Hi again Ryan.
I am no expert on the legalities and have just been reading up on some of the info available through a couple of the astro societies around.
The Astronomical Society of New South Wales has a link to the Weapons Prohibition Amendment (Laser Pointers) Regulation 2008:
http://www.asnsw.com/info/WeaponsProhibitionAmendment(LaserPo inter)Regulation2008.pdf
and the Macarthur Astronomical Society has some good general info:
http://www.macastro.org.au/home/inde...=67&Itemid=115
Reading these it seems to me that there is only one way to use a laser without a permit and that is if you are a member of an approved society using the laser to take part in activities associated with astronomy.
You might convince the authorities that you have a "reasonable excuse" but this only allows you to get a permit, not to use a laser without a permit.
Most of the astro societies around seem to be legally constituted bodies
and it would be common sense for this to be a basic requirement for being an "approved organisation".
The Pony Club is just a group of people meeting up and IceInSpace is just a website, so I doubt either would qualify.
Also organisations have to actively apply to be recognised as an "approved organisation". So if you join a society that has not applied and been accepted then you are out of luck.
Greg.