Version No. 014 Evidence (Commissions) Act 1982 No. 9766 of 1982 Version incorporating amendments as at 30 August 2012 TABLE OF PROVISIONS Section 1 Short title and commencement 2 Division into Parts PART I—ENABLING PROVISIONS 3 4 Definitions Communication of information to special commissions PART 2—Repealed 5–8 Page 1 1 2 2 3 5 Repealed 5 ═══════════════ ENDNOTES 6 1. General Information 6 2. Table of Amendments 7 3. Explanatory Details 8 i Version No. 014 Evidence (Commissions) Act 1982 No. 9766 of 1982 Version incorporating amendments as at 30 August 2012 An Act to make provision with respect to the giving of information to Commissions, to amend the Land Tax Act 1958, the Stamps Act 1958, the Pay-roll Tax Act 1971 and the Business Franchise (Tobacco) Act 1974 and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly of Victoria in this present Parliament assembled and by the authority of the same as follows (that is to say): 1 Short title and commencement (1) This Act may be cited as the Evidence (Commissions) Act 1982. (2) This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent. 2 Division into Parts This Act is divided into parts as follows: Part I—Enabling Provisions Part II—Miscellaneous Amendments. __________________ 1 Evidence (Commissions) Act 1982 No. 9766 of 1982 Part I—Enabling Provisions s. 3 PART I—ENABLING PROVISIONS 3 Definitions In this Part unless inconsistent with the context or subject-matter— commission means a commission issued by the Governor in Council to any person to make any inquiry and includes any member of that commission; special commission means any of the following commissions— (a) the commission to inquire into the activities of the Federated Ship Painters and Dockers Union that was commissioned by Letters Patent dated 1 October 1980 as extended from time to time by Letters Patent; (b) the commission to inquire into certain activities involving contravention of laws of the State of Victoria, in particular laws relating to the use of drugs that was commissioned by Letters Patent dated 30 June 1981 as extended from time to time by Letters Patent; and (c) a commission in respect of which Letters Patent issued by the Governor declare that the commission is a special commission. 2 Evidence (Commissions) Act 1982 No. 9766 of 1982 Part I—Enabling Provisions s. 4 4 Communication of information to special commissions (1) Where by reason of the operation of— * * * * * S. 4(1)(a) repealed by No. 88/2005 s. 117(Sch. 2 item 2). * S. 4(1)(ba) inserted by No. 9846 s. 52, repealed by No. 36/1997 s. 20(2). (b) section 140A of the Stamps Act 1958; * * * * (bb) section 17 of the Financial Institutions Duty Act 1982; (c) section 5 of the Pay-roll Tax Act 1971; or (d) section 5 of the Business Franchise (Tobacco) Act 1974— information of the kind specified in any of those sections may be given to a special commission, the special commission may— (e) in a manner that does not identify and is not reasonably capable of being used to identify the person to whom the information relates— (i) communicate the information to the Governor in a report by the special commission; or 3 S. 4(1)(bb) inserted by No. 9850 s. 106, amended by No. 10087 s. 3(1)(Sch. 1 item 58). Evidence (Commissions) Act 1982 No. 9766 of 1982 Part I—Enabling Provisions s. 4 (ii) divulge the information in the course of a proceeding conducted by the special commission; (f) communicate the information to the Attorney-General if the special commission is of the opinion that the information indicates a person may have committed an offence against an Act; or S. 4(1)(g) amended by No. 74/2000 s. 3(Sch. 1 item 44.1). (g) divulge or communicate the information to a person or employee under the control of the special commission for the purposes of or in connexion with the enquiry being conducted by the special commission. (2) Where information is communicated to the Attorney-General, the Attorney-General may communicate the information— (a) to the Chief Commissioner