Commonwealth Numbered Acts

ABORIGINAL LAND RIGHTS (NORTHERN TERRITORY) ACT 1976 No. 191 of 1976 - SECT 54

54. (1) The Commissioner may, by notice in writing, require a person whom he
believes to be capable of giving information relating to a matter being
inquired into by the Commissioner in carrying out his functions under this
Act, being a matter specified in the notice, to attend before him at the time
and place specified in the notice and there to answer questions in relation to
that matter and to produce to the Commissioner such documents and other
records in relation to that matter as are specified in the notice.

(2) The Commissioner may make and retain copies of, or extracts from, any
documents or other records produced in pursuance of this section.

(3) A person is not excused from answering a question or producing any
documents or other records when required so to do under this section on the
ground that the answer to the question, or the production of the documents or
other records, might tend to incriminate him or make him liable to a penalty,
but his answer to any such question is not admissible in evidence against him
in proceedings other than proceedings for an offence against paragraph (6) (c)
or sub-section (7).

(4) A person attending before the Commissioner in pursuance of this section
has the same protection, and is, in addition to the penalties provided by this
section, subject to the same liabilities, as a witness in proceedings in the
High Court.

(5) The Commissioner may administer an oath or affirmation to a person
required to attend before him in pursuance of this section and may examine the
person on oath or affirmation.

(6) A person shall not, without lawful excuse, refuse or fail-

   (a)  to attend before the Commissioner;

   (b)  to be sworn or make an affirmation; or

   (c)  to answer a question or produce a document or record, when so required
        in pursuance of this section.

Penalty: $1,000.

(7) A person shall not furnish information or make a statement to the
Commissioner under this section knowing that it is false or misleading in a
material particular.

Penalty: $1,000.