Commonwealth Consolidated Acts Commonwealth Consolidated Acts(1) A person who, at any time after the Convention enters into force for Australia, commits an act of hostage - taking commits an offence against this subsection.
(2) The punishment for an offence against subsection ( 1) is imprisonment for life or for any lesser term.
(3) Subject to section 9, a person shall not be charged with an offence against this Act unless:
(a) the act alleged to constitute the offence was committed:
(i) in Australia; or
(ii) on an Australian ship or an Australian aircraft, whether in or outside Australia; or
(b) where the act alleged to constitute the offence was committed outside Australia (otherwise than on an Australian ship or an Australian aircraft):
(i) the person was, at the time the act was committed, an Australian citizen;
(ii) the person is present in Australia; or
(iii) the act was committed in order to compel a legislative, executive or judicial institution in Australia to do, or abstain from doing, any act.