Australian Crime Commission (Queensland) Act 2003

An Act to make provision for the operation of the Australian Crime Commission in Queensland, and for other purposes

1Short title

This Act may be cited as the Australian Crime Commission (Queensland) Act 2003.

2Commencement

This Act commences on a day to be fixed by proclamation.

3Interpretation

(1)The dictionary in schedule 2 defines particular words used in this Act.

(2)If this Act uses a term that is used in the ACC Act, the term has the same meaning in this Act as it has in the ACC Act unless the contrary intention appears in this Act.

(3)If the head of an ACC operation/investigation suspects that an offence (the incidental offence) that is not a serious and organised crime may be directly or indirectly connected with, or may be a part of, a course of activity involving the commission of a serious and organised crime (whether or not the head has identified the nature of that serious and organised crime), then the incidental offence is, for so long only as the head so suspects, taken, for the purposes of this Act, to be a serious and organised crime.

(4)A reference in this Act, other than part 2, to a function includes a reference to a power or duty.

(5)A note in the text of this Act is part of the Act.

4Act binds all persons

(1)This Act binds all persons including the State and, as far as the legislative power of the Parliament permits, the Commonwealth and the other States.

(2)Subsection (1) does not make the State, the Commonwealth or another State liable to be prosecuted for an offence.

5Functions of ACC

The ACC has the following functions—

(a)to undertake an intelligence operation in so far as the serious and organised crime is, or the serious and organised crimes are or include, an offence or offences against a law of the State (irrespective of whether that offence or those offences have a federal aspect);

(b)to investigate a matter relating to a relevant criminal activity, in so far as the serious and organised crime is, or the serious and organised crimes are or include, an offence or offences against a law of the State (irrespective of whether that offence or those offences have a federal aspect);

(c)to provide a report to the Board on the outcome of an operation mentioned in paragraph (a) or an investigation mentioned in paragraph (b);

(d)the functions conferred on the ACC by other provisions of this Act or any other Act.

6CEO to manage ACC operations/investigations

(1)The CEO is to manage, coordinate and control ACC operations/investigations.

(2)As soon as practicable after the Board consents under section 55A(3) of the ACC Act to the ACC undertaking an intelligence operation under section 5(a) or conducting an investigation under section 5(b), the CEO must determine, in writing, the head of the operation or investigation.

(3)Before the CEO determines the head of the operation or investigation, the CEO must consult the chair of the Board, and the other members of the Board the CEO thinks appropriate, in relation to the determination.

(4)Subject to the consultation with the examiners as is appropriate and practicable, the CEO may make arrangements as to the examiner who is to be able to exercise his or her powers under this Act in relation to a special ACC operation/investigation.

7Counsel assisting ACC

The CEO may appoint a lawyer to assist the ACC as counsel in relation to ACC operations/investigations generally or in relation to a particular matter or matters.

8Functions of the Board

(1)The Board has the following functions—

(a)to determine, in writing, whether an ACC State intelligence operation is a special operation or whether an ACC State investigation is a special investigation;

(b)to determine, in writing, the class or classes of persons to participate in an ACC State intelligence operation or ACC State investigation;

(c)to establish task forces;

(d)the other functions conferred on the Board by other provisions of this Act.

(2)The Board may determine, in writing, that an ACC State intelligence operation is a special operation.

(3)Before making a determination under subsection (2), the Board must consider whether methods of collecting the criminal information and intelligence that do not involve the use of powers in this Act have been effective.

(4)The Board may determine, in writing, that an ACC State investigation is a special investigation.

(5)Before making a determination under subsection (4), the Board must consider whether ordinary police methods of investigation into the matters are likely to be effective.

(6)A determination under subsection (2) or (4) must—

(a)describe the general nature of the circumstances or allegations constituting the relevant criminal activity to which the operation or investigation relates; and

(b)state that the serious and organised crime is, or the serious and organised crimes are or include, an offence or offences against a law of the State but need not specify the particular offence or offences; and

(c)set out the purpose of the operation or investigation.

(7)The chair of the Board must, within the period of 3 days beginning on the day a determination under subsection (2) or (4) is made, give a copy of the determination to the Inter-Governmental Committee.

(8)A determination under subsection (2) or (4) has effect immediately after it is made.

(9)Sections 9 to 15 have effect in relation to the Board’s functions under this Act.

9Board meetings

(1)The chair of the Board may convene meetings of the Board.

(2)The chair, in exercising his or her power to convene meetings, must ensure that meetings of the Board are scheduled to meet the requirements set out in section 7D of the ACC Act.

10Presiding at Board meetings

A meeting of the Board must be presided over by—

(a)if the chair of the Board is present—the chair; or

(b)otherwise—another eligible Commonwealth Board member who is present and who is nominated, in writing, by the chair to preside.

11Quorum at Board meetings

At a meeting of the Board a quorum is constituted by 9 Board members (not including the CEO).

s 11 amd 2016 No. 48 s 4

12Voting at Board meetings

(1)Subject to this section, a question arising at a meeting of the Board is to be determined by a majority of the votes of Board members present.

(2)The person presiding at a meeting has—

(a)a deliberative vote; and

(b)if necessary, also a casting vote.

(3)The CEO is not entitled to vote on any question arising at a meeting of the Board.

(4)The Board can not determine that an ACC State intelligence operation is a special operation, or that an ACC State investigation is a special investigation, unless at least 9 Board members (including at least 2 eligible Commonwealth Board members) vote in favour of making the determination.

13Conduct of Board meetings

(1)The Board may regulate proceedings at its meetings as it considers appropriate.

(2)The Board must ensure that minutes of its meetings are kept.

14Resolutions outside of Board meetings

(1)This section applies to a resolution—

(a)that, without being considered at a meeting of the Board, is referred to all members of the Board; and

(b)of which—

(i)if subparagraph (ii) does not apply—a majority of those members (not including the CEO); or

(ii)if the resolution is that the Board determine that an ACC State intelligence operation is a special operation, or that an ACC State investigation is a special investigation—at least 9 Board members (not including the CEO but including at least 2 eligible Commonwealth Board members);

      indicate by telephone or other mode of communication to the chair of the Board that they are in favour.

(2)The resolution is as valid and effectual as if it had been passed at a meeting of the Board duly convened and held.

15Board committees

(1)The Board may, with the unanimous agreement of all the members of the Board (not including the CEO), establish a committee or committees to assist in carrying out the functions of the Board.

(2)The Board may dissolve a committee at any time.

(3)The functions of a committee are as determined by the unanimous agreement of all the members of the Board (not including the CEO).

(4)However, the Board can not determine that a committee has the function of determining whether an ACC State intelligence operation is a special operation or whether an ACC State investigation is a special investigation.

(5)In performing its functions, a committee must comply with any directions given to the committee by the Board.

(6)A question arising at a meeting of a committee is to be determined by a majority of the votes of committee members present.

(7)However, the CEO is not entitled to vote on any question arising at a meeting of a committee of which he or she is a member.

(8)A committee must inform the other members of the Board of its decisions.

(9)A committee may regulate proceedings at its meetings as it considers appropriate.

