24AConduct by directors, employees and agents

#### 24A Conduct by directors, employees and agents (1) If, in proceedings for an offence against this Act, it is necessary to establish the state of mind of a body corporate in relation to particular conduct, it is sufficient to show: (a) that the conduct was engaged in by a director, employee or agent of the body corporate within the scope of his or her actual or apparent authority; and (b) that the director, employee or agent had the state of mind. (2) Any conduct engaged in on behalf of a body corporate by a director, employee or agent of the body corporate within the scope of his or her actual or apparent authority is taken, for the purposes of a prosecution for an offence against this Act, to have been engaged in also by the body corporate unless the body corporate establishes that it took reasonable precautions and exercised due diligence to avoid the conduct. (3) If, in proceedings for an offence against this Act, it is necessary to establish the state of mind of an individual in relation to particular conduct, it is sufficient to show: (a) that the conduct was engaged in by an employee or agent of the individual within the scope of his or her actual or apparent authority; and (b) that the employee or agent had the state of mind. (4) Any conduct engaged in on behalf of an individual by an employee or agent of the individual within the scope of his or her actual or apparent authority is taken, for the purposes of a prosecution for an offence against this Act, to have been engaged in also by the individual unless the individual establishes that he or she took reasonable precautions and exercised due diligence to avoid the conduct. (5) If: (a) a person who is an individual is convicted of an offence; and (b) the person would not have been convicted of the offence if subsections (3) and (4) had not been enacted; the person is not liable to be punished by imprisonment for the offence. (6) A reference in subsection (1) or (3) to the state of mind of a person includes a reference to: (a) the knowledge, intention, opinion, belief or purpose of the person; and (b) the person’s reasons for the intention, opinion, belief or purpose. (7) A reference in this section to a director of a body corporate includes a reference to a constituent member of, or to a member of a board or other group of persons administering or managing the affairs of, a body corporate incorporated for a public purpose by a law of the Commonwealth, of a State or of a Territory. (8) A reference in this section to engaging in conduct includes a reference to failing or refusing to engage in conduct. (9) A reference in this section to an offence against this Act includes: (a) an offence created by section 6 of the Crimes Act 1914 that relates to this Act; and (b) an offence against section 11.1, 11.4 or 11.5 of the Criminal Code that relates to this Act.