11Criminal laws applicable in offshore areas in relation to Australian citizens or residents

##### 11 Criminal laws applicable in offshore areas in relation to Australian citizens or residents (1) Subject to subsection (2), the provisions of the criminal laws in force in a State or Territory apply in any prescribed area of waters beyond the outer limits of the territorial sea of Australia and not within the outer limits of the territorial sea adjacent to an external Territory, being an area of waters that is adjacent to that State or Territory but not being an area of waters within the territorial sea of another country, and in the airspace above and the seabed and subsoil below any such area of waters, and so apply as if that area were part of that State or Territory. (2) The provisions referred to in subsection (1) apply by virtue of that subsection to and in relation to all acts that are committed by Australian citizens or Australian residents (other than acts to or in relation to which the provisions of the criminal laws in force in a State or Territory apply by virtue of section 9 or 10), and not otherwise. (3) The regulations may make provision for or in relation to ascertaining the State or Territory to which an area of waters is to be taken to be adjacent for the purposes of subsection (1). (4) For the purposes of this section, an area of waters may be taken to be adjacent to a State or Territory if that area of waters is adjacent to the territorial sea adjacent to that State or Territory.