(10)A committee must ensure that minutes of its meetings are kept.

16Functions of Committee

(1)Within the period of 30 days beginning on the day the Committee is given a copy of a determination (a special determination) under section 8(2) or (4), the Committee may by resolution, with the agreement of the member of the Committee representing the Commonwealth and at least 5 other members of the Committee, request the chair of the Board to give further information to the Committee in relation to the determination.

(2)Subject to subsection (3), the chair of the Board must comply with the request.

(3)If the chair of the Board considers that disclosure of information to the public could prejudice the safety or reputation of persons or the operations of law enforcement agencies, the chair must not give the Committee the information.

(4)If the chair of the Board does not give the Committee information on the ground that the chair considers that disclosure of the information to the public could prejudice the safety or reputation of persons or the operations of law enforcement agencies, the Committee may refer the request to the State Minister.

(5)If the Committee refers the request to the State Minister, he or she—

(a)must determine in writing whether disclosure of the information could prejudice the safety or reputation of persons or the operations of law enforcement agencies; and

(b)must provide copies of that determination to the chair of the Board and the Committee; and

(c)must not disclose his or her reasons for determining the question of whether the information could prejudice the safety or reputation of persons or the operations of law enforcement agencies in the way stated in the determination.

(6)Within the period of 30 days beginning on the day the Committee makes a request under subsection (1) in relation to a special determination, the Committee may by resolution, with the agreement of the member of the Committee representing the Commonwealth and at least 5 other members of the Committee, revoke the determination.

(7)The Committee must notify the chair of the Board and the CEO of the revocation.

(8)The revocation takes effect when the CEO is so notified.

(9)To remove any doubt, it is declared that the revoking of the determination does not affect the validity of any act done in connection with the ACC operation/investigation concerned before the CEO is so notified.

(10)The Committee does not have a duty to consider whether to exercise the power under subsection (1) or (6) for any special determination, whether the Committee is requested to do so by any person, or in any other circumstances.

17Examinations

An examiner may conduct an examination for the purposes of a special ACC operation/investigation.

18Conduct of examination

(1)An examiner may regulate the conduct of proceedings at an examination as the examiner thinks fit.

(2)At an examination before an examiner—

(a)a person giving evidence may be represented by a lawyer; and

(b)if, because of the existence of special circumstances, the examiner consents to a person who is not giving evidence being represented by a lawyer—the person may be so represented.

(3)An examination before an examiner must be held in private and the examiner may give directions as to the persons who may be present during the examination or a part of the examination.

(4)Nothing in a direction given by the examiner under subsection (3) prevents the presence, when evidence is being taken at an examination before the examiner, of—

(a)a person representing the person giving evidence; or

(b)a person representing, under subsection (2), a person who, because of a direction given by the examiner under subsection (3), is entitled to be present.

(5)If an examination before an examiner is being held, a person (other than a member of the staff of the ACC approved by the examiner) must not be present at the examination unless the person is entitled to be present because of a direction given by the examiner under subsection (3) or because of subsection (4).

Maximum penalty—30 penalty units or 1 year’s imprisonment.

(6)At an examination before an examiner the following persons may, so far as the examiner thinks appropriate, examine or cross-examine any witness on any matter that the examiner considers relevant to the ACC operation/investigation—

(a)counsel assisting the examiner generally or in relation to the matter to which the ACC operation/investigation relates;

(b)any person authorised by the examiner to appear before the examiner at the examination;

(c)any lawyer representing a person at the examination in accordance with subsection (2).

(7)If a person (other than a member of the staff of the ACC) is present at an examination before an examiner while another person (the witness) is giving evidence at the examination, the examiner must—

(a)inform the witness that the person is present; and

(b)give the witness an opportunity to comment on the presence of the person.

(8)To remove any doubt, it is declared that a person does not cease to be entitled to be present at an examination before an examiner, or part of an examination before an examiner, if—

(a)the examiner fails to comply with subsection (7); or

(b)a witness comments adversely on the presence of the person under subsection (7)(b).

(9)An examiner may direct that the following must not be published, or must not be published except in the way, and to the persons, that the examiner specifies—

(a)any evidence given before the examiner;

(b)the contents of any document, or a description of any thing, produced to the examiner;

(c)any information that might enable a person who has given evidence before the examiner to be identified;

(d)the fact that any person has given or may be about to give evidence at an examination.

(10)The examiner must give a direction under subsection (9) if the failure to do so might prejudice the safety or reputation of a person or prejudice the fair trial of a person who has been, or may be, charged with an offence.

(11)Subject to subsection (12), the CEO may, in writing, vary or revoke a direction under subsection (9).

(12)The CEO must not vary or revoke a direction if to do so might prejudice the safety or reputation of a person or prejudice the fair trial of a person who has been or may be charged with an offence.

(13)If—

(a)a person has been charged with an offence before a Federal Court or before a court of the State; and

(b)the court considers that it may be desirable in the interests of justice that particular evidence given before an examiner, being evidence in relation to which the examiner has given a direction under subsection (9), be made available to the person or to a lawyer representing the person;

the court may give to the examiner or to the CEO a certificate to that effect.

(14)If a court gives a certificate to the examiner or CEO under subsection (13), the examiner or the CEO must make the evidence available to the court.

(15)If—

(a)the examiner or the CEO makes evidence available to a court under subsection (14); and

(b)the court, after examining the evidence, is satisfied that the interests of justice so require;

the court may make the evidence available to the person charged with the offence concerned or to a lawyer representing the person.

(16)A person must not make a publication in contravention of a direction given under subsection (9).

Maximum penalty—30 penalty units or 1 year’s imprisonment.

(17)At the conclusion of an examination held by an examiner, the examiner must give the head of the special ACC operation/investigation—

(a)a record of the proceedings of the examination; and

(b)any documents or other things given to the examiner at, or in connection with, the examination.

19Power to summon witnesses and take evidence

(1)An examiner may summon a person to appear before the examiner at an examination to give evidence and to produce the documents or other things, if any, referred to in the summons.

(2)Before issuing a summons under subsection (1), the examiner must be satisfied that it is reasonable in all the circumstances to do so.

(3)The examiner must also record in writing the reasons for the issue of the summons.

(4)A summons under subsection (1) requiring a person to appear before an examiner at an examination must be accompanied by a copy of the determination of the Board that the State ACC intelligence operation is a special operation or that the State ACC investigation is a special investigation.

(5)A summons under subsection (1) requiring a person to appear before an examiner at an examination must, unless the examiner issuing the summons is satisfied that, in the particular circumstances of the special ACC operation/investigation to which the examination relates, it would prejudice the effectiveness of the special ACC operation/investigation for the summons to do so, set out, so far as is reasonably practicable, the general nature of the matters in relation to which the examiner intends to question the person.

(6)Nothing in subsection (5) prevents the examiner from questioning the person in relation to any matter that relates to a special ACC operation/investigation.

(7)The examiner who is holding an examination may require a person appearing at the examination to produce a document or other thing.

