Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

HISTORIC SHIPWRECKS ACT 1976 - SECT 13

             (1)  A person contravenes this section if:

                     (a)  the person engages in conduct; and

                     (b)  the conduct:

                              (i)  destroys or causes damage to a historic shipwreck or historic relic; or

                             (ii)  causes interference with a historic shipwreck or historic relic; or

                            (iii)  causes the disposal of a historic shipwreck or historic relic; or

                            (iv)  causes a historic shipwreck or historic relic to be removed from Australia (including State waters), from Australian waters or from waters above the continental shelf of Australia.

          (1A)  Subsection (1) does not apply if the person engages in the conduct in accordance with a permit.

Note:          The defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in subsection (1A). See subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code .

          (1B)  In subsections (1) and (1A):

"engage in conduct" means:

                     (a)  do an act; or

                     (b)  omit to perform an act.

             (2)  A reference in subsection (1) to the removal of a historic shipwreck or a historic relic from waters includes a reference to the removal of a historic shipwreck or a historic relic from the sea‑bed, or from the subsoil of the sea‑bed, beneath those waters or from a reef in those waters.

             (3)  A person who contravenes this section is guilty of an offence and is punishable, on conviction:

                     (a)  if the offender is a natural person--by a fine not exceeding $10,000 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 5 years, or both; or

                     (b)  if the offender is a body corporate--by a fine not exceeding $50,000.

             (4)  In this section, historic shipwreck includes a part of a historic shipwreck.