276AValidation

276A Validation (1) If, on or after 1 July 2014 and before 6 March 2015, a Deputy Commissioner purported to authorise— (a) a person to operate a breath analysing instrument— (i) under section 55(3) of the **Road Safety Act 1986**; or (ii) under section 31(3) of the **Marine (Drug, Alcohol and Pollution Control) Act 1988**; or (b) a police officer to carry out an assessment of drug impairment— (i) under section 55A(3) of the **Road Safety Act 1986**; or (ii) under section 31AA(3) of the **Marine (Drug, Alcohol and Pollution Control) Act 1988**; or (c) a police officer to carry out the procedure for the provision of a sample of oral fluid— (i) under section 55E(6) of the **Road Safety Act 1986**; or (ii) under section 31AE(5) of the **Marine (Drug, Alcohol and Pollution Control) Act 1988**— the purported authorisation has, and is taken always to have had, the same force and effect as it would have had if the authorisation had been made by the Chief Commissioner. (2) In any proceeding under the **Road Safety Act 1986** or the **Marine (Drug, Alcohol and Pollution Control) Act 1988**, a certificate that— (a) purports to be signed by a Deputy Commissioner; and (b) states that, on a particular date on or after 1 July 2014 and before 6 March 2015, a person named in the certificate was authorised under a provision referred to in subsection (1)— has, and is taken always to have had, the same force and effect as it would have had if the certificate had been signed by the Chief Commissioner. (3) If, on or after 1 July 2014 and before 13 March 2015, a Deputy Commissioner purported to authorise— (a) a person to operate a breath analysing instrument under section 85(7) of the **Rail Safety (Local Operations) Act 2006**; or (b) a police officer to carry out an assessment of drug impairment under section 86C(1)(b) of the **Rail Safety (Local Operations) Act 2006**— the purported authorisation has, and is taken always to have had, the same force and effect as it would have had if the authorisation had been made by the Chief Commissioner. (4) In any proceeding under the **Rail Safety (Local Operations) Act 2006** a certificate that— (a) purports to be signed by a Deputy Commissioner; and (b) states that, on a particular date on or after 1 July 2014 and before 13 March 2015, a person named in the certificate was authorised under a provision referred to in subsection (3)— has, and is taken always to have had, the same force and effect as it would have had if the certificate had been signed by the Chief Commissioner. (5) Any act or thing done or omitted to be done, whether under a power conferred by or under an enactment or otherwise, in reliance, directly or indirectly, on evidence obtained pursuant to an action, assessment or procedure referred to in subsection (1) or (3) is not invalid by reason only of the fact that, but for subsection (1) or (3), the person who carried out the action, assessment or procedure would not have been duly authorised. (6) For the purposes of subsection (5), an act or thing may be done or omitted to be done before or after the commencement of the **Victoria Police Amendment (Validation) Act 2015** and includes but is not limited to— (a) a judgment or order of a court or judicial officer; and (b) a warrant, summons or other process issued by a court or judicial officer; and (c) anything done under the **Infringements Act 2006** or the **Fines Reform Act 2014**; and (d) anything done under the **Sheriff Act 2009**; and (e) any penalty imposed, demerit points incurred, licence suspension, licence cancellation and disqualification from holding a licence. (7) For the purposes of the prosecution of an alleged offence, the fact that, but for subsection (1), (2), (3) or (4), a person was not duly authorised or a certificate was not duly signed is to be disregarded in determining whether evidence obtained, directly or indirectly, as a result of an act, assessment or procedure carried out by that person ought to be admitted. (8) Subject to subsection (7), this section does not limit a discretion of a court— (a) to exclude evidence in a criminal proceeding; or (b) to stay a criminal proceeding in the interests of justice. (9) This section does not affect the rights of the parties in any proceeding in which a court, before the commencement of the **Victoria Police Amendment (Validation) Act 2015**, has made a ruling on— (a) the validity of a purported authorisation referred to in subsection (1) or (3); or (b) the validity of a purported certificate referred to in subsection (2) or (4); or (c) the validity of an act or thing done or omitted to be done in reliance, directly or indirectly, on evidence obtained pursuant to an action, assessment or procedure referred to in subsection (1) or (3); or (d) the admissibility of evidence obtained, directly or indirectly, as a result of an act, assessment or procedure carried out by a person who, but for subsection (1) or (3), was not duly authorised. S. 276B inserted by No. 8/2022 s. 3.