(8)An examiner may, at an examination, take evidence on oath or affirmation and for that purpose—

(a)the examiner may require a person appearing at the examination to give evidence either to take an oath or to make an affirmation in a form approved by the examiner; and

(b)the examiner, or a person who is an authorised person in relation to the ACC, may administer an oath or affirmation to a person so appearing at the examination.

(9)In this section, a reference to a person who is an authorised person in relation to the ACC is a reference to a person authorised in writing, or a person included in a class of persons authorised in writing, for the purposes of this section by the CEO.

(10)The powers conferred by this section are not exercisable except for the purposes of a special ACC operation/investigation.

20Power to obtain documents

(1)An examiner may, by notice in writing served on a person, require the person—

(a)to attend, at a time and place specified in the notice, before a person specified in the notice, being the examiner or a member of the staff of the ACC; and

(b)to produce at that time and place to the person so specified a document or thing specified in the notice, being a document or thing that is relevant to a special ACC operation/investigation.

(2)Before issuing a notice under subsection (1), the examiner must be satisfied that it is reasonable in all the circumstances to do so.

(3)The examiner must record in writing the reasons for the issue of the notice.

(4)A notice may be issued under this section in relation to a special ACC operation/investigation, whether or not an examination before an examiner is being held for the purposes of the operation or investigation.

(5)A person must not refuse or fail to comply with a notice served on the person under this section.

Maximum penalty—300 penalty units or 5 years imprisonment.

(6)The provisions of section 23(3) to (9) apply in relation to a person who is required to produce a document or thing by a notice served on him or her under this section in the same way as they apply in relation to a person who is required to produce a document or thing at an examination before an examiner.

21Disclosure of summons or notice may be prohibited

(1)The examiner issuing a summons under section 19 or a notice under section 20 must, or may, as provided in subsection (2), include in it a notation to the effect that disclosure of information about the summons or notice, or any official matter connected with it, is prohibited except in the circumstances, if any, specified in the notation.

(2)A notation must not be included in the summons or notice except as follows—

(a)the examiner must include the notation if satisfied that failure to do so would reasonably be expected to prejudice—

(i)the safety or reputation of a person; or

(ii)the fair trial of a person who has been or may be charged with an offence; or

(iii)the effectiveness of an operation or investigation;

(b)the examiner may include the notation if satisfied that failure to do so might prejudice—

(i)the safety or reputation of a person; or

(ii)the fair trial of a person who has been or may be charged with an offence; or

(iii)the effectiveness of an operation or investigation;

(c)the examiner may include the notation if satisfied that failure to do so might otherwise be contrary to the public interest.

(3)If a notation is included in the summons or notice, it must be accompanied by a written statement setting out the rights and obligations conferred or imposed by section 22 on the person who was served with, or otherwise given, the summons or notice.

(4)A notation that is included under this section in any summons or notice relating to the operation or investigation is cancelled by this subsection if, after the ACC has concluded the operation or investigation concerned—

(a)no evidence of an offence has been obtained as described in section 34(1); or

(b)evidence of an offence or offences has been assembled and given as required by section 34(1) and the CEO has been advised that no person will be prosecuted; or

(c)evidence of an offence or offences committed by only 1 person has been assembled and given as required by section 34(1) and criminal proceedings have begun against that person; or

(d)evidence of an offence or offences committed by 2 or more persons has been assembled and given as required by section 34(1) and—

(i)criminal proceedings have begun against all those persons; or

(ii)criminal proceedings have begun against 1 or more of those persons and the CEO has been advised that no other of those persons will be prosecuted.

(5)If a notation is cancelled by subsection (4), the CEO must serve a written notice of that fact on each person who was served with, or otherwise given, the summons or notice containing the notation.

(6)In this section—

official matter has the same meaning as in section 22.

22Offences of disclosure

(1)A person who is served with, or otherwise given, a summons or notice containing a notation made under section 21 must not disclose—

(a)the existence of the summons or notice or any information about it; or

(b)the existence of, or any information about, any official matter connected with the summons or notice.

Maximum penalty—30 penalty units or 1 year’s imprisonment.

(2)Subsection (1) does not prevent the person from making a disclosure—

(a)in accordance with the circumstances, if any, specified in the notation; or

(b)to a lawyer for the purpose of obtaining legal advice or representation relating to the summons, notice or matter; or

(c)if the person is a body corporate—to an officer or agent of the body corporate for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the summons or notice; or

(d)if the person is a lawyer—for the purpose of obtaining the agreement of another person under section 23(3) to the lawyer answering a question or producing a document at an examination before an examiner.

(3)If a disclosure is made to a person as permitted by subsection (2) or (4), the following provisions apply—

(a)while he or she is a person of a kind to whom a disclosure is so permitted to be made, he or she must not disclose the existence of, or any information about, the summons or notice, or any official matter connected with it, except as permitted by subsection (4);

(b)while he or she is no longer a person of a kind to whom a disclosure is so permitted to be made, he or she must not, in any circumstances, make a record of, or disclose the existence of, the summons, notice or matter, or disclose any information about any of them.

Maximum penalty—30 penalty units or 1 year’s imprisonment.

(4)A person to whom information has been disclosed, as permitted by subsection (2) or this subsection, may disclose that information—

(a)if the person is an officer or agent of a body corporate referred to in subsection (2)(c)—

(i)to another officer or agent of the body corporate for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the summons or notice; or

(ii)to a lawyer for the purpose of obtaining legal advice or representation relating to the summons, notice or matter; or

(b)if the person is a lawyer—for the purpose of giving legal advice, or making representations, relating to the summons, notice or matter.

(5)This section ceases to apply to a summons or notice after the sooner of—

(a)the cancellation of the notation contained in the summons or notice by section 21(4); or

(b)the elapse of 5 years after the issue of the summons or notice.

(6)A reference in this section to disclosing something’s existence includes disclosing information from which a person could reasonably be expected to infer its existence.

(7)In this section—

official matter means any of the following (whether past, present or contingent)—

(a)the determination referred to in section 19(4);

(b)an ACC operation/investigation;

(c)an examination held by an examiner;

(d)court proceedings.

23Failure of witnesses to attend and answer questions

(1)A person served, as prescribed, with a summons to appear as a witness at an examination before an examiner must not—

(a)fail to attend as required by the summons; or

(b)fail to attend from day to day unless excused, or released from further attendance, by the examiner.

Maximum penalty—300 penalty units or 5 years imprisonment.

(2)A person appearing as a witness at an examination before an examiner must not—

(a)when required under section 19 either to take an oath or make an affirmation—refuse or fail to comply with the requirement; or

(b)refuse or fail to answer a question that he or she is required to answer by the examiner; or

(c)refuse or fail to produce a document or thing that he or she was required to produce by a summons under this Act served on him or her as prescribed.

Maximum penalty—300 penalty units or 5 years imprisonment.

(3)Subsection (4) applies if—

(a)a lawyer is required to answer a question or produce a document at an examination before an examiner; and

(b)the answer to the question would disclose, or the document contains, a privileged communication made by or to the lawyer in his or her capacity as a lawyer.

(4)The lawyer is entitled to refuse to comply with the requirement unless the person to whom or by whom the communication was made agrees to the lawyer complying with the requirement.

