6ATrial of short-term RAAF voice-activated extension of certain declared restricted areas

6A Trial of short-term RAAF voice-activated extension of certain declared restricted areas

 (1) This section:

(a) applies for a relevant declared restricted area despite section 6 and Schedule 1; and

(b) ceases to have any effect at the end of 14 June 2023.

Note 1   Relevant declared restricted area is defined in subsection (5).

Note 2   The purpose of section 6A is to conduct a time-limited safety trial of RAAF use of voice communication, in certain circumstances, in certain restricted areas, to provide a 15-minute, temporary extension of an otherwise about-to-expire activation of a restricted area, for overdue RAAF aircraft.

 (2) The period of activation of a relevant restricted area, or of a specified part of such an area, which would otherwise expire in accordance with the requirements of Schedule 1, may be extended by the Controlling Authority for the relevant restricted area in accordance with subsection (3).

 (3) For subsection (2):

(a) the activation extension must:

 (i) be by voice communication (voice extension); and

 (ii) be authorised by me in an instrument of authorisation; and

 (iii) occur not less than 10 minutes before the period of activation of the relevant area expires as provided for under Schedule 1 (the Scheduled activation period); and

 (iv) be for not more than 15 minutes in duration after the end of the Scheduled activation period; and

(b) the Controlling Authority must:

 (i) be the Department of Defence – RAAF; and

 (ii) only use voice extension because a RAAF aircraft is overdue to arrive and land in the relevant restricted area; and

 (iii) before voice extension occurs, make a broadcast on the relevant restricted area frequency to alert other aircraft of the proposed voice extension; and

 (iv) comply with any other safety procedures notified in writing by CASA after discussions with the RAAF and Airservices Australia; and

(c) the Controlling Authority must, as soon as practicable after voice extension, notify CASA in writing:

 (i) that the voice extension has occurred; and

 (ii) when, and for what relevant restricted area, the voice extension occurred; and

 (iii) for how long the relevant restricted area was activated by voice; and

 (iv) what affect (if any) the voice activation had on civilian aircraft (if any) in or approaching the relevant restricted area; and

 (v) such other details of the circumstances of the voice activation as CASA may request in writing after the event.

Note   The information mentioned in paragraph (c) is essential to assist CASA to assess the impact of the voice activation trial, and decide whether the trial might be extended or the facility made permanent.