7Persons not to break or injure submarine cables or pipelines

7 Persons not to break or injure submarine cables or pipelines

(1) A person commits an offence if the person engages in conduct and the conduct results in a ship registered in Australia or in a Territory breaking or injuring: (a) a submarine telegraph or a telephone cable in such a manner as might interrupt or obstruct telegraphic or telephonic communications; or (b) a submarine pipeline; or (c) a submarine high‑voltage cable.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 12 months or 20 penalty units.

(1A) A person commits an offence if the person engages in conduct and the person is negligent as to whether the conduct will result in a ship registered in Australia or in a Territory breaking or injuring: (a) a submarine telegraph or a telephone cable in such a manner as might interrupt or obstruct telegraphic or telephonic communications; or (b) a submarine pipeline; or (c) a submarine high‑voltage cable.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 3 months or 10 penalty units.

(2) Where: (a) a breakage of, or an injury to, a cable or pipeline is caused by persons acting with the sole object of saving their lives or their ships; and (b) those persons took all necessary precautions to avoid breaking or injuring the cable or pipeline, the last preceding subsection does not apply in relation to the break or injury. (3) In this section:

engage in conduct means:

(a) do an act; or
(b) omit to perform an act.