Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

NAVIGATION ACT 1912 - SECT 329C

             (1)  If salvage operations are conducted by or on behalf of the Commonwealth, a State, a Territory or the government of a prescribed country, the Commonwealth, the State, the Territory or that government, as the case may be, is entitled to claim payment in respect of those operations to the same extent, and has the same rights and remedies, as any other salvor.

             (2)  The regulations may make provision in relation to salvage operations, and claims for salvage operations, conducted by or on behalf of the Commonwealth, a State, a Territory or the government of a prescribed country.

             (3)  Without limiting the generality of subsection (2), the regulations which may be made by virtue of that subsection include regulations providing for or in relation to:

                     (a)  the action to be taken with respect to ships and other property saved as a result of salvage operations conducted by or on behalf of the Commonwealth or a State or Territory;

                     (b)  the execution of bonds for the payment of salvage operations so conducted;

                     (c)  the taking of security for the performance of bonds executed under regulations made by virtue of paragraph (b);

                     (d)  the adjudication on, and the enforcement of, bonds executed under regulations made by virtue of paragraph (b) or under a law of a prescribed country corresponding with those regulations; and

                     (e)  the conditions subject to which claims for salvage operations may be made by the commander or master, or other members of the crew, of a Government ship or a ship belonging to a prescribed country.