12—Court order for impounding or forfeiture on conviction of prescribed
offence
(1) Subject to
section 13, if this Part applies to a conviction for a
prescribed offence, the court that records the conviction must, on the
application of the prosecution—
(a)
order that the motor vehicle specified in the application is forfeited to the
Crown if—
(i)
the offence is a forfeiture offence; or
(ii)
the convicted person has been found guilty of or expiated
at least 1 other prescribed offence committed or allegedly committed
within 12 months of the date of the offence; or
(iii)
the convicted person has been found guilty of or expiated
at least 2 other prescribed offences committed or allegedly committed
within 10 years of the date of the offence; or
(b)
order that the motor vehicle specified in the application be impounded by the
relevant authority for a period not exceeding 6 months if—
(i)
the convicted person has been found guilty of or expiated
1 other prescribed offence committed or allegedly committed within
10 years of the date of the offence; and
(ii)
paragraph (a) does not apply.
(1a) If the court
makes an order under subsection (1), it must also order that the
convicted person pay to the relevant authority fees prescribed in relation to
the forfeiture or impounding of the motor vehicle.
Note—
If a motor vehicle has been clamped or impounded under Part 2 in relation to
the offence, the court must also, on the application of the prosecution, order
the payment of fees under section 9.
(2) Notice of an
application for an order under this section relating to a motor vehicle must
be given to—
(a) each
registered owner of the motor vehicle; and
(b) if
the prosecution is aware that any other person claims ownership of the
motor vehicle or is likely to suffer financial or physical hardship as a
result of the making of an order under this section—that person; and
(c) in
the case of an application for an order for forfeiture of the motor
vehicle—each person registered under the Personal Property Securities
Act 2009 of the Commonwealth as a secured party in relation to a security
interest for which the motor vehicle is collateral.
(3) A court hearing an
application for an order under this section relating to a motor vehicle—
(a)
must, if a person given notice of the application under subsection (2) so
requests, hear representations from the person in relation to the application;
and
(b) may,
at the request of any other person who is likely to be affected by the making
of the order, hear representations from that person in relation to the
application.
(4) A court making an
order under this section may make any consequential or ancillary order or
direction that it considers necessary or expedient in the circumstances of the
case.
(5) If a court makes
an order for the impounding or forfeiture of a motor vehicle under this
section, the relevant authority is authorised to seize the motor vehicle and
deal with it in accordance with this Act and the requirements (if any)
specified in the order.