53Restrictions on publication of evidence

53 Restrictions on publication of evidence

(1) If the Commission directs that a hearing, or part of it, take place in private, the Commission may give directions prohibiting or restricting the publication of: (a) evidence given before the hearing (including evidence given prior to a direction that part of the hearing take place in private); or (b) matters contained in documents given to the Commission in connection with the hearing.

Note: Section 15 sets out the circumstances in which the Commission may direct that a hearing, or part of it, be held be private.

(2) A person must not contravene a direction given under this section.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 6 months.

Note 1: This penalty is a maximum penalty (section 4D, Crimes Act 1914). A court may impose an appropriate fine instead of or as well as imprisonment (subsection 4B(2), Crimes Act 1914). If a body corporate is convicted of the offence, a court may impose a fine not more than 5 times the maximum fine that the court could impose on an individual for the same offence (subsection 4B(3), Crimes Act 1914). Penalty units are defined in section 4AA of the Crimes Act 1914.

Note 2: Chapter 2 of the Criminal Code sets out the general principles of criminal responsibility.