22 Obstructing investigators
(1) A person must not obstruct an investigator in the exercise of a power,
unless the person has a reasonable excuse.
(2) If a person has obstructed an investigator and the investigator decides
to proceed with the exercise of the power, the investigator must warn
the person that—
(a) it is an offence to obstruct the investigator, unless the person has
a reasonable excuse; and
(b) the investigator considers the person’s conduct is an obstruction.
(3) In this clause—
obstruct includes hinder and attempt to obstruct or hinder.
23 Impersonation of investigators
A person must not pretend to be an investigator.
Maximum penalty— $5,000.
(Section 238)
1 Powers of inspectors
(1) This clause applies if an inspector reasonably believes—
(a) an offence against this Law has been committed; and
(b) a person may be able to give information about the offence.
(2) The inspector may, by written notice given to a person, require the
person to—
(a) give stated information to the inspector within a stated
reasonable time and in a stated reasonable way; or
(b) attend before the inspector at a stated time and a stated place to
answer questions or produce documents.
2 Offence for failing to produce information or attend
before inspector
(1) A person required to give stated information to an inspector under
clause 1 (2) (a) must not fail, without reasonable excuse, to give the
information as required by the notice.
(2) A person given a notice to attend before an inspector must not fail,
without reasonable excuse, to—
(a) attend as required by the notice; and
(b) continue to attend as required by the inspector until excused
from further attendance; and
(c) answer a question the person is required to answer by the
inspector; and
(d) produce a document the person is required to produce by the
notice.
(3) For subclauses (1) and (2), it is not a reasonable excuse for an
individual to fail to give stated information, answer a question or
produce a document only because giving the information, answering
the question or producing the document might tend to incriminate the
(4) However—
(a) the information, answer or document required to be given,
answered or provided by the individual is not admissible in
evidence against the individual in a criminal proceeding, other
than a proceeding for—
(i) an offence against this schedule; or
(ii) an offence in relation to the falsity of the information,
answer or document; and
(b) evidence that was discovered as a result of the information or
answer, and that could not have been discovered but for the
giving of the information or answering of the question, is not
admissible against the individual in a criminal proceeding.
3 Inspection of documents
(1) If a document is produced to an inspector, the inspector may—
(c) keep the document while it is necessary for the investigation.
(2) If the inspector keeps the document, the inspector must permit a
reasonable time and in the reasonable way decided by the inspector.
4 Entering places
An inspector may enter a place if—
(a) its occupier consents to the entry of the place; or
(b) it is a public place and the entry is made when it is open to the
public; or
(c) the entry is authorised by a warrant.
5 Application for warrant
(1) An inspector may apply to a magistrate of a participating jurisdiction
for a warrant for a place.
(2) The inspector must prepare a written application that states the
grounds on which the warrant is sought.
(3) The written application must be sworn.
(4) The magistrate may refuse to consider the application until the
inspector gives the magistrate all the information the magistrate
requires about the application in the way the magistrate requires.
6 Issue of warrant
(1) The magistrate may issue the warrant only if the magistrate is
satisfied there are reasonable grounds for suspecting there is a
particular thing or activity that may provide evidence of an offence
against this Law at the place.
(2) The warrant must state—
(a) that a stated inspector may, with necessary and reasonable help
and force—
(i) enter the place and any other place necessary for entry; and
(ii) exercise the inspector’s powers under this Part; and
(b) the matter for which the warrant is sought; and
(c) the evidence that may be seized under the warrant; and
(d) the hours of the day or night when the place may be entered; and
(e) the date, within 14 days after the warrant’s issue, the warrant
7 Application by electronic communication
(1) An inspector may apply for a warrant by phone, facsimile, email,
radio, video conferencing or another form of communication if the
inspector considers it necessary because of—
(a) urgent circumstances; or
(b) other special circumstances, including the inspector’s remote
location.
(2) The application—
(a) may not be made before the inspector prepares the written
application under clause 5 (2); but
(b) may be made before the written application is sworn.
(3) The magistrate may issue the warrant (the original warrant) only if
the magistrate is satisfied—
(a) it was necessary to make the application under subclause (1);
and
(b) the way the application was made under subclause (1) was
appropriate.
(4) After the magistrate issues the original warrant—
(a) if there is a reasonably practicable way of immediately giving a
copy of the warrant to the inspector, for example, by sending a
copy by fax or email, the magistrate must immediately give a
copy of the warrant to the inspector; or
(i) the magistrate must tell the inspector the date and time the
warrant is issued and the other terms of the warrant; and
(ii) the inspector must complete a form of warrant including by
writing on it—
(A) the magistrate’s name; and
(B) the date and time the magistrate issued the warrant;
and
(C) the other terms of the warrant.