(5)If the lawyer refuses to comply with the requirement, he or she must, if so required by the examiner, give the examiner the name and address of the person to whom or by whom the communication was made.

Maximum penalty—300 penalty units or 5 years imprisonment.

(6)Subsection (8) limits the use that can be made of any answers given at an examination before an examiner, or documents or things produced at an examination before an examiner.

(7)Subsection (8) only applies if—

(a)a person appearing as a witness at an examination before an examiner—

(i)answers a question that he or she is required to answer by the examiner; or

(ii)produces a document or thing that he or she was required to produce by a summons under this Act served on him or her as prescribed; and

(b)for the production of a document that is, or forms part of, a record of an existing or past business, the document—

(i)sets out details of earnings received by the person from his or her employment; and

(ii)does not set out any other information; and

(c)before answering the question or producing the document or thing, the person claims that the answer, or the production of the document or thing, might tend to incriminate the person or make the person liable to a penalty.

(8)The answer, or the document or thing, is not admissible in evidence against the person in a criminal proceeding, or a proceeding for the imposition of a penalty, other than—

(a)confiscation proceedings; or

(b)a proceeding in relation to—

(i)in the case of an answer—the falsity of the answer; or

(ii)in the case of the production of a document—the falsity of any statement contained in the document.

(9)Subsection (4) does not affect the law relating to legal professional privilege.

24Warrant for arrest of witness

(1)On application by an examiner, a judge of the Federal Court or the Supreme Court may issue a warrant for the apprehension of a person if the judge is satisfied by evidence on oath that there are reasonable grounds to believe—

(a)that the person has been ordered, under section 28, to deliver his or her passport to the examiner, whether or not the person has complied with the order, but is nevertheless likely to leave Australia for the purpose of avoiding giving evidence before the examiner; or

(b)that a summons has been issued under section 19(1) in relation to the person, and the person—

(i)has absconded or is likely to abscond; or

(ii)is otherwise attempting, or is otherwise likely to attempt, to evade service of the summons; or

(c)that the person has committed an offence under section 23(1) or is likely to do so.

(2)The warrant may be executed by any person to whom it is addressed and the person executing it has power to break into and enter any premises, vessel, aircraft or vehicle for the purpose of executing it.

(3)A member of the Australian Federal Police can not execute the warrant unless he or she is also a member of the staff of the ACC.

(4)The warrant may be executed even if the warrant is not at the time in the possession of the person executing it.

(5)A person executing the warrant may only use the reasonable force that is necessary for the execution.

(6)If a person is apprehended under the warrant, he or she must be brought, as soon as practicable, before a judge of the Federal Court or the Supreme Court.

(7)The judge may—

(a)admit the person to bail, with the security the judge thinks fit, on the conditions he or she thinks necessary to ensure the appearance of the person as a witness before the examiner; or

(b)order the continued detention of the person for the purposes of ensuring his or her appearance as a witness before the examiner; or

(c)order the release of the person.

(8)If a person is under detention under this section, he or she must—

(a)within 14 days after he or she was brought, or last brought, before a judge of the Federal Court or the Supreme Court under this section; or

(b)within the shorter or longer time as a judge has fixed on the last previous appearance of the person before a judge under this section;

be again brought before a judge.

(9)The judge may then exercise any of the powers of a judge under subsection (7).

(10)In this section—

Australia includes the external Territories.

25False or misleading evidence

A person must not, at an examination before an examiner, give evidence that the person knows is false or misleading in a material particular.

Maximum penalty—300 penalty units or 5 years imprisonment.

26Protection of witnesses from harm or intimidation

(1)This section applies if it appears to an examiner that, because of the fact that a person—

(a)is to appear, is appearing or has appeared at an examination before the examiner to give evidence or to produce a document or thing; or

(b)proposes to give or has given information, or proposes to produce or has produced a document or thing, to the ACC otherwise than at an examination before the examiner;

the safety of the person may be prejudiced or the person may be subjected to intimidation or harassment.

(2)The examiner may make the arrangements (including arrangements with the State Minister or with members of the Australian Federal Police or of the Queensland Police Service) that are necessary to avoid prejudice to the safety of the person, or to protect the person from intimidation or harassment.

27Legal protection of examiners, counsel and witnesses

(1)An examiner has, in the performance of his or her functions or the exercise of his or her powers as an examiner in relation to an examination before the examiner, the same protection and immunity as a justice of the High Court.

(2)A lawyer assisting the ACC or an examiner or representing a person at an examination before an examiner has the same protection and immunity as a barrister has in appearing for a party in proceedings in the High Court.

(3)Subject to this Act, a person summoned to attend or appearing before an examiner as a witness has the same protection as a witness in proceedings in the High Court.

28Order for delivery to examiner of passport of witness

(1)Subsection (2) applies if, on application by an examiner, a judge of the Federal Court sitting in chambers is satisfied by evidence on oath that—

(a)in connection with a special ACC operation/investigation, a summons has been issued under this Act requiring a person to appear before an examiner at an examination (whether or not the summons has been served), or a person has appeared before an examiner at an examination, to give evidence or to produce documents or other things; and

(b)there are reasonable grounds for believing that the person may be able to give to the examiner evidence or further evidence that is, or to produce to the examiner documents or other things or further documents or other things that are, relevant to the special ACC operation/investigation and could be of particular significance to the special ACC operation/investigation; and

(c)there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the person intends to leave Australia and has in his or her possession, custody or control a passport issued to him or her.

(2)The judge may make an order requiring the person to appear before a judge of the Federal Court on a date, and at a time and place, specified in the order to show cause why he or she should not be ordered to deliver the passport to the examiner.

(3)If a person appears before a judge of the Federal Court under an order made under subsection (2), the judge may, if he or she thinks fit, make an order—

(a)requiring the person to deliver to the examiner any passport issued to him or her that is in his or her possession, custody or control; and

(b)authorising the examiner to retain the passport until the expiration of the period, not exceeding one month, specified in the order.

(4)A judge of the Federal Court may, on application by the examiner, extend for a further period (not exceeding 1 month) or further periods (not exceeding 1 month in each case) the period for which the examiner is authorised to retain a passport under an order made under subsection (3), but so that the total period for which the examiner is authorised to retain the passport does not exceed 3 months.

(5)A judge of the Federal Court may, at any time while the examiner is authorised under an order made under this section to retain a passport issued to a person, on application made by the person, revoke the order and, if the order is revoked, the examiner must immediately return the passport to the person.

(6)In this section—

Australia includes the external Territories.

29Search warrants

(1)An eligible person may apply to an issuing officer for the issue of a warrant under subsection (2) if—

(a)the eligible person has reasonable grounds for suspecting that, on a particular day (the relevant day), being the day on which, or a particular day within 1 month after the day on which, the application is made, there may be, on any land or on or in any premises, vessel, aircraft or vehicle, a thing of a particular kind connected with a special ACC operation/investigation (a thing of the relevant kind); and

(b)the eligible person believes on reasonable grounds that, if a summons were issued for the production of the thing, the thing might be concealed, lost, mutilated or destroyed.

