3Interpretation

3 Interpretation

(1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:

Australia includes:

(a) the external Territories; and
(b) the Australian coastal sea.

Australian aircraft means:

(a) an aircraft registered under regulations made under the Civil Aviation Act 1988;
(b) an aircraft that is owned by, or is in the possession or control of, the Commonwealth or an authority of the Commonwealth; or
(c) an aircraft of any part of the Defence Force (including an aircraft that is being commanded or piloted by a member of that Force in the course of the member’s duties as such a member).

Australian coastal sea means:

(a) the territorial sea of Australia; and
(b) the sea on the landward side of the territorial sea of Australia.

Australian ship means:

(a) a ship registered in Australia;
(b) an unregistered ship that has Australian nationality; or
(c) a ship that belongs to an arm of the Defence Force.

Convention means the International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages that was opened for signature at New York on 18 December 1979, a copy of the English text of which is set out in the Schedule.

Foreign Affairs Minister means the Minister administering the Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities Act 1967.

offence against this Act means:

(a) an offence against subsection 8(1); or
(b) an offence against section 11.1 or 11.5 of the Criminal Code, being an offence that relates to an offence referred to in paragraph (a).

part of Australia means a State or Territory.

(2) Except so far as the contrary intention appears, an expression that is used both in this Act and in the Convention (whether or not a particular meaning is given to it by the Convention) has, in this Act, the same meaning as it has in the Convention. (3) For the purposes of section 6 of the Crimes Act 1914 and section 11.4 of the Criminal Code, an offence against subsection 8(1) of this Act shall be taken not to be an offence against a law of the Commonwealth.