Queensland Consolidated Acts

OATHS ACT 1867 - SECT 29

29 Interpreter’s oath to interpret between a prisoner, defendant or witness and others

(1) Interpreters may be sworn for the purposes of a criminal trial in open court in the following form or to the like effect—

NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING PRISONER

‘You swear that you understand the language of the prisoner [or prisoners or defendant] at the bar [or the defendant] and are able to interpret between the prisoner [or prisoners or defendant] and the court and jury and between the prisoner [or prisoners or defendant] and all persons conversant with the English language So help you God.’
‘You shall well and truly interpret and true explanation make between the prisoner [or prisoners or defendant] at the bar [or the defendant] and the court and jury and between the prisoner [or prisoners or defendant] and all persons conversant with the English language to the best of your knowledge skill and ability and the evidence which you shall give to the court and jury sworn between our Sovereign Lady the Queen and the prisoner [or prisoners] at the bar shall be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth So help you God.’.

NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING WITNESS

‘You swear that you understand the language of the witness and are able to interpret between the witness and the court and jury and the prisoner and all persons conversant with the English language.’
‘You shall well and truly interpret and true explanation make between the witness the court and jury and the prisoner and all persons conversant with the English language and the evidence which you shall give to the court and jury sworn between our Sovereign Lady the Queen and the prisoner at the bar shall be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth So help you God.’.

(2) However, when the witness and the prisoner do not speak English fluently but speak different languages and the interpreter is unable to interpret to the prisoner the reference to the prisoner shall be omitted and an additional interpreter sworn to interpret the English interpretation of the first interpreter to the prisoner.