(2)If an application under subsection (1) is made, the issuing officer may issue a warrant authorising a person named in the warrant (the authorised person), with the assistance the authorised person thinks necessary and if necessary by force—

(a)to enter the land or on or into the premises, vessel, aircraft or vehicle; and

(b)to search the land, premises, vessel, aircraft or vehicle for a thing of the relevant kind; and

(c)to seize any thing of the relevant kind found on the land or on or in the premises, vessel, aircraft or vehicle; and

(d)deliver a thing so seized to any person participating in the special ACC operation/investigation.

(3)A member of the Australian Federal Police can not be an authorised person unless he or she is also a member of the staff of the ACC.

(4)An issuing officer must not issue a warrant under subsection (2) unless—

(a)an affidavit has been given to him or her setting out the grounds on which the issue of the warrant is being sought; and

(b)the applicant, or some other person, has given to the issuing officer, either orally or by affidavit, the further information, if any, the issuing officer requires concerning the grounds on which the issue of the warrant is being sought; and

(c)the issuing officer is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for issuing the warrant.

(5)If an issuing officer issues a warrant under subsection (2), he or she must state on the affidavit given to him or her as mentioned in subsection (4)(a) which of the grounds specified in that affidavit he or she has relied on to justify the issue of the warrant and particulars of any other grounds relied on by him or her to justify the issue of the warrant.

(6)A warrant issued under this section must—

(a)include a statement of the purpose for which the warrant is issued, which must include a reference to the special ACC operation/investigation and with which the thing of the relevant kind is connected; and

(b)state whether entry is authorised to be made at any time of the day or night or during specified hours of the day or night; and

(c)include a description of the kind of thing authorised to be seized; and

(d)specify a date, not being later than 1 month after the date of issue of the warrant, on which the warrant ceases to have effect.

(7)A warrant issued under this section may be executed, in accordance with its terms, at any time during the period commencing on the relevant day and ending on the date specified in the warrant as the date on which the warrant ceases to have effect.

(8)A person executing a warrant issued under this section may only use the reasonable force necessary for the execution.

(9)Subsection (10) applies if, in the course of searching, under a warrant issued under this section, for a thing of the relevant kind, the person executing the warrant—

(a)finds a thing that he or she believes on reasonable grounds to be evidence that would be admissible in the prosecution of a person for an offence against a law of the Commonwealth or of a State, or of a Territory; and

(b)believes on reasonable grounds that it is necessary to seize the thing to prevent its concealment, loss, mutilation or destruction, or its use in committing the offence.

(10)The person may seize the thing and, if he or she does so, the thing is to be taken, for the purposes of this Act, to have been seized under the warrant.

(11)If a thing is seized under a warrant issued under this section—

(a)the head of the special ACC operation/investigation may retain the thing if, and for so long as, retention of the thing by the head of the special ACC operation/investigation is reasonably necessary for the purposes of the special ACC operation/investigation to which the thing is relevant; and

(b)if the retention of the thing by the head of the special ACC operation/investigation is not, or ceases to be, reasonably necessary for the purposes mentioned in paragraph (a), a person participating in the special ACC operation/investigation must cause the thing to be delivered to—

(i)if the thing may be used in evidence in proceedings of a kind referred to in subsection (15)—the authority or person responsible for taking the proceedings; or

(ii)if subparagraph (i) does not apply—the person who appears to the person participating in the special ACC operation/investigation to be entitled to the possession of the thing;

      unless the CEO has given the thing to the Attorney-General of the Commonwealth or of a State, or to a law enforcement agency, or to another person or authority, under section 34(1)(a), (b) or (c).

(12)A person participating in the special ACC operation/investigation may, instead of delivering a thing under subsection (11)(b)(ii), deliver the thing to the Attorney-General of the Commonwealth or of a State, or to a law enforcement agency, for the purpose of assisting in the investigation of criminal offences, if the person participating in the special ACC operation/investigation is satisfied that the thing is likely to be useful for that purpose.

(13)Nothing in this section affects a right of a person to apply for, or the power of a person to issue, a warrant, being a right or power existing otherwise than by virtue of this section.

(14)Subsection (10) does not limit a power under the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000, section 196.

(15)Without limiting subsection (1)(a), a reference in this section to a thing connected with a special ACC operation/investigation, includes a reference to a thing that may be used in evidence in proceedings for the taking, by or on behalf of the State, the Commonwealth, another State or a Territory, of civil remedies for a matter connected with, or arising out of, an offence to which the special ACC operation/investigation relates.

(16)In this section—

thing includes a document.

s 29 amd 2000 No. 5s 810sch 4 (amd 2006 No. 26 ss 84, 86)

30Application by telephone for search warrants

(1)If, because of circumstances of urgency, an eligible person considers it necessary to do so, the eligible person may make application by telephone for a warrant under section 29.

(2)Before so making application, the eligible person must prepare an affidavit that sets out the grounds on which the issue of the warrant is being sought, but may, if it is necessary to do so, make the application before the affidavit has been sworn.

(3)If an issuing officer issues a warrant under section 29 on an application made by telephone, he or she must—

(a)complete and sign the warrant; and

(b)inform the eligible person who made the application of the terms of the warrant and the date on which and the time at which it was signed; and

(c)record on the warrant his or her reasons for issuing the warrant; and

(d)send a copy of the warrant to the CEO.

(4)If a warrant is issued under section 29 on an application made by telephone—

(a)a member of the staff of the ACC or a member of the Queensland Police Service may complete a form of warrant in the terms indicated by the issuing officer under subsection (3); and

(b)if a form of warrant is so completed, the member must write on it the name of the issuing officer who issued the warrant and the date on which and the time at which it was signed.

(5)If a person completes a form of warrant under subsection (4), the person must, not later than the day next following the date of expiry of the warrant, send to the issuing officer who signed the warrant the form of warrant completed by him or her and the affidavit duly sworn in connection with the warrant.

(6)On receipt of the documents referred to in subsection (5) the issuing officer must attach them to the warrant signed by him or her and deal with the documents in the way in which he or she would have dealt with the affidavit if the application for the warrant had been made to him or her under section 29.

(7)A form of warrant duly completed under subsection (4) is to be taken to be a warrant issued under section 29.

31Consent of Board may be needed before functions can be performed

The conferral of a function on a Commonwealth body or person by this Act is subject to any provision of the ACC Act that requires the consent of the Board before the function can be performed.

32Functions not affected by State laws

A Commonwealth body or person is not precluded by any law of the State from performing a function conferred by this Act.

33Extent to which functions are conferred

(1)This Act does not purport to confer a duty on a Commonwealth body or person to perform a function, or to exercise a power, if the conferral of the duty would be beyond the legislative power of the Parliament of the State.

(2)This section does not limit the operation of section 35 or the Acts Interpretation Act 1954, section 9.

34Performance of functions

(1)If the ACC, in carrying out an ACC operation/investigation, obtains evidence of an offence against a law of the Commonwealth or of a State or Territory, being evidence that would be admissible in a prosecution for the offence, the CEO must assemble the evidence and give it to—

(a)the Attorney-General of the Commonwealth or the State, as the case requires; or

(b)the relevant law enforcement agency; or

(c)any person or authority (other than a law enforcement agency) who is authorised by or under a law of the Commonwealth or of the State or Territory to prosecute the offence.

