(3) In the case of cargo (not in containers) unloaded from a ship at a wharf, the stevedore must communicate the outturn report to the Department within 5 days, or such other period as is prescribed by the regulations, after the day on which the unloading of the cargo from the ship was completed. The outturn report must state the time when the unloading of the cargo was completed.
(4) In the case of cargo unloaded from a ship or aircraft and moved, under a permission given under section 71E, to a Customs place (as defined in subsection 183UA(1)) other than a warehouse, the person in charge of the Customs place must communicate the outturn report to the Department:
(a) if the cargo is in a container:
(i) if the container is not unpacked at that place—within 24 hours (or such longer period as is prescribed by the regulations) after the person in charge of that place recorded the receipt of the container at that place; or
(ii) if the container is unpacked at that place—within 24 hours, or such other period as is prescribed by the regulations, after it was unpacked; or
(b) if the cargo is not in a container—not later than:
(i) the day after the day on which the person in charge of that place recorded a receipt of the cargo at that place; or
(ii) if a later time is prescribed by the regulations—that later time.
If the cargo is in a container that is unpacked at the Customs place, the outturn report must state the time when the unpacking of the cargo was completed.
64ABAC Explanation of shortlanded or surplus cargo
(1) If an outturn report specifies:
(a) any goods included in the cargo report that have not been unloaded; or
(b) any goods not included in the cargo report that have been unloaded;
the officer may require the cargo reporter who made the cargo report in relation to the goods to explain why the goods were not unloaded or were not included in the cargo report, as the case may be.
(2) If a cargo reporter in respect of whom a requirement is made under subsection (1) fails to comply with the requirement, the cargo reporter commits a offence punishable, on conviction, by a penalty not exceeding 60 penalty units.
64ACA Passenger reports
Obligation to report on passengers
(1) The operator of a ship or aircraft that is due to arrive, from a place outside Australia, at a port or airport in Australia (whether it is the first or any subsequent port or airport of the voyage or flight) must report to the Department on each passenger who will be on board the ship or aircraft at the time of its arrival at the port or airport.
Note 1: This obligation must be complied with even if the information concerned is personal information (as defined in the Privacy Act 1988).
Note 2: See also section 64ACC, which deals with what happens if information has already been reported under the Migration Act 1958.
Note 3: Section 64ACD contains an offence for failure to comply with this subsection.
How report is to be given—certain operators to use an approved electronic system
(2) If one of the following paragraphs applies, the operator must give the report by the electronic system approved for the operator for the purposes of this subsection:
(a) the ship is on a voyage for transporting persons:
(i) that is provided for a fee payable by those using it; and
(ii) the operator of which is prescribed by the regulations;
and the Comptroller‑General of Customs has, in writing, approved an electronic system for the operator for the purposes of this subsection;
(b) the aircraft is on a flight that is provided as part of an airline service:
(i) that is provided for a fee payable by those using it; and
(ii) that is provided in accordance with fixed schedules to or from fixed terminals over specific routes; and
(iii) that is available to the general public on a regular basis;
and the Comptroller‑General of Customs has, in writing, approved an electronic system for the operator for the purposes of this subsection.
Note 1: An approval, and a variation or revocation of an approval, is a legislative instrument: see subsection (10).
Note 2: An approval can be varied or revoked under subsection 33(3) of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901.
(3) However, if the approved electronic system is not working, then the operator must give the report as if subsection (4) applied.
How report to is be given—other operators
(4) The operator of any other ship or aircraft may give the report by document or electronically.
(5) If the report relates to a ship, it must be given not later than:
(a) the start of the prescribed period before its estimated time of arrival; or
(b) if the journey is of a kind described in regulations made for the purposes of this paragraph—the start of the shorter period before its estimated time of arrival that is specified in those regulations.
(5A) Regulations made for the purposes of subsection (5) may prescribe matters of a transitional nature (including prescribing any saving or application provisions) arising out of the making of regulations for those purposes.
Deadline for giving report—aircraft
(6) If the report relates to an aircraft, it must be given not later than:
(a) if the flight from the last airport outside Australia is likely to take not less than 3 hours—3 hours; or
(b) if the flight from the last airport outside Australia is likely to take less than 3 hours—one hour;
before the time stated in the report made under section 64 to be the estimated time of arrival of the aircraft.
Other requirements for documentary reports
(7) If the report is given by document, it must:
(a) be in writing; and
(b) be in an approved form; and
(c) contain such information as is required by the form; and
(d) be signed in a manner specified in the form; and
(e) be communicated to the Department by sending or giving it to an officer doing duty in relation to the reporting of ships or aircraft at the port or airport at which the ship or aircraft is expected to arrive.
