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Magistrates Court Act 1930
316Record of proceedings
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316 Record of proceedings
(1) In this section:
deposition includes a statement made by an accused person in reply
to the question mentioned in section 91 (1), but does not include a
written statement admitted under section 90AA or section 110 (2).
(2) Subject to subsection (3), a record of the depositions of a witness in
any proceeding must be made—
(a) in a proceeding in relation to bail and if, in relation to proceeding
or a part of the proceeding, the court has given a direction under
the Evidence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1991,
section 20 (1) (Territory courts may take evidence and
submissions from participating States) or section 32 (1)
(Territory courts may take evidence and submissions from
another place) that evidence be taken or a submission be made
by audiovisual link—by means of audiovisual recording
apparatus or sound-recording apparatus; and
(b) in any other case—
(i) by means of sound-recording apparatus; or
(ii) if the court so directs, by means of shorthand or any similar
means.
(3) If the court so directs, the depositions of a witness in any proceeding
must not be recorded in accordance with subsection (2), but must be
taken down in writing, and, after being read over to the witness or
given to the witness to read, signed by the witness and the magistrate
constituting the court.
(4) The registrar has the custody of any record of depositions made in
accordance with subsection (2).
(5) The registrar may erase the record of the depositions of a witness
recorded by means of recording apparatus and the record of any other
part of a proceeding made by means of recording apparatus after the
end of 7 years after the date of completion of the proceeding in which
the record was made.
(6) However, the sound recording of any part of the following
proceedings must not be erased unless a transcript of the record of
that part of the proceeding has been prepared:
(a) a proceeding in which a person charged with an indictable
offence is committed to trial before the Supreme Court;
(b) a proceeding in which evidence is taken under a request
mentioned in section 263 (Requests under conventions relating
to legal proceedings in civil and commercial matters).
(7) This section applies in relation to a proceeding before a magistrate as
if a reference to the court were a reference to a magistrate.