of Police for Victoria; or S. 4(2)(b) amended by No. 74/2000 s. 3(Sch. 1 item 44.1). S. 4(3) amended by No. 74/2000 s. 3(Sch. 1 item 44.1). (b) to a person or employee under the control of the Attorney-General for the purpose of communicating the information to the Chief Commissioner of Police for Victoria. (3) Where the information is communicated to the Chief Commissioner of Police for Victoria he may divulge or communicate that information to any person or employee under his control for the purposes of or in connexion with the performance by that person or employee of the duties of his office or employment. (4) A person to whom information is given by reason of the operation of this section shall not make a record of or divulge or communicate that information to any person (other than a person authorized by this section). Penalty: 10 penalty units. 4 Evidence (Commissions) Act 1982 No. 9766 of 1982 s. 4 (5) A reference in subsection (1) to a person under the control of a special commission includes a reference to— (a) a legal practitioner appointed by the Attorney-General to assist the special commission; and S. 4(5)(a) amended by No. 35/1996 s. 453(Sch. 1 item 30). (b) a person assisting a legal practitioner so appointed. S. 4(5)(b) amended by No. 35/1996 s. 453(Sch. 1 item 30). (6) A reference in subsection (2) to a person under the control of the Attorney-General includes a reference to— (a) an officer of, or person employed in, the Law Department; (b) a person holding office, or employed, under an Act administered by the AttorneyGeneral; and (c) a person under the control of a person to whom paragraph (b) applies. (7) A person to whom information is communicated under this section shall not be required to divulge or communicate that information to any court. __________________ * * * ═══════════════ 5 * * Pt 2 (Heading and ss 5–8) repealed by No. 74/2000 s. 3(Sch. 1 item 44.2). Evidence (Commissions) Act 1982 No. 9766 of 1982 Endnotes ENDNOTES 1. General Information The Evidence (Commissions) Act 1982 was assented to on 13 July 1982 and came into operation on 13 July 1982: section 1(2). 6 Evidence (Commissions) Act 1982 No. 9766 of 1982 Endnotes 2. Table of Amendments This Version incorporates amendments made to the Evidence (Commissions) Act 1982 by Acts and subordinate instruments. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Energy Consumption Levy Act 1982, No. 9846/1982 Assent Date: 21.12.82 Commencement Date: 1.10.82: s. 1(2) Current State: All of Act in operation Financial Institutions Duty Act 1982, No. 9850/1982 Assent Date: 21.12.82 Commencement Date: S. 106 on 1.12.82: s. 1(2) Current State: This information relates only to the provision/s amending the Evidence (Commissions) Act 1982 Statute Law Revision Act 1984, No. 10087/1984 Assent Date: 22.5.84 Commencement Date: 22.5.84: subject to s. 3(2) Current State: All of Act in operation Legal Practice Act 1996, No. 35/1996 Assent Date: 6.11.96 Commencement Date: S. 453(Sch. 1 item 30) on 1.1.97: s. 2(3) Current State: This information relates only to the provision/s amending the Evidence (Commissions) Act 1982 Gas Industry (Amendment) Act 1997, No. 36/1997 Assent Date: 3.6.97 Commencement Date: S. 20(2) on 1.7.97: Special Gazette (No. 58) 3.6.97 p. 2. Current State: This information relates only to the provision/s amending the Evidence (Commissions) Act 1982 Statute Law Revision Act 2000, No. 74/2000 Assent Date: 21.11.00 Commencement Date: S. 3(Sch. 1 item 44) on 22.11.00: s. 2(1) Current State: This information relates only to the provision/s amending the Evidence (Commissions) Act 1982 Land Tax Act 2005, No. 88/2005 Assent Date: 29.11.05 Commencement Date: S. 117(Sch. 2 item 2) on 1.1.06: s. 2 Current State: This information relates only to the provision/s amending the Evidence (Commissions) Act 1982 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 7 Evidence (Commissions) Act 1982 No. 9766 of 1982 Endnotes 3. Explanatory Details No entries at date of publication. 8