(5) The copy of the warrant referred to in subclause (4) (a), or the form
of warrant completed under subclause (4) (b) (in either case the
duplicate warrant), is a duplicate of, and as effectual as, the original
warrant.
(6) The inspector must, at the first reasonable opportunity, send to the
magistrate—
(a) the written application complying with clause 5 (2) and (3); and
(b) if the inspector completed a form of warrant under subclause
(4)(b), the completed form of warrant.
(7) The magistrate must keep the original warrant and, on receiving the
documents under subclause (6), file the original warrant and
documents in the court.
(8) Despite subclause (5), if—
(a) an issue arises in a proceeding about whether an exercise of a
power was authorised by a warrant issued under this clause; and
(b) the original warrant is not produced in evidence;
the onus of proof is on the person relying on the lawfulness of the
exercise of the power to prove a warrant authorised the exercise of
(9) This clause does not limit clause 5.
8 Procedure before entry under warrant
(1) Before entering a place under a warrant, an inspector must do or make
a reasonable attempt to do the following—
(a) identify himself or herself to a person present at the place who
is an occupier of the place by producing the inspector’s identity
card or another document evidencing the inspector’s
appointment;
(b) give the person a copy of the warrant;
(c) tell the person the inspector is permitted by the warrant to enter
the place;
(d) give the person an opportunity to allow the inspector immediate
entry to the place without using force.
(2) However, the inspector need not comply with subclause (1) if the
inspector reasonably believes that immediate entry to the place is
required to ensure the effective execution of the warrant is not
frustrated.
9 Powers after entering places
(1) This clause applies if an inspector enters a place under clause 4.
(2) The inspector may for the purposes of the investigation do the
(a) search any part of the place;
(b) inspect, measure, test, photograph or film any part of the place
or anything at the place;
(c) take a thing, or a sample of or from a thing, at the place for
analysis, measurement or testing;
(d) copy, or take an extract from, a document, at the place;
Clause 10
(e) take into or onto the place any person, equipment and materials
the inspector reasonably requires for exercising a power under
this Part;
(f) require the occupier of the place, or a person at the place, to give
the inspector reasonable help to exercise the inspector’s powers
under paragraphs (a) to (e);
(g) require the occupier of the place, or a person at the place, to give
the inspector information to help the inspector ascertain whether
this Law is being complied with.
(3) When making a requirement referred to in subclause (2) (f) or (g), the
inspector must warn the person it is an offence to fail to comply with
the requirement unless the person has a reasonable excuse.
10 Offences for failing to comply with requirement under
clause 9
(1) A person required to give reasonable help under clause 9 (2) (f) must
(2) A person of whom a requirement is made under clause 9 (2) (g) must
(3) It is a reasonable excuse for an individual not to comply with a
requirement under clause 9 (2) (f) or (g) that complying with the
requirement might tend to incriminate the individual.
11 Seizure of evidence
(1) An inspector who enters a public place when the place is open to the
public may seize a thing at the place if the inspector reasonably
believes the thing is evidence that is relevant to the investigation
being conducted by the inspector.
(2) If an inspector enters a place with the occupier’s consent, the
inspector may seize a thing at the place if—
(a) the inspector reasonably believes the thing is evidence that is
relevant to the investigation being conducted by the inspector;
and
(b) seizure of the thing is consistent with the purpose of the entry as
told to the occupier when asking for the occupier’s consent.
(3) If an inspector enters a place with a warrant, the inspector may seize
the evidence for which the warrant was issued.
(4) For the purposes of subclauses (2) and (3), the inspector may also
seize anything else at the place if the inspector reasonably believes—
(a) the thing is evidence that is relevant to the investigation; and
(b) the seizure is necessary to prevent the thing being hidden, lost
or destroyed.
12 Securing seized things
Having seized a thing, an inspector may—
(a) move the thing from the place where it was seized; or
(b) leave the thing at the place where it was seized but take
reasonable action to restrict access to it.
Clause 13
13 Receipt for seized things
(1) As soon as practicable after an inspector seizes a thing, the inspector
must give a receipt for it to the person from whom it was seized.
subclause (1), the inspector must leave the receipt at the place of
seizure in a conspicuous position and in a reasonably secure way.
(3) The receipt must describe generally the seized thing and its condition.
(4) This clause does not apply to a thing if it is impracticable or would be
unreasonable to give the receipt given the thing’s nature, condition
and value.