Other requirements for electronic reports
(8) If the report is given electronically (whether or not by an electronic system approved for the purposes of subsection (2)), it must communicate such information as is set out in an approved statement.
Different forms and statements for different circumstances etc.
(9) The Comptroller‑General of Customs may approve different forms for documentary reports, and different statements for electronic reports, to be made under subsections (7) and (8) in different circumstances, by different kinds of operators of ships or aircraft or in respect of different kinds of ships or aircraft.
Legislative instruments
(10) An approval of an electronic system for the purposes of subsection (2), or a variation or revocation of such an approval, is a legislative instrument.
Purpose for which information obtained
(12) Information obtained by the Department under this section is taken to be obtained by the Department for the purposes of the administration of this Act, the Migration Act 1958, and any other law of the Commonwealth prescribed by regulations for the purposes of this subsection.
64ACB Crew reports
Obligation to report on crew
(1) The operator of a ship or aircraft that is due to arrive, from a place outside Australia, at a port or airport in Australia (whether it is the first or any subsequent port or airport of the voyage or flight) must, in accordance with this section, report to the Department on each member of the crew who will be on board the ship or aircraft at the time of its arrival at the port or airport.
Note 1: This obligation must be complied with even if the information concerned is personal information (as defined in the Privacy Act 1988).
Note 2: See also section 64ACC, which deals with what happens if information has already been reported under the Migration Act 1958.
Note 3: Section 64ACD contains an offence for failure to comply with this subsection.
How report is to be given
(2) The operator may give the report by document or electronically.
Deadline for giving report
(3) The report must be made during the period within which a report under section 64 of the impending arrival of the ship or aircraft is required to be made.
(4) However, a report in respect of an aircraft must not be made before the date of departure of the aircraft from the last airport outside Australia.
Other requirements for documentary reports
(5) If the report is given by document, it must:
(a) be in writing; and
(b) be in an approved form; and
(c) contain such information as is required by the form; and
(d) be signed in a manner specified in the form; and
(e) be communicated to the Department by sending or giving it to an officer doing duty in relation to the reporting of ships or aircraft at the port or airport at which the ship or aircraft is expected to arrive.
Other requirements for electronic reports
(6) If the report is given electronically, it must communicate such information as is set out in an approved statement.
Different forms and statements for different circumstances etc.
(7) The Comptroller‑General of Customs may approve different forms for documentary reports, and different statements for electronic reports, to be made under subsections (5) and (6) in different circumstances, by different kinds of operators of ships or aircraft or in respect of different kinds of ships or aircraft.
Purpose for which information obtained
(9) Information obtained by the Department under this section is taken to be obtained by the Department for the purposes of the administration of this Act, the Migration Act 1958, and any other law of the Commonwealth prescribed by regulations for the purposes of this subsection.
64ACC Information does not have to be reported if it has already been reported under the Migration Act 1958
(1) If:
(a) both:
(i) section 64ACA or 64ACB of this Act; and
(ii) section 245L of the Migration Act 1958;
require the same piece of information in relation to a particular passenger or member of the crew on a particular voyage or flight to be reported; and
(b) the operator has reported that piece of information in relation to that passenger or member of the crew in accordance with that section of the Migration Act 1958;
the operator is then taken not to be required by section 64ACA or 64ACB of this Act (as the case requires) to report the same piece of information in relation to those passengers or crew.
Note: This may mean that no report at all is required under this Act.
(2) However, subsection (1) only applies if the report under the Migration Act 1958 relates to the arrival of the ship or aircraft at the same port or airport for which this Act requires a report.
Note: So, for example, if a report under the Migration Act 1958 is given for a ship’s or aircraft’s arrival in an external Territory that is not part of Australia for the purposes of this Act, subsection (1) does not apply and a report under this Act is required.
64ACD Offence for failure to comply
(1) An operator of a ship or aircraft who intentionally contravenes section 64ACA or 64ACB commits an offence punishable, on conviction, by a penalty not exceeding 120 penalty units.
(2) An operator of a ship or aircraft who contravenes section 64ACA or 64ACB commits an offence punishable, on conviction, by a penalty not exceeding 60 penalty units.
(3) An offence against subsection (2) is an offence of strict liability.
Note: For strict liability, see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.
(4) An operator of an aircraft or ship commits a separate offence under subsection (1) or (2) in relation to each passenger or member of the crew in relation to whom the operator contravenes section 64ACA or 64ACB.
