the Act (for example, the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act as noted in the s 13AA note).\n- In the Greater Sunrise special regime area, private actors engaged in exploration/exploitation will not be regulated by ordinary Commonwealth, State or Territory laws insofar as those laws relate directly or indirectly to the exploration/exploitation activities (s 13AB). The Act does not itself create the substitute regulatory regime; it points to the treaty arrangements (s 13AA note).\n\nBureaucratic discretion and evidentiary effects\n\n- The Governor‑General’s proclamation powers and the Minister’s charting discretion give the executive substantial administrative discretion to fix boundaries and publish maps (ss 7, 9, 10B, 12, 13B, 10C, 13C).\n- Certified charts are made prima facie evidence of matters shown (s 9(3); cf. ss 10C(2), 13(2), 13C(2)). That creates an evidentiary shortcut: a certified chart can be used in legal proceedings to establish limits unless successfully rebutted.\n\nTrade‑offs, opportunity costs and implementation risk (source‑grounded)\n\n- Trade‑off: centralised control of maritime boundaries and resource rights (ss 6, 10A, 11) vs retention of some State rights in waters that were within State limits at Federation (s 14) and subject to s 16 saving provisions. The Act therefore balances Commonwealth centralisation in maritime zones with statutory protections for pre‑existing State limits and property (ss 14–16).\n- Opportunity cost: the Act does not itself set out regulatory detail for resource development; responsibility for operational regulation and commercial arrangements is left to other laws and, for Greater Sunrise, to treaty bodies (note to s 13AA). That means decisions about permits, taxes, environmental regulation and commercial terms will come from other instruments, not from these provisions.\n- Implementation risks: frequent or legally contested changes to proclaimed limits (Governor‑General proclamations under ss 7, 10B, 12, 13B) and reliance on executive charts as prima facie evidence (ss 9(3), 10C(2), 13(2), 13C(2)) can produce legal disputes about precise boundaries and applicable law. For the Greater Sunrise area the Act ties domestic effect to an international treaty regime (ss 13AA–13AC), which means changes in treaty status directly alter domestic application (s 13AC(1)–(2)).\n\nConcentrated benefits, substitution effects and capture risk (limited to source text)\n\n- The Act creates a mechanism by which exploration and exploitation of the continental shelf and EEZ are governed under Commonwealth authority (ss 10A, 11). Where the Act disapplies domestic laws in favour of a treaty regime (s 13AB), the applicable regulatory framework for resource developers will be the treaty instruments and implementing arrangements rather than standard domestic statutes; this is a substitution effect in regulatory governance. The text itself does not identify specific beneficiaries or processes to guard against capture; it does, however, delegate boundary and charting decisions to executive officials (ss 7, 9, 10B, 12, 13B, 10C, 13C), which concentrates significant administrative discretion.\n\nTechnical details affecting implementation\n\n- The Greater Sunrise special regime area is defined precisely by listed points and rhumb lines in Schedule 2 (Schedule 2 cl 1). The position is to be determined by reference to the Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994 (GDA94) (Schedule 2 cl 1(2)).\n\nWho pays, who decides and what behaviour changes — short list (source citations)\n\n- Who decides: Governor‑General (proclamations fixing limits) (ss 7, 10B, 12, 13B); Minister (charts and certification) (ss 9, 10C, 13, 13C); treaty bodies/agencies where the Act points to treaty arrangements (s 13AA note).\n- Who pays: not specified for administrative acts (proclamations, charting). The Act contains no explicit funding or charging provisions.\n- What behaviour changes: private actors in the EEZ/continental shelf become subject to Commonwealth sovereign rights and jurisdiction (ss 10A, 11); exploration/exploitation activities in the Greater Sunrise area are governed outside ordinary domestic law and under the treaty regime unless a contrary intention appears (s 13AB), altering the applicable legal regime for those activities.\n\nBottom line (analyst’s note, restrained)\n\nThis Act (as set out in the provided text) assigns and confirms Commonwealth sovereignty and coastal‑state rights over maritime zones, empowers executive proclamation of limits and the production of certified charts as legal evidence, and creates a narrow, treaty‑linked special regime for the Greater Sunrise area that removes the ordinary application of domestic laws to exploration and exploitation there. The Act centralises boundary and resource‑rights decisions in Commonwealth authority (ss 6, 10A, 11; ss 7, 10B, 12, 13B), while preserving specified State limits and property exceptions (ss 14–16). The main practical implementation levers are proclamations, ministerial charting and the operation (or suspension) of domestic laws in the Greater Sunrise area (ss 7, 9, 10B, 12, 13B, 13AA–13AC)."},"summary":{"complexity_score":7,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The original 1973 Act focused primarily on asserting sovereignty over the territorial sea and sovereign rights over the continental shelf, reflecting the international law of the time (Geneva Conventions). Over subsequent decades, the Act was significantly expanded in scope through amendments to add Division 1A (the Exclusive Economic Zone, reflecting Australia's ratification of UNCLOS in 1994), Division 2A (the contiguous zone), and most recently Division 2AA (the Greater Sunrise special regime, reflecting the 2018 Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty). What began as a binary declaration of territorial sea and continental shelf sovereignty has grown into a multi-zone framework managing a complex mix of full sovereignty, limited sovereign rights, joint international governance, and selective exclusion of domestic law — a substantially broader scope than the original Act contemplated."