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DEFENCE LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (MILITARY JUSTICE ENHANCEMENTS-INSPECTOR-GENERAL ADF) BILL 2014

 

 

 

2013-2014 

 

The Parliament of the 

Commonwealth of Australia 

 

THE SENATE 

 

 

 

 

Presented and read a first time 

 

 

 

 

Defence Legislation Amendment 

(Military Justice Enhancements--

Inspector-General ADF) Bill 2014 

 

No.      , 2014 

 

(Defence) 

 

 

 

A Bill for an Act to amend legislation relating to 

defence, and for related purposes 

   

   

 

 

No.      , 2014 

Defence Legislation Amendment (Military Justice Enhancements--

Inspector-General ADF) Bill 2014 

i 

 

Contents 

Short title ........................................................................................... 1

 

Commencement ................................................................................. 1

 

Schedules ........................................................................................... 2

 

Schedule 1--Amendments relating to the Inspector-General 

ADF

 

3

 

Part 1--Amendments

 

3

 

Defence Act 1903

 

3

 

Part 2--Application and transitional provisions

 

7

 

 

 

 

 

No.      , 2014 

Defence Legislation Amendment (Military Justice Enhancements--

Inspector-General ADF) Bill 2014 

1 

 

A Bill for an Act to amend legislation relating to 

defence, and for related purposes 

The Parliament of Australia enacts: 

1  Short title 

 

  This Act may be cited as the Defence Legislation Amendment 

(Military Justice Enhancements--Inspector-General ADF) Act 

2014

2  Commencement 

 

(1)  Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table 

commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with 

10 

column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect 

11 

according to its terms. 

12 

   

   

 

 

2 

Defence Legislation Amendment (Military Justice Enhancements--

Inspector-General ADF) Bill 2014 

No.      , 2014 

 

 

Commencement information 

Column 1 

Column 2 

Column 3 

Provisions 

Commencement 

Date/Details 

1.  Sections 1 to 3 

and anything in 

this Act not 

elsewhere covered 

by this table 

The day this Act receives the Royal Assent. 

 

2.  Schedule 1 

The 28th day after this Act receives the 

Royal Assent. 

 

Note: 

This table relates only to the provisions of this Act as originally 

enacted. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of 

this Act. 

 

(2)  Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this Act. 

Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it 

may be edited, in any published version of this Act. 

3  Schedules 

 

  Legislation that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or 

repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule 

10 

concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect 

11 

according to its terms. 

12 

Amendments relating to the Inspector-General ADF  Schedule 1 

Amendments  Part 1 

 

 

No.      , 2014 

Defence Legislation Amendment (Military Justice Enhancements--

Inspector-General ADF) Bill 2014 

3 

 

Schedule 1

--Amendments relating to the 

Inspector-General ADF 

Part 1

--Amendments 

Defence Act 1903 

1  Section 110A 

Before "object", insert "main". 

2  Paragraph 110A(b) 

After "avenue", insert ", independent of the ordinary chain of 

command,". 

3  Paragraph 110C(1)(e) 

10 

Repeal the paragraph, substitute: 

11 

 

(e)  if directed by the Minister to do so--to inquire into or 

12 

investigate a matter concerning the Defence Force; 

13 

 

(f)  if directed by the Chief of the Defence Force to do so--to 

14 

inquire into or investigate a matter concerning the Defence 

15 

Force; 

16 

 

(g)  such functions as are prescribed by the regulations; 

17 

 

(h)  such functions as are conferred on the Inspector-General 

18 

ADF by or under this Act; 

19 

 

(i)  such functions as are conferred on the Inspector-General 

20 

ADF by or under any other law of the Commonwealth; 

21 

 

(j)  to do anything incidental or conducive to the performance of 

22 

any of the above functions. 

23 

Note: 

Subsection (4) limits the functions that may be prescribed by 

24 

regulations made for the purposes of paragraph (g). 

25 

4  Subsection 110C(2) 

26 

Repeal the subsection. 

27 

5  At the end of section 110C (before the note) 

28 

Add: 

29 

Schedule 1  Amendments relating to the Inspector-General ADF 

Part 1  Amendments 

 

 

4 

Defence Legislation Amendment (Military Justice Enhancements--

Inspector-General ADF) Bill 2014 

No.      , 2014 

 

 

(4)  Regulations made for the purposes of paragraph (1)(g) must not 

prescribe a function unless the function relates to: 

 

(a)  the military justice system; or 

 

(b)  complaints made by members of the Defence Force, where 

the relevant complaint is about a decision, act or omission in 

relation to the member's service in the Defence Force; or 

 

(c)  deaths of members of the Defence Force, where the relevant 

death appears to have arisen out of, or in the course of, the 

member's service in the Defence Force. 

 

(5)  To avoid doubt, a function prescribed by regulations made for the 

10 

purposes of paragraph (1)(g) may be to inquire into or investigate a 

11 

matter mentioned in paragraph (4)(b) or (c). 

12 

 

(6)  Subsection (5) does not limit paragraph (1)(g). 

13 

6  Section 110D 

14 

Repeal the section. 

