Victorian Current Acts Victorian Current ActsS. 47B(1) amended by No. 45/2019 s. 24(2).
(1) This section applies if the Governor reasonably suspects that a letter or parcel to, or from, a prisoner contains any unauthorised article or substance, but section 47A does not apply.
S. 47B(2) amended by Nos 18/2005 s. 18(Sch. 1 item 22.3), 28/2007 s. 3(Sch. item 14), substituted by No. 41/2015 s. 15(1), amended by No. 45/2019 s. 24(2).
(2) If the letter or parcel is to, or from, one of the following correspondents—
(a) a lawyer;
S. 47B(2)(b) amended by No. 22/2016 s. 166.
(b) the Health Complaints Commissioner;
(c) the Human Rights Commissioner;
(d) the Victorian Legal Services Commissioner appointed under section 51 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014 ;
S. 47B(2)(e) substituted by No. 20/2017 s. 134(Sch. 1 item 4.2(a)).
(e) the Information Commissioner appointed under section 6C of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 ;
S. 47B(2)(f) amended by No. 39/2022 s. 804 (as amended by No. 20/2023 s. 49(4)).
(f) the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission established by section 411 of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 ;
S. 47B(2)(g) repealed by No. 20/2017 s. 134(Sch. 1 item 4.2(b)).
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(h) the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission continued in existence by section 154 of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 ;
S. 47B(2)(i) amended by No. 20/2017 s. 134(Sch. 1 item 4.2(c)).
(i) a person authorised to act on behalf of a person or body referred to in paragraph (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) or (h);
(j) a person or body prescribed for the purposes of section 47(1)(m) —
the Governor may hold the letter or parcel and notify the prisoner and the correspondent of the Governor's suspicions.
S. 47B(2A) inserted by No. 41/2015 s. 15(