Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2021L01589:body:0:p1
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Australian Airspace Policy Statement 20211
Airspace Act 2007

I, BARNABY JOYCE, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, make this Statement under section 8 of the Airspace Act 2007.

Dated 19 November 2021

BARNABY JOYCE
Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development

1 Name of Statement
  This Statement is the Australian Airspace Policy Statement 2021.
2 Commencement
  This Statement commences on 24 November 2021.

Note
1. All legislative instruments and compilations are registered on the Federal Register of Legislation (FRL) kept under the Legislation Act 2003. See https://www.legislation.gov.au/

Australian Airspace Policy Statement

Name of Instrument

   1. This instrument is the Australian Airspace Policy Statement (AAPS) 2021.

Commencement

   2.      This version of the AAPS commences on 24 November 2021 and repeals the previous AAPS, which commenced on 5 October 2018.

Definitions and Reference Documents

  3.      Expressions used in the AAPS are defined in the Glossary of Terms. Documents referenced in the AAPS, and details on how to access them, are listed at the end of the AAPS.

Purpose

  4.      The AAPS is made pursuant to Part 2 of the Airspace Act 2007. The AAPS provides the Commonwealth Government's airspace policy objectives and priorities to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). CASA must administer airspace, as a national resource, consistent with its legislative functions, government policy objectives and priorities, and Australia's obligations under the Chicago Convention. The AAPS is also intended to provide guidance for the aviation industry and other aviation agencies.

Function and powers of CASA in connection to Australian-administered airspace

  5.      The Civil Aviation Act 1988 (CAA 1998) provides the authority for CASA to perform its functions and exercise its powers. CASA will exercise its airspace regulatory functions through the Office of Airspace Regulation (OAR), which is a distinct operational unit of CASA.

  6.      The legislation and regulations which govern airspace administration enable CASA to:
      * determine the class of airspace and controlled aerodromes in Australia;
      * designate prohibited, restricted and danger areas;
      * designate flying training areas;
      * designate air routes and airways;
      * provide directions relating to air routes, airways and facilities;
      * publish the particulars of air traffic services; and
      * review the Instruments containing declarations, designations, determinations and directions at least every 5 years.

  7.      Consistent with the government's policy of a harmonised national civil and military air traffic management (ATM) system, better coordination of national civil and military airspace requirements will be facilitated by the placement of Department of Defence (Defence) officers within the OAR, holding delegated powers under the Airspace Regulations 2007.

Government Policy Objectives

     Safety
    8.             Australia's aviation safety system plays a vital role in ensuring a safe, efficient and competitive aviation industry.  Safety of air navigation is an integral part of airspace