Depositions taken on the preliminary or other investigation of any charge of crime may be –

(a) read as evidence on the trial of the defendant for any other offence, although of a higher or different nature, if they would be admissible on the trial for the offence in respect of which they were taken; and

(b) proved in the same manner as if the defendant were on trial for that offence.

Note: This section does not appear in the Evidence Act 1995 of the Commonwealth.