11Aboriginal persons or Torres Strait Islanders—Act, pars 12(2)(b) and (c)

11  Aboriginal persons or Torres Strait Islanders—Act, pars 12(2)(b) and (c)

 (1) This section applies if:

 (a) an application must include identity evidence for an individual; and

 (b) the individual is an Aboriginal person or a Torres Strait Islander who does not have that identity evidence, or all of that evidence.

 (2) The application must be accompanied by a reference by an authorised referee that verifies the individual’s identity.

 (3) The authorised referee may confirm the individual’s identity from any records within the referee’s keeping or control.

authorised referee, for an individual, means a person who:

 (a) is not the individual’s parent, grandparent, sibling, child or grandchild; and

 (b) has known the individual for at least 12 months; and

 (c) is one of the following:

 (i) the chair, Secretary or chief executive officer of an incorporated Indigenous organisation, including a land council, community council or housing organisation;

 (ii) the individual’s employer;

 (iii) a school principal or a school counsellor;

 (iv) a minister of religion;

 (v) a medical practitioner;

 (vi) a treating health professional (within the meaning of subsection 197(1) of the Social Security Act 1991) or a manager in an Aboriginal Medical Service;

 (vii) an APS employee who has been engaged on an ongoing basis, or a permanent employee of a State or Territory, for at least 5 years.