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Evidence (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2011
128APrivilege in respect of self-incrimination – exception for certain
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128A Privilege in respect of self-incrimination – exception for certain
orders etc.
disclosure order means an order made by a Territory court in a
civil proceeding requiring a person to disclose information, as part
of, or in connection with, a freezing or search order under the Rules
of the Supreme Court but does not include an order made by a
court under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth) or the Criminal
Property Forfeiture Act 2002.
Note for definition disclosure order
This definition differs from the NSW Act and Victorian Act.
relevant person means a person to whom a disclosure order is
directed.
(2) If a relevant person objects to complying with a disclosure order on
the grounds that some or all of the information required to be
disclosed may tend to prove that the person:
(a) has committed an offence against or arising under an
Australian law or a law of a foreign country; or
(b) is liable to a civil penalty;
the person must:
(c) disclose so much of the information required to be disclosed to
which no objection is taken; and
(d) prepare an affidavit containing so much of the information
required to be disclosed to which objection is taken (the
privilege affidavit) and deliver it to the court in a sealed
envelope; and
(e) file and serve on each other party a separate affidavit setting
out the basis of the objection.
(3) The sealed envelope containing the privilege affidavit must not be
opened except as directed by the court.
(4) The court must determine whether or not there are reasonable
grounds for the objection.
(5) Subject to subsection (6), if the court finds that there are
reasonable grounds for the objection, the court must not require the
information contained in the privilege affidavit to be disclosed and
must return it to the relevant person.
Evidence (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2011 79
(6) If the court is satisfied that:
(a) any information disclosed in the privilege affidavit may tend to
prove that the relevant person has committed an offence
against or arising under, or is liable to a civil penalty under, an
Australian law; and
(b) the information does not tend to prove that the relevant person
has committed an offence against or arising under, or is liable
to a civil penalty under, a law of a foreign country; and
(c) the interests of justice require the information to be disclosed;
the court may make an order requiring the whole or any part of the
privilege affidavit containing information of the kind referred to in
paragraph (a) to be filed and served on the parties.
(7) If the whole or any part of the privilege affidavit is disclosed
(including by order under subsection (6)), the court must cause the
relevant person to be given a certificate in respect of the
information referred to in subsection (6)(a).
(8) In any proceeding in a Territory court:
(a) evidence of information disclosed by a relevant person in
respect of which a certificate has been given under this
section; and
(b) evidence of any information, document or thing obtained as a
direct result or indirect consequence of the relevant person
having disclosed that information;
cannot be used against the person. However, this does not apply to
a criminal proceeding in respect of the falsity of the evidence
(9) Subsection (8) does not prevent the use against the relevant
person of any information disclosed by a document:
(a) that is an annexure or exhibit to a privilege affidavit prepared
by the person in response to a disclosure order; and
(b) that was in existence before the order was made.
(10) Subsection (8) has effect despite any challenge, review, quashing
or calling into question on any ground of the decision to give, or the
validity of, the certificate concerned.
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