(2)If the ACC, in carrying out an ACC operation/investigation, obtains evidence that would be admissible in confiscation proceedings, the CEO may assemble the evidence and give it to—

(a)the Attorney-General of the Commonwealth or the relevant State, as the case requires; or

(b)a relevant law enforcement agency; or

(c)any person or authority (other than a law enforcement agency) who is authorised to commence the confiscation proceedings.

(3)If, as a result of the performance of any of the ACC’s functions, the Board considers that 1 of the following recommendations should be made to the Commonwealth Minister or to the appropriate State Minister of a participating State, the Board may make the recommendation to the Commonwealth Minister or appropriate State Minister—

(a)for reform of the law relating to relevant offences, including—

(i)evidence and procedure applicable to the trials of relevant offences; and

(ii)relevant offences in relation to, or involving, corporations; and

(iii)taxation, banking and financial frauds; and

(iv)reception by Australian courts of evidence obtained in foreign countries as to relevant offences; and

(v)maintenance and preservation of taxation, banking and financial records;

(b)for reform of administrative practices;

(c)for reform of administration of the courts in relation to trials of relevant offences.

(4)If the ACC has obtained particular information or intelligence in the course of performing 1 or more of its functions, nothing in this Act is to be taken to prevent the ACC from making use of the information or intelligence in the performance of any of its other functions.

35Functions of federal judicial officers

(1)A function conferred on a federal judicial officer by this Act is conferred on the federal judicial officer in a personal capacity and not as a court or a member of a court.

(2)The federal judicial officer need not accept the function conferred.

(3)Anything done or made by a federal judicial officer under this Act has effect only by virtue of this Act and is not to be taken by implication to be done or made by a court.

(4)A federal judicial officer performing a function under this Act has the same protection and immunity as if he or she were performing that function as, or as a member of, a court (being the court of which the federal judicial officer is a member).

(5)In this section—

federal judicial officer means a judge of the Federal Court or a Federal Magistrate.

36Limitation on challenge to Board determination

If—

(a)an ACC State intelligence operation is determined by the Board to be a special operation; or

(b)an ACC State investigation is determined by the Board to be a special investigation;

then, except in a proceeding instituted by the Attorney-General of the Commonwealth or of a State, any act or thing done by the ACC because of that determination must not be challenged, reviewed, quashed or called in question in any court of the State on the ground that the determination was not lawfully made.

37Cooperation with law enforcement agencies and coordination with overseas authorities

(1)In performing its functions under this Act, the ACC must, so far as is practicable, work in cooperation with law enforcement agencies.

(2)In performing its functions under this Act, the ACC may coordinate its activities with the activities of authorities and persons in other countries performing functions similar to functions of the ACC.

38Incidental powers of ACC

The ACC has power to do all things necessary to be done for or in connection with, or reasonably incidental to, the performance of its functions under this Act, and any specific powers conferred on the ACC by this Act are not to be taken to limit by implication the generality of this section.

39Double jeopardy

A person is not liable to be punished for an act or omission that is an offence under this Act if—

(a)the act or omission is also an offence under the ACC Act; and

(b)the person has been punished for the offence under the ACC Act.

40Proceedings for an offence

(1)Subject to subsection (2), a proceeding for an offence against this Act must be taken in a summary way under the Justices Act 1886 within the later of the following—

(a)1 year after the offence is committed;

(b)1 year after the commission of the offence comes to the complainant’s knowledge, but within 2 years after the commission of the offence.

(2)A proceeding for an indictable offence may, at the election of the prosecution, be taken—

(a)by way of summary proceedings under subsection (1); or

(b)on indictment.

(3)A proceeding against a person for an indictable offence must be before a magistrate if it is a proceeding—

(a)for the summary conviction of the person; or

(b)for an examination of witnesses in relation to the charge.

(4)If a proceeding for an indictable offence is brought before a justice who is not a magistrate, jurisdiction is limited to taking or making a procedural action or order as defined under the Justices of the Peace and Commissioners for Declarations Act 1991.

(5)If the magistrate hearing a charge of an indictable offence considers the charge should be prosecuted on indictment, the magistrate—

(a)must not decide the charge as a summary offence; and

(b)must proceed by way of a committal proceeding.

(6)If a magistrate acts under subsection (5)—

(a)any plea of the person charged, made at the start of the proceeding, must be disregarded; and

(b)any evidence brought in the proceeding before the magistrate decided to act under subsection (5) is taken to be evidence in the proceeding for the committal of the person for trial or sentence; and

(c)before committing the person for trial or sentence, the magistrate must make a statement to the person under the Justices Act 1886, section 104(2)(b).

(7)The maximum penalty that may be imposed on a summary conviction of an indictable offence is 30 penalty units or 1 year’s imprisonment.

(8)In this section—

indictable offence means an offence to which section 41 applies.

41Indictable offences

An offence against this Act punishable by at least 5 years imprisonment is a crime.

42Arrangements for Board to obtain information or intelligence

The State Minister may make an arrangement with the Commonwealth Minister for the Board to be given by the State, or an authority of the State, information or intelligence relating to relevant criminal activities.

43Administrative arrangements with the Commonwealth

The State Minister may make an arrangement with the Commonwealth Minister under which the State will, as agreed on under the arrangement, make available a person who is an officer or employee of the State or of an authority of the State or a member of the Queensland Police Service to perform services for the ACC.

44Judges to perform functions under the ACC Act

A Supreme Court judge may perform functions conferred on the judge by section 22, 23 or 31 of the ACC Act.

45Providing reports and information

(1)The chair of the Board must keep the Commonwealth Minister informed of the general conduct of the ACC in the performance of the ACC’s functions under this Act.

(2)If the Commonwealth Minister requests the chair of the Board to give to him or her information about a specific matter relating to the ACC’s conduct in the performance of its functions under this Act, the chair must comply with the request.

(3)Subject to subsection (4), if the State Minister requests the chair of the Board to give to him or her information about a specific matter relating to the ACC’s conduct in the performance of its functions under this Act, the chair must comply with the request.

(4)If the chair of the Board considers that disclosure of information to the public could prejudice the safety or reputation of persons or the operations of law enforcement agencies, the chair must not provide the information under subsection (3).

(5)Subject to subsection (7), the chair of the Board—

(a)must, when requested by the Inter-Governmental Committee to give information to the Committee about a specific matter relating to an ACC operation/investigation that the ACC has conducted or is conducting, comply with the request; and

(b)must when requested by the Inter-Governmental Committee to do so, and may at the other times the chair of the Board thinks appropriate, inform the Committee about the general conduct of the ACC in the performance of the ACC’s functions under this Act.

(6)Subject to subsection (7), the chair of the Board must give to the Inter-Governmental Committee, for transmission to the Governments represented on the Committee, a report of the findings of any special ACC operation/investigation conducted by the ACC.

