569Power to require production of documents etc. generally

569 Power to require production of documents etc. generally (1) An authorised officer may require a responsible person for a heavy vehicle to make available for inspection by an authorised officer, or to produce to an authorised officer for inspection, at a reasonable time and place nominated by the officer— (a) a document issued to the person under this Law; or (b) a document, device or other thing required to be kept by the person under this Law or a heavy vehicle accreditation; or (c) transport documentation or journey documentation in the person’s possession or under the person’s control; or (d) a document in the person’s possession or under the person’s control relating to— (i) the use, performance or condition of a heavy vehicle; or (ii) the ownership, insurance, licensing or registration of a heavy vehicle; or (iii) the load or equipment carried or intended to be carried by a heavy vehicle, including, for example, a document relating to insurance of the load or equipment; or (e) a document in the person’s possession or under the person’s control relating to any business practices; or

(f) a document in the person’s possession or under the person’s control showing that a heavy vehicle’s garage address recorded on a vehicle register, however named, kept under another Australian road law is or is not the vehicle’s actual garage address. (2) A person of whom a requirement is made under subsection (1) must (3) If, under subsection (1), an authorised officer requires a responsible person to make available or produce an electronic document— (a) the authorised officer may require the responsible person to make available or produce— (i) a printed copy of the electronic document; or (ii) an electronic copy of the document; and (b) compliance with the requirement made under subsection (1) requires the making available or production of the document in the way required under paragraph (a). 1 See the definitions document and printed in section 12 of Schedule 1. 2 Section 17 of Schedule 1 and section 490 also deal with the production of documents and other information kept electronically.

(4) It is not a reasonable excuse for the person to fail to comply with a requirement made under subsection (1) that complying with the requirement might tend to incriminate the person or make the person 1 Section 587 also deals with self-incrimination when complying with a requirement of an authorised officer. 2 Section 588 deals with the admissibility of information provided in complying with a requirement under this section. (5) The authorised officer may— (a) take a copy of, or an extract from, a document mentioned in subsection (1); or (b) produce an image or writing from a document mentioned in subsection (1) that is an electronic document; or (c) take an extract from a device or other thing mentioned in subsection (1)(b), including, for example— (ii) by accessing and downloading information from the device or other thing; or (d) seize a document, device or other thing mentioned in subsection (1) if the authorised officer reasonably believes the document, device or other thing may provide evidence of an offence against (6) If, under subsection (5), the authorised officer copies, takes an extract from, or produces an image or writing from, a document or an entry in a document, the officer may require the person responsible for keeping the document to certify the copy as a true copy of the document or entry.