15 

7  At the end of Division 1 of Part VIIIB 

16 

Add: 

17 

110DA  Conduct of inquiry or investigation 

18 

Scope 

19 

 

(1)  This section applies to an inquiry or investigation by the 

20 

Inspector-General ADF under: 

21 

 

(a)  paragraph 110C(1)(a); or 

22 

 

(b)  regulations made for the purposes of paragraph 110C(1)(g). 

23 

When inquiry or investigation may be conducted 

24 

 

(2)  The Inspector-General ADF may conduct an inquiry or 

25 

investigation: 

26 

 

(a)  on his or her own initiative; or 

27 

 

(b)  at the request of a service chief; or 

28 

 

(c)  at the request of an individual. 

29 

Amendments relating to the Inspector-General ADF  Schedule 1 

Amendments  Part 1 

 

 

No.      , 2014 

Defence Legislation Amendment (Military Justice Enhancements--

Inspector-General ADF) Bill 2014 

5 

 

110DB  Inspector-General ADF may end an inquiry or investigation 

 

(1)  The Inspector-General ADF may end an inquiry or investigation 

conducted by the Inspector-General ADF if the Inspector-General 

ADF is satisfied that the inquiry or investigation, or the 

continuation of the inquiry or investigation, is not warranted 

having regard to all the circumstances. 

 

(2)  Subsection (1) does not apply to an inquiry or investigation under 

paragraph 110C(1)(e). 

Note: 

Paragraph 110C(1)(e) is about inquiries and investigations directed by 

the Minister. 

10 

8  Section 110R 

11 

Repeal the section, substitute: 

12 

110R  Annual report by Inspector-General ADF 

13 

 

(1)  As soon as practicable after the end of each financial year, the 

14 

Inspector-General ADF must prepare and give to the Minister, for 

15 

presentation to the Parliament, a report on the operations of the 

16 

Inspector-General ADF during the financial year. 

17 

Note: 

See also section 34C of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901, which 

18 

contains extra rules about periodic reports. 

19 

 

(2)  For this purpose, the operations of the Inspector-General ADF 

20 

include the operations of persons appointed under section 110P. 

21 

9  After subsection 124(2A) 

22 

Insert: 

23 

 

(2AA)  Subject to subsection (2B), the power to make regulations for the 

24 

purposes of paragraph (1)(h) includes the power to make 

25 

regulations requiring a person appearing as a witness before the 

26 

Inspector-General ADF to answer a question even if the answer to 

27 

the question may tend to incriminate the person. 

28 

 

(2AB)  Subject to subsection (2B), the power to make regulations for the 

29 

purposes of subsection 110P(3) includes the power to make 

30 

regulations requiring a person appearing as a witness before a 

31 

person appointed under section 110P to answer a question even if 

32 

Schedule 1  Amendments relating to the Inspector-General ADF 

Part 1  Amendments 

 

 

6 

Defence Legislation Amendment (Military Justice Enhancements--

Inspector-General ADF) Bill 2014 

No.      , 2014 

 

the answer to the question may tend to incriminate the 

first-mentioned person. 

10  Subsection 124(2B) 

Omit "Subsection (2A) does", substitute "Subsections (2A), (2AA) and 

(2AB) do". 

11  Subsection 124(2B) 

Omit "that subsection", substitute "the subsection concerned". 

12  After subsection 124(2C) 

Insert: 

 

(2CA)  If a witness makes a statement or disclosure in the course of giving 

10 

evidence before the Inspector-General ADF or a person appointed 

11 

under section 110P: 

12 

 

(a)  the statement or disclosure; and 

13 

 

(b)  the making of the statement or disclosure; and 

14 

 

(c)  any information, document or thing obtained as a direct or 

15 

indirect consequence of making the statement or disclosure; 

16 

are not admissible in evidence against the witness in: 

17 

 

(d)  any civil or criminal proceedings in any federal court or court 

18 

of a State or Territory; or 

19 

 

(e)  proceedings before a service tribunal; 

20 

other than in proceedings by way of a prosecution for giving false 

21 

testimony at the hearing before the Inspector-General ADF or 

22 

person appointed under section 110P. 

23 

Amendments relating to the Inspector-General ADF  Schedule 1 

Application and transitional provisions  Part 2 

 

 

No.      , 2014 

Defence Legislation Amendment (Military Justice Enhancements--

Inspector-General ADF) Bill 2014 

7 

 

Part 2

--Application and transitional provisions 

13  Transitional

--conduct of inquiries or investigations 

Despite the repeal of section 110D of the Defence Act 1903 by this 

Schedule, that section continues to apply, in relation to an inquiry or 

investigation that started before the commencement of this item, as if 

the repeal had not happened. 

14  Application

--conduct of inquiries or investigation 

Section 110DA of the Defence Act 1903 as amended by this Schedule 

applies in relation to an inquiry or investigation that started at or after 

the commencement of this item. 

10 

15  Application

--annual report 

11 

Section 110R of the Defence Act 1903 as amended by this Schedule 

12 

applies in relation to: 

13 

 

(a)  the financial year in which this item commences; and 

14 

 

(b)  each later financial year. 

15 

 


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