CANBERRA, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Penalties for aviation crimes, including bomb hoaxes and endangering aircraft safety, would be bolstered under Australia's new draft laws, official announced on Wednesday.
Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor introduced the laws, which would continue to impose life imprisonment for anyone involved in hijacking planes or destroying them, to parliament on Wednesday.
"The attempted terrorist bombing of the American flight NW253 would have fallen within this tier if it had occurred on an Australian interstate or overseas flight," O'Connor said in the statement.
O'Connor said it had become clear in an Attorney General's Department review of the aviation crimes act that there were a number of penalties which did not reflect the serious of some aviation offenses.
Under existing provisions people who make bomb threats face a maximum penalty of two years.
"This is a very low penalty given the very serious disruption and potential danger that such hoaxes can create," O'Connor said.
"For example if a flight has to be redirected as a result or an airport has to be evacuated."
There would be four tiers of penalties under the draft laws, ranging from life imprisonment for hijacking or destroying aircraft to ten years maximum for hoaxes or taking control of an airport.
The penalties for endangering an aircraft while in flight would rise from seven to 20 years, the same penalty which would apply to anyone who assaulted a pilot.
A new model for policing would also apply under the proposed laws, with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to take responsibility for policing at all major Australian airports.
"Under these changes the Australian Federal Police will take full control of community policing at these 11 airports replacing the current hybrid model involving AFP and state territory police, " O'Connor said.
Three new aviation offenses would be created to fill gaps in existing offenses to assist the AFP in enforcing aviation law.
"The Australian Federal Police and other agencies continue to meet complex challenges and threats within the aviation environment," O'Connor said.
"To do their work effectively the AFP needed to be supported by appropriate laws..."
The new offenses include changes to the penalties for assaulting air crew members, to remove the need for the prosecution, to prove the assault impeded the operation of the aircraft.
Recklessly endangering the safety of an aircraft likely to cause serious harm or death would also be a crime, attracting a maximum penalty of 14 years jail.
