(1)  A person must not –

(a) publish, or cause to be published, any prohibited matter; or

(b) solicit or obtain the disclosure by a juror or former juror of any prohibited matter.

Penalty:  In the case of –

(a) a body corporate, a fine not exceeding 3 000 penalty units; or

(b) a natural person, a fine not exceeding 600 penalty units or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years.

(2)  A juror must not disclose any prohibited matter during the course of a trial except in the course of deliberations with another juror in that trial.

Penalty:  Fine not exceeding 600 penalty units or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years.

(3)  A former juror must not disclose any prohibited matter if the person has reason to believe that the disclosure may result in the prohibited matter being published to the public.

Penalty:  Fine not exceeding 600 penalty units or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years.

(4)  The provisions of subsection (1) or subsection (3) do not prevent a former juror from disclosing, in relation to issues arising out of the person's service as a juror, any prohibited matter to –

(a) a medical practitioner or a psychologist in the course of treatment; or

(b) an Australian legal practitioner in the course of seeking professional legal advice.

(5)  A medical practitioner or psychologist must not disclose any information referred to in subsection (4) to any other person.

Penalty:  Fine not exceeding 600 penalty units or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years.

(6)  The provisions of this section do not prevent –

(a) a juror or former juror disclosing any information about the deliberations of a jury to –

(i) a judge, the court or the Magistrates Court; or

(ii) a board or commission appointed by the Governor; or

(iii) the Attorney-General; or

(iv) the Director of Public Prosecutions for Tasmania for the purpose of an investigation and prosecution relating to a criminal offence involving a juror or former juror; or

(v) the Director of Public Prosecutions for the Commonwealth for the purpose of an investigation and prosecution relating to a criminal offence involving a juror or former juror; or

(b) the investigation by a police officer at the request of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Tasmania or the Director of Public Prosecutions for the Commonwealth of a complaint about the deliberations of a jury or the disclosure of information about those deliberations by a juror or former juror to the police in the course of the investigation; or

(c) the investigation by a person authorised by the court sitting as the Court of Appeal in relation to an appeal to that Court of an allegation about the deliberations of a jury or the disclosure of information about those deliberations by a juror or former juror to the authorised person in the course of that investigation; or

(d) the publication or disclosure by a person of any information about the deliberations of a jury if that publication or disclosure is not capable of identifying a juror or the relevant legal proceeding; or

(e) a person from soliciting information from a juror or former juror in accordance with an authority granted by the Attorney-General for the conduct of a research project into matters relating to juries or jury service.

(7)  This section does not apply to the disclosure of information about a proceeding for an offence under this section if, before the proceeding was commenced, the information had been published generally to the public.

(8)  A prosecution for an offence under this section may only be brought with the consent in writing of the Director of Public Prosecutions or a person authorised by the Director of Public Prosecutions to give consent for the purposes of this subsection.

(9)  An offence under this section is an indictable offence.