14 Forfeiture of seized thing
(1) A seized thing is forfeited to the National Agency if the inspector who
seized the thing—
(a) cannot find its owner, after making reasonable inquiries; or
(b) cannot return it to its owner, after making reasonable efforts.
(2) In applying subclause (1)—
(a) subclause (1)(a) does not require the inspector to make inquiries
if it would be unreasonable to make inquiries to find the owner;
and
(b) subclause (1)(b) does not require the inspector to make efforts if
it would be unreasonable to make efforts to return the thing to
its owner.
(3) Regard must be had to a thing’s nature, condition and value in
deciding—
(a) whether it is reasonable to make inquiries or efforts; and
(b) if making inquiries or efforts, what inquiries or efforts, including
the period over which they are made, are reasonable.
Clause 15
15 Dealing with forfeited things
(1) On the forfeiture of a thing to the National Agency, the thing becomes
the Agency’s property and may be dealt with by the Agency as the
Agency considers appropriate.
(2) Without limiting subclause (1), the National Agency may destroy or
dispose of the thing.
16 Return of seized things
(1) If a seized thing has not been forfeited, the inspector must return it to
its owner—
(a) if proceedings involving the thing are started within 6 months
after the thing is seized—at the end of the proceedings and any
appeal from the proceedings; or
(i) 6 months after the thing is seized; or
(ii) at the end of any longer time for which the thing may be
kept under subclause (3).
(2) Despite subclause (1), unless the thing has been forfeited, the
inspector must immediately return a thing seized as evidence to its
owner if the inspector is no longer satisfied its continued retention as
evidence is necessary.
(3) If the seized thing is a document, the inspector may keep it while the
inspector is satisfied it is needed, or may be needed, for the purposes
of—
(a) a proceeding for an offence against this Law that is likely to be
started or that has been started but not completed; or
(b) an appeal from a decision in a proceeding for an offence against
17 Access to seized things
(1) Until a seized thing is forfeited or returned, an inspector must allow
its owner to inspect it and, if it is a document, to copy it or take an
extract from it.
(2) Subclause (1) does not apply if it is impracticable or would be
unreasonable to allow the inspection, copying or taking of an extract.
Clause 18
18 Damage to property
(1) This clause applies if—
(a) an inspector damages property when exercising or purporting to
exercise a power; or
(b) a person (the other person) acting under the direction of an
inspector damages property.
(2) The inspector must promptly give written notice of particulars of the
damage to the person who appears to the inspector to be the owner of
the property.
(3) If the inspector believes the damage was caused by a latent defect in
the property or circumstances beyond the inspector’s or other
person’s control, the inspector must state the belief in the notice.
(4) If, for any reason, it is impracticable to comply with subclause (2),
the inspector must leave the notice in a conspicuous position and in a
reasonably secure way where the damage happened.
(5) This clause does not apply to damage the inspector reasonably
believes is trivial.
(6) In this clause—
owner, of property, includes the person in possession or control of it.
19 Compensation
(1) A person may claim compensation from the National Agency if the
person incurs loss or expense because of the exercise or purported
exercise of a power under this Schedule by the inspector.
(2) Without limiting subclause (1), compensation may be claimed for
loss or expense incurred in complying with a requirement made of the
person under this Schedule.
(3) Compensation may be claimed and ordered to be paid in a proceeding
brought in a court with jurisdiction for the recovery of the amount of
compensation claimed.
(4) A court may order compensation to be paid only if it is satisfied it is
fair to make the order in the circumstances of the particular case.
20 False or misleading information
A person must not state anything to an inspector that the person
knows is false or misleading in a material particular.
21 False or misleading documents
(1) A person must not give an inspector a document containing
information the person knows is false or misleading in a material
particular.
(2) Subclause (1) does not apply to a person who, when giving the
document—
(a) informs the inspector, to the best of the person’s ability, how it
is false or misleading; and
(b) gives the correct information to the inspector if the person has,
or can reasonably obtain, the correct information.
22 Obstructing inspectors
(1) A person must not obstruct an inspector in the exercise of a power,
unless the person has a reasonable excuse.
(2) If a person has obstructed an inspector and the inspector decides to
proceed with the exercise of the power, the inspector must warn the
person that—
(a) it is an offence to obstruct the inspector, unless the person has a
reasonable excuse; and
(b) the inspector considers the person’s conduct is an obstruction.
(3) In this clause—
obstruct includes hinder and attempt to obstruct or hinder.
23 Impersonation of inspectors
A person must not pretend to be an inspector.