155Evidence of official records

155 Evidence of official records

(1) Evidence of a Commonwealth record or of a public record of a State or Territory may be adduced by producing a document that: (a) purports to be such a record and to be signed or sealed by: (i) a Minister, or a Minister of the State or Territory, as the case requires; or (ii) a person who might reasonably be supposed to have custody of the record; or (b) purports to be a copy of or extract from the record that is certified to be a true copy or extract by: (i) a Minister, or a Minister of the State or Territory, as the case requires; or (ii) a person who might reasonably be supposed to have custody of the record. (2) If such a document is produced, it is presumed, unless evidence that is sufficient to raise doubt about the presumption is adduced, that: (a) the document is the record, copy or extract that it purports to be; and (b) the Minister, Minister of the State or Territory or person: (i) signed or sealed the record; or (ii) certified the copy or extract as a true copy or extract; as the case requires.

Note: Section 5 extends the application of this section to proceedings in all Australian courts.