},"complexity_factors":["Incorporates international law by reference — key definitions (territorial sea, EEZ, continental shelf, contiguous zone) are defined by reference to specific Articles of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which readers must consult separately","Multiple overlapping zones with different legal regimes and different types of rights (full sovereignty vs. sovereign rights vs. rights of control), each with subtly distinct legal consequences","The Greater Sunrise special regime (Division 2AA) creates a bespoke, treaty-dependent carve-out that suspends normal Australian law and is itself subject to cessation when an international treaty regime ends — adding a temporal and treaty-contingent layer","Complex federal-state division of powers: the savings provisions (sections 14–16) require understanding of Australian constitutional law, the Coastal Waters Acts, and the historical significance of 1 January 1901 (Federation)","Boundaries of each zone are not fixed in the Act itself — they depend on separately issued Proclamations by the Governor-General, which must be tracked alongside the Act","The document provided is heavily repetitive due to formatting issues (the full text is reproduced multiple times), making it harder to identify the true structure of the Act","Interaction with multiple other pieces of legislation (Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006, Coastal Waters (State Powers) Act 1980, Coastal Waters (Northern Territory Powers) Act 1980) is essential to full understanding"],"plain_english_summary":"## Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973 — What It Does and Why It Matters\n\n### The Big Picture\nThis law is Australia's foundational statement about **who owns and controls the ocean around Australia** — the water itself, the airspace above it, the seabed beneath it, and everything living or buried in it. Think of it as Australia planting a legal flag in the seas surrounding the continent and its territories.\n\n### What Does It Actually Declare?\nThe Act establishes Australian government (specifically the federal Commonwealth government, not the states) control over four distinct maritime zones:\n\n1. **The Territorial Sea** — The belt of ocean extending up to 12 nautical miles (about 22 km) from Australia's coastline. Australia has full sovereignty (complete legal control) here, just like on land.\n\n2. **Internal Waters** — Coastal waters on the *landward* (shore-side) side of the baseline (the legal starting line drawn along the coast). These include harbours and bays that weren't already state waters in 1901.\n\n3. **The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)** — A zone extending up to 200 nautical miles (about 370 km) from the coast. Australia doesn't have full sovereignty here, but has exclusive rights to fish, mine, drill for oil and gas, harvest energy from waves and wind, and regulate marine science and environmental protection. Foreign ships can still sail through.\n\n4. **The Continental Shelf** — The underwater extension of Australia's landmass (the seabed and what's below it). Australia has exclusive rights to explore and exploit resources here — think oil, gas, and minerals — even where it extends beyond the EEZ.\n\n5. **The Contiguous Zone** — A band beyond the territorial sea (up to 24 nautical miles from the coast) where Australia can enforce customs, immigration, tax, and public health laws to prevent or punish violations.\n\n### Who Does This Affect?\n- **Fishing companies and miners**: If you want to fish or extract resources in Australian waters, you need Commonwealth permission — the states can't grant that alone.\n- **Foreign ships and operators**: Sailing through is generally fine, but resource extraction or scientific research requires Australian government approval.\n- **State governments**: The states *don't* control these offshore zones. The federal government (the Commonwealth) holds sovereignty. However, the Act carefully preserves state control over coastal waters that were already within state limits at Federation (1 January 1901), and companion laws (*Coastal Waters (State Powers) Act 1980*) give states some powers closer to shore.\n- **Oil and gas companies (especially near Timor-Leste)**: A special section covers the **Greater Sunrise gas field** area — a disputed zone near Timor-Leste. Under a 2018 treaty, Australia and Timor-Leste jointly exercise resource rights there, and *normal Australian laws don't automatically apply* to activities in that zone.\n\n### The Greater Sunrise Special Case\nThe Greater Sunrise gas field (one of the largest in the region) sits in a sensitive area between Australia and Timor-Leste. The Act acknowledges that Australia and Timor-Leste share control of resource rights here under a 2018 treaty. Australian law — federal, state, and territory — is **switched off** for activities in this zone unless a specific law says otherwise. A special governance body manages the area instead.\n\n### What the Act Does *Not* Do\n- It does **not** hand over ownership of wharves, pipelines, lighthouses, or other structures already in the water — those stay with whoever owns them.\n- It does **not** override all existing state and territory laws — it preserves laws that operate within their proper sphere.\n\n### The Governor-General's Power to Draw the Lines\nThe Governor-General (acting on government advice) can issue formal declarations (*Proclamations*) setting the precise boundaries of each zone, consistent with the international law of the sea (the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, signed at Montego Bay in 1982). The Minister can also publish official maps (charts) as legal evidence of where these boundaries lie.\n\n### Why Does This Matter to Ordinary Australians?\nThis Act underpins Australia's ability to:\n- Regulate fishing in Australian waters\n- License offshore oil and gas drilling (think Bass Strait, the North West Shelf)\n- Control who enters Australian waters\n- Protect the marine environment\n- Collect customs and tax from ships near our shores\n\nWithout this law, Australia's claim to the resources and control of its vast surrounding ocean would have no domestic legal foundation."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/seas-and-submerged-lands-act-1973","history":"/api/acts/seas-and-submerged-lands-act-1973/history","analysis":"/api/acts/seas-and-submerged-lands-act-1973/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/seas-and-submerged-lands-act-1973/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/seas-and-submerged-lands-act-1973/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/seas-and-submerged-lands-act-1973/documents"}}