New South Wales Consolidated Acts

CROWN LAND MANAGEMENT ACT 2016 - SECT 3.45

3.45 Inquiries and audits of affairs of Crown land managers

(1) The Minister may appoint a person to inquire into, or carry out an audit of, the affairs of any Crown land manager in connection with exercise of the manager's functions.

(2) The person appointed may, for the purposes of the inquiry or audit--

(a) inspect and take copies of or extracts from any records (including accounting records) of the manager, or

(b) require any person concerned in the management of the manager to give information and answer questions relating to the affairs of the manager.

(3) The power of the appointed person to inspect the records of a manager includes the power to inspect any records of the holder of a lease or licence that the manager has power to inspect under the lease or licence.

(4) A person must not--

(a) refuse or fail to allow the appointed person access to records to which the appointed person is entitled, or

(b) refuse or fail to give information or answer questions, as required by the appointed person, or

(c) intentionally obstruct or delay the appointed person in the exercise of a function under this section.

: Maximum penalty--100 penalty units.

(5) It is a defence to the prosecution of an offence against subsection (4) if the defendant proves that there was a lawful excuse for the conduct that is alleged to give rise to the offence.