64ACE Communication of reports
(1) For the purposes of this Act, a documentary report that is sent or given to the Department in accordance with section 64, 64AA, 64AAA, 64ACA or 64ACB may be sent or given in any prescribed manner and, when so sent or given, is taken to have been communicated to the Department when it is received by an officer.
(2) For the purposes of this Act, a report that is sent electronically to the Department under section 64, 64AA, 64AAA, 64AAB, 64AAC, 64AB, 64ABAA, 64ACA or 64ACB is taken to have been communicated to the Department when an acknowledgment of the report is sent to the person identified in the report as the person sending it.
64ADAA Requirements for communicating to Department electronically
A communication that is required or permitted by this Subdivision to be made to the Department electronically must:
(a) be signed by the person who makes it (see paragraph 126DA(1)(c)); and
(b) otherwise meet the information technology requirements determined under section 126DA.
64ADA Disclosure of cargo reports to port authorities
(1) An officer may disclose a cargo report to a port authority for the purpose of enabling the authority to collect statistics or compute liability for wharfage charges.
(2) A person to whom information is disclosed under subsection (1) must not:
(a) use the information for any purpose other than the purpose for which the information was disclosed; or
(b) disclose the information to any person except to the extent necessary for that purpose.
Penalty: Imprisonment for 2 years.
(3) A reference in this section to disclosure of information includes a reference to disclosure by way of the provision of electronic access to the information.
64AE Obligation to answer questions and produce documents
(1) The operator of a ship or aircraft to whom section 64, 64AA, 64AAA, 64ACA or 64ACB applies must:
(a) answer questions asked by a Collector relating to the ship or aircraft or its cargo, crew, passengers, stores or voyage; and
(b) produce documents requested by the Collector relating to a matter referred to in paragraph (a), if the documents are in his or her possession or control at the time of the request.
Penalty: 30 penalty units.
(1A) Subsection (1) is an offence of strict liability.
Note: For strict liability, see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.
(2) Each cargo reporter to whom section 64AB applies must:
(a) answer questions asked by a Collector relating to the goods he or she has arranged to be carried on the relevant ship or aircraft; and
(b) produce documents requested by the Collector relating to such goods, if the documents are in his or her possession or control at the time of the request.
Penalty: 30 penalty units.
(2A) Subsection (2) is an offence of strict liability.
Note: For strict liability, see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.
(3) It is a defence to a prosecution for an offence against subsection (1) or (2) if the person charged had a reasonable excuse for:
(a) refusing or failing to answer questions asked by a Collector; or
(b) refusing or failing to produce documents when so requested by a Collector.
64AF Obligation to provide access to passenger information
(1) An operator of an international passenger air service commits an offence if:
(a) the operator receives a request from the Comptroller‑General of Customs to allow authorised officers ongoing access to the operator’s passenger information in a particular manner and form; and
(b) the operator fails to provide that access in that manner and form.
Note 1: For operator, international passenger air service and passenger information, see subsection (6).
Note 2: The obligation to provide access must be complied with even if the information concerned is personal information (as defined in the Privacy Act 1988).
Penalty: 50 penalty units.
(2) An operator of an international passenger air service does not commit an offence against subsection (1) at a particular time if, at that time, the operator cannot itself access the operator’s passenger information.
Note 1: For example, the operator cannot access the operator’s passenger information if the operator’s computer system is not working.
Note 2: A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in subsection (2) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code).
(3) An operator of an international passenger air service commits an offence if the operator fails to provide an authorised officer to whom the operator is required to allow access in accordance with subsection (1) with all reasonable facilities, and assistance, necessary to obtain information by means of that access and to understand information obtained.
Penalty: 50 penalty units.
(4) An operator of an international passenger air service does not commit an offence against subsection (3) if the operator had a reasonable excuse for failing to provide the facilities and assistance in accordance with that subsection.
Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in subsection (4) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code).
(5) An authorised officer must only access an operator’s passenger information for the purposes of performing his or her functions in accordance with:
(a) this Act; or
(b) a law of the Commonwealth prescribed by regulations for the purposes of this paragraph.
(6) In this section:
Australian international flight means a flight:
(a) from a place within Australia to a place outside Australia; or
(b) from a place outside Australia to a place within Australia.
international passenger air service means a service of providing air transportation of people:
(a) by means of Australian international flights (whether or not the operator also operates domestic flights or other international flights); and
(b) for a fee payable by people using the service; and
(c) in accordance with fixed schedules to or from fixed terminals over specific routes; and
(d) that is available to the general public on a regular basis.
operator, in relation to an international passenger air service, means a person who conducts, or offers to conduct, the service.