Crimes Act. Australia
Definitions
3ZQL Definitions
In this Division:
authorised AFP officer means:
(a) the Commissioner; or
(b) a Deputy Commissioner; or
(c) a senior executive AFP employee who:
(i) is a member of the Australian Federal Police; and
(ii) is authorised in writing by the Commissioner for the purposes of this paragraph.
Federal Magistrate has the meaning given by the Federal Magistrates Act 1999.
Subdivision B
Power to request information or documents about terrorist acts from operators of aircraft or ships
3ZQM Power to request information or documents about terrorist acts from operators of aircraft or ships
(1) This section applies if an authorised AFP officer believes on reasonable grounds that an operator of an aircraft or ship has information or documents (including in electronic form) that are relevant to a matter that relates to the doing of a terrorist act (whether or not a terrorist act has occurred or will occur).
(2) The officer may:
(a) ask the operator questions relating to the aircraft or ship, or its cargo, crew, passengers, stores or voyage, that are relevant to the matter; or
(b) request the operator to produce documents relating to the aircraft or ship, or its cargo, crew, passengers, stores or voyage:
(i) that are relevant to the matter; and
(ii) that are in the possession or under the control of the operator.
(3) A person who is asked a question or requested to produce a document under subsection (2) must answer the question or produce the document as soon as practicable.
Offence
(4) A person commits an offence if:
(a) the person is an operator of an aircraft or ship; and
(b) the person is asked a question or requested to produce a document under subsection (2); and
(c) the person fails to answer the question or produce the document.
Penalty: 60 penalty units.
(5) Subsection (4) is an offence of strict liability.
Note: For strict liability, see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.
(6) It is a defence to a prosecution for an offence against subsection (4) if the person charged had a reasonable excuse for:
(a) failing to answer the question; or
(b) failing to produce the document.
Definitions
(7) In this section:
operator has the meaning given by section 4 of the Customs Act 1901.
Subdivision C
Power to obtain documents relating to serious terrorism and non-terrorism offences
3ZQN Power to obtain documents relating to serious terrorism offences
(1) This section applies if an authorised AFP officer considers on reasonable grounds that a person has documents (including in electronic form) that are relevant to, and will assist, the investigation of a serious terrorism offence.
(2) The officer may give the person a written notice requiring the person to produce documents that:
(a) relate to one or more of the matters set out in section 3ZQP, as specified in the notice; and
(b) are in the possession or under the control of the person.
(3) The notice must:
(a) specify the name of the person to whom the notice is given; and
(b) specify the matters to which the documents to be produced relate; and
(c) specify the manner in which the documents are to be produced; and
(d) specify the place at which the documents are to be produced; and
(e) state that the person must comply with the notice as soon as practicable; and
(f) set out the effect of section 3ZQS (offence for failure to comply); and
(g) if the notice specifies that information about the notice must not be disclosed — set out the effect of section 3ZQT (offence for disclosing existence or nature of a notice).
3ZQO Power to obtain documents relating to serious offences
(1) An authorised AFP officer may apply to a Federal Magistrate for a notice under this section in respect of a person if the AFP officer considers on reasonable grounds that the person has documents (including in electronic form) that are relevant to, and will assist, the investigation of a serious offence.
(2) If the Magistrate is satisfied on the balance of probabilities, by information on oath or by affirmation, that:
(a) the person has documents (including in electronic form) that are relevant to, and will assist, the investigation of a serious offence; and
(b) giving the person a notice under this section is reasonably necessary, and reasonably appropriate and adapted, for the purpose of investigating the offence;
the Magistrate may give the person a written notice requiring the person to produce documents that:
(c) relate to one or more of the matters set out in section 3ZQP, as specified in the notice; and
(d) are in the possession or under the control of the person.
(3) The Magistrate must not give the notice unless the authorised AFP officer or some other person has given to the Magistrate, either orally or by affidavit, such further information (if any) as the Magistrate requires concerning the grounds on which the issue of the notice is being sought.
(4) The notice must:
(a) specify the name of the person to whom the notice is given; and
(b) specify the matters to which the documents to be produced relate; and
(c) specify the manner in which the documents are to be produced; and
(d) specify the place at which the documents are to be produced; and
(e) state that the person must comply with the notice within 14 days after the day on which the notice is given; and
(f) set out the effect of section 3ZQS (offence for failure to comply); and
(g) if the notice specifies that information about the notice must not be disclosed — set out the effect of section 3ZQT (offence for disclosing existence or nature of a notice).
3ZQP Matters to which documents must relate
A document to be produced under a notice under section 3ZQN or 3ZQO must relate to one or more of the following matters:
(a) determining whether an account is held by a specified person with a specified financial institution, and details relating to the account (including details of any related accounts);
(b) determining whether a specified person is a signatory to an account with a specified financial institution, and details relating to the account (including details of any related accounts);
(c) determining whether a transaction has been conducted by a specified financial institution on behalf of a specified person, and details relating to the transaction (including details relating to other parties