Minister's power to certify that disclosure of information would be prejudicial

(1) The Minister may give the Inspector-General a certificate stating that the disclosure of information relating to a specified matter would:

(a)

prejudice the security, defence or international relations of the Commonwealth; or

(b)

prejudice negotiations relating to a treaty or other international agreement; or

(c)

be contrary to a treaty or other international agreement; or

(d)

prejudice relations between the Commonwealth and a State or Territory; or

(e)

involve the disclosure of deliberations or decisions of the Cabinet or of a Committee of the Cabinet; or

(f)

involve the disclosure of deliberations or advice of the Executive Council; or

(g)

prejudice the prevention, investigation or prosecution of an offence against any law; or

(h)

prejudice the prevention or investigation of, or the conduct of proceedings for recovery of civil penalties brought with respect to, other contraventions of any law; or

(i)

be contrary to an order of a court or tribunal; or

(j)

be contrary to the public interest for any other reason that could form the basis for a claim in a judicial proceeding that information relating to the matter should not be disclosed or documents relating to the matter should not be produced; or

(k)

endanger the safety of any person; or

(l)

prejudice the revenue of the Commonwealth.

Certificates may have effect for information-gathering powers and/or reporting obligations

(2) A certificate may be expressed to have effect for the purposes of either or both of the following:

(a)

the Inspector-General's information-gathering powers;

(b)

the Inspector-General's reporting obligations.