(7)The chair of the Board—

(a)must not give to the Inter-Governmental Committee any matter the disclosure of which to members of the public could prejudice the safety or reputation of persons or the operations of law enforcement agencies (relevant matter); and

(b)if the findings of the ACC in an investigation include any relevant matter, must prepare a separate report in relation to the relevant matter and give that report to the State Minister.

(8)The chair of the Board may include in a report given under subsection (6) a recommendation that the report be laid before the Legislative Assembly.

(9)The CEO may give to a relevant authority any information that has come into the ACC’s possession under this Act and that is relevant to the activities of that agency or authority if—

(a)it appears to the CEO to be appropriate to do so; and

(b)to do so would not be contrary to a law of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory that would otherwise apply.

(10)The CEO may, whenever it appears to the CEO to be appropriate to do so, give to authorities and persons responsible for taking civil remedies by or on behalf of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory, any information that has come into the ACC’s possession under this Act and that may be relevant for the purposes of so taking the remedies for matters connected with, or arising out of, offences against—

(a)the laws of the Commonwealth; or

(b)the laws of a State; or

(c)the laws of a Territory.

(11)If any information relating to the performance of the functions of an authority of the Commonwealth or a State or the Administration of a Territory comes into the ACC’s possession under this Act, the CEO may, if he or she considers it desirable to do so—

(a)give that information to the authority or Administration; and

(b)make any recommendations to the authority or Administration as to the performance of its functions that the CEO considers appropriate.

(12)A report under this Act that sets out any finding that an offence has been committed, or makes any recommendation for the institution of a prosecution for an offence, must not be made available to the public unless the finding or recommendation is expressed to be based on evidence that would be admissible in the prosecution of a person for that offence.

(13)The CEO may, whenever it appears to the CEO to be appropriate to do so, give to the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation any information that has come into the ACC’s possession under this Act and that is relevant to security as defined in section 4 of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 (Cwlth).

(14)In this section—

relevant authority means—

(a)a law enforcement agency; or

(b)a foreign law enforcement agency; or

(c)an authority of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory prescribed under a regulation.

46Secrecy

(1)This section applies to—

(a)the CEO; and

(b)a member of the Board; and

(c)a member of the staff of the ACC; and

(d)an examiner.

(2)A person to whom this section applies must not, either directly or indirectly, except for the purposes of a relevant Act or otherwise in connection with the performance of his or her functions under a relevant Act, and either while he or she is or after he or she ceases to be a person to whom this section applies—

(a)make a record of any relevant information; or

(b)divulge or communicate to any person any relevant information.

Maximum penalty—75 penalty units or 1 year’s imprisonment.

(3)A person to whom this section applies can not be required to produce in any court a relevant document, or to divulge or communicate to a court a relevant matter or thing, except if the ACC, or the CEO, the acting CEO, a member of the Board or an examiner in his or her official capacity, is a party to the relevant proceeding or it is necessary to do so—

(a)for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of a relevant Act; or

(b)for the purposes of a prosecution instituted as a result of an operation or investigation carried out by the ACC in the performance of its functions.

(4)In this section—

court includes any tribunal, authority or person having power to require the production of documents or the answering of questions.

member of the staff of the ACC means—

(a)

a person referred to in the definition member of the staff of the ACC in section 4(1) of the ACC Act; or

(b)a person who assists, or performs services for or on behalf of, a lawyer appointed under section 7 in the performance of the lawyer’s functions as counsel to the ACC.

produce includes permit access to.

relevant Act means the ACC Act, this Act or any corresponding Act of another State.

relevant document means a document that has come into a person’s custody or control in the course of, or because of, the performance of the person’s functions under this Act.

relevant information means information acquired by a person because of, or in the course of, the performance of the person’s functions under this Act.

relevant matter or thing means a matter or thing that has come to a person’s notice in the performance of the person’s functions under this Act.

47Delegation

The CEO may, by writing, delegate to a member of the staff of the ACC who is an SES employee, or an acting SES employee, all or any of the CEO’s functions under this Act.

48Liability for damages

A member of the Board is not liable to an action or other proceeding for damages for or in relation to an act done or omitted in good faith in performance or purported performance of any function conferred or expressed to be conferred by or under this Act.

49Obstructing, hindering or disrupting the ACC or an examiner

A person must not—

(a)obstruct or hinder—

(i)the ACC in the performance of its functions; or

(ii)an examiner in the performance of his or her functions as an examiner; or

(b)disrupt an examination before an examiner.

Maximum penalty—300 penalty units or 5 years imprisonment.

50Public meetings and bulletins

(1)The Board may hold meetings in public to inform the public about, or receive submissions in relation to, the performance of the ACC’s functions, including its functions under this Act.

(2)The Board may publish bulletins to inform the public about the performance of the ACC’s functions, including its functions under this Act.

(3)The Board must not—

(a)divulge in the course of a meeting held under subsection (1); or

(b)include in a bulletin published under subsection (2);

any matter the disclosure of which to members of the public could prejudice the safety or reputation of a person or prejudice the fair trial of a person who has been or may be charged with an offence.

51Annual report

(1)An annual report in relation to a year must include the following—

(a)a description of any ACC State investigation that the ACC conducted during the year and that the Board determined to be a special investigation;

(b)a description, which may include statistics, of any patterns or trends, and the nature and scope, of any criminal activity that have come to the attention of the ACC during that year in the performance of its functions under this Act;

(c)any recommendations for changes in the laws of the Commonwealth, of a participating State or of a Territory, or for administrative action, that, as a result of the performance of the ACC’s functions under this Act, the Board considers should be made;

(d)the general nature and the extent of any information given by the CEO during that year under this Act to a law enforcement agency;

(e)the extent to which ACC State investigations have resulted in the prosecution in that year of persons for offences;

(f)the extent to which ACC State investigations have resulted in confiscation proceedings;

(g)particulars of the number and results of court proceedings involving the ACC in relation to its functions under this Act being proceedings that were determined, or otherwise disposed of, during that year.

(2)An annual report must not—

(a)identify persons as being suspected of having committed offences; or

(b)identify persons as having committed offences unless those persons have been convicted of those offences.

(3)In any annual report the chair of the Board must take reasonable care to ensure that the identity of a person is not revealed if to reveal his or her identity might, having regard to any material appearing in the report, prejudice the safety or reputation of a person or prejudice the fair trial of a person who has been or may be charged with an offence.

(4)The State Minister is to cause a copy of—

(a)each annual report that he or she receives; and

(b)any comments made on the report by the Inter-Governmental Committee, being comments that accompanied the report;

to be laid before the Legislative Assembly within 15 sitting days after he or she receives the report.

(5)In this section—

annual report means a report by the chair of the Board under section 61 of the ACC Act.

52Things done for multiple purposes

The validity of anything done for the purposes of this Act is not affected only because it was done also for the purposes of the ACC Act.

53Regulation-making power

(1)The Governor in Council may make regulations under this Act.

(2)Without limiting subsection (1), a regulation may provide for the approval or prescription of forms for use under this Act.

54Repeal

The National Crime Authority (State Provisions) Act 1985 No. 64 is repealed.

55Terms used in this division

In this division—

NCA investigation means an investigation under the NCA (State Provisions) Act, section 5(4).

NCA (State Provisions) Act means the National Crime Authority (State Provisions) Act 1985.

56Particular investigations taken to be special investigations

If an ACC State investigation relates to a matter into which an NCA investigation had been commenced but not completed before 1 January 2003, the Board of the ACC is taken to have determined, in writing, that the ACC State investigation is a special investigation.

57Assembling and giving evidence obtained by the NCA

If—

(a)before 1 January 2003, the National Crime Authority obtained evidence of a kind referred to in section 6(1) of the NCA (State Provisions) Act; but

(b)the National Crime Authority had not assembled and given the evidence as mentioned in that subsection before 1 January 2003;

section 34(1) applies as if that evidence had been obtained by the ACC in carrying out an ACC operation/investigation.

58Limitation on challenges to validity of references

Section 8 of the NCA (State Provisions) Act continues to apply in relation to a reference made under that Act as if that section had not been repealed by this Act.

59Arrangements to obtain information or intelligence

An arrangement that was in force under section 11 of the NCA (State Provisions) Act immediately before 1 January 2003 has effect as if it had been made under section 42.

60Things seized under search warrants

If a thing seized under a warrant under section 12 of the NCA (State Provisions) Act is in the ACC’s possession, section 29(11) and (12) apply to that thing as if it had been seized under a warrant under section 29.

61Directions as to publication

(1)If a direction was in force under section 16(9) of the NCA (State Provisions) Act immediately before 1 January 2003—

(a)the direction has effect; and

(b)section 18(11), (12) and (16) apply to the direction as if it were a direction under section 18(9).

(2)Section 18(13) to (15), so far as they relate to the CEO, apply to evidence in relation to which a direction was given under section 16(9) of the NCA (State Provisions) Act as if it were evidence given before an examiner in relation to which the examiner has given a direction under section 18(9).

62Disclosure of summons or notice

If a nondisclosure statement made in connection with an NCA investigation was in force under section 18A of the NCA (State Provisions) Act immediately before 1 January 2003—

(a)the nondisclosure statement has effect; and

(b)section 22 applies to the summons or notice containing the nondisclosure statement as if it were a notation; and

(c)if there is an ACC operation/investigation relating to the matter to which the NCA investigation related, section 21(4) and (5) apply as if the nondisclosure statement were a notation that had been made in connection with the ACC operation/investigation.

s 62 amd 2006 No. 26 s 119sch 2

63Witness protection

Arrangements that were in effect under section 24 of the NCA (State Provisions) Act immediately before 1 January 2003 have effect as if they had been made under section 26.

64Administrative arrangements in relation to the NCA

An arrangement that was in force under section 28(b) of the NCA (State Provisions) Act immediately before 1 January 2003 has effect as if it had been made under section 43.

65Secrecy obligations

(1)Section 46(2) and (3) extend to a former official (whether or not he or she is or has been a person to whom section 46 applies) as if—

(a)references in section 46 to this Act or to a corresponding Act of another State included references to the NCA (State Provisions) Act or to a corresponding Act of another State; and

(b)the reference in section 46(3)(b) to an investigation carried out by the ACC included a reference to an investigation carried out by the National Crime Authority before 1 January 2003.

(2)In this section—

former official means a person who was, at any time, a person to whom section 30 of the NCA (State Provisions) Act applied.

66Validation of administrative actions

The Co-operative Schemes (Administrative Actions) Act 2001 (the validation Act) applies to administrative actions that have been taken, or have purportedly been taken, under the NCA (State Provisions) Act as if—

(a)the NCA (State Provisions) Act were still a relevant State Act for the purposes of the validation Act; and

(b)for the purposes of the validation Act, the commencement time in relation to the NCA (State Provisions) Act were the time when section 54 comes into operation.

section 3(1)

ACC Act means the Australian Crime Commission Act 2002 (Cwlth).

Note—

The Act was originally known as the National Crime Authority Act 1984.

ACC operation/investigation means—

(a)an ACC State intelligence operation; or

(b)an ACC State investigation.

ACC State intelligence operation means an intelligence operation that the ACC is undertaking under section 5(a).

ACC State investigation means an investigation that the ACC is conducting under section 5(b).

authority includes a department, agency or body.

Commonwealth body or person means—

(a)the ACC; or

(b)the Board; or

(c)the chair of the Board; or

(d)a member of the Board; or

(e)the Inter-Governmental Committee; or

(f)the CEO; or

(g)a member of the staff of the ACC; or

(h)an examiner; or

(i)a judge of the Federal Court; or

(j)a Federal Magistrate.

Commonwealth Minister means the Commonwealth Minister administering the ACC Act.

confer includes impose.

Federal Magistrate means a Federal Magistrate (including the Chief Federal Magistrate) who holds office under the Federal Magistrates Act 1999(Cwlth).

function has a meaning affected by section 3(4).

intelligence operation means the collection, correlation, analysis or dissemination of criminal information and intelligence relating to a relevant criminal activity.

issuing officer means—

(a)a judge of the Federal Court: or

(b)a judge of the Supreme Court or District Court; or

(c)a Federal Magistrate.

member of the Queensland Police Service means a member of the Queensland Police Service under the Police Service Administration Act 1990, section 2.2(1).

NCA investigation, for part 7, division 2, see section 55.

NCA (State Provisions) Act, for part 7, division 2, see section 55.

perform includes exercise.

serious and organised crime means an offence—

(a)that involves 2 or more offenders and substantial planning and organisation; and

(b)that involves, or is of a kind that ordinarily involves, the use of sophisticated methods and techniques; and

(c)that is committed, or is of a kind that is ordinarily committed, in conjunction with other offences of a like kind; and

(d)that is an offence of a kind prescribed under a regulation or an offence that involves any of the following—

(i)theft;

(ii)fraud;

(iii)tax evasion;

(iv)money laundering;

(v)currency violations;

(vi)illegal drug dealings;

(vii)illegal gambling;

(viii)obtaining financial benefit by vice engaged in by others;

(ix)extortion;

(x)violence;

(xi)bribery or corruption of, or by, an officer of the Commonwealth, an officer of a State or an officer of a Territory;

(xii)perverting the course of justice;

(xiii)bankruptcy and company violations;

(xiv)harbouring of criminals;

(xv)forging of passports;

(xvi)firearms;

(xvi)armament dealings;

(xvii) illegal importation or exportation of fauna into or out of Australia;

(xix)cybercrime;

(xx)matters of the same general nature as 1 or more of the matters listed above; and

(e)that is punishable by imprisonment for a period of 3 years or more;

but—

(f)does not include an offence committed in the course of a genuine dispute as to matters about the relations of employees and employers by a party to the dispute, unless the offence is committed in connection with, or as part of, a course of activity involving the commission of a serious and organised crime other than an offence so committed; and

(g)does not include an offence the time for the commencement of a prosecution for which has expired.

special ACC operation/investigation means—

(a)an ACC State intelligence operation that the Board has determined to be a special operation; or

(b)an ACC State investigation that the Board has determined to be a special investigation.

State Minister means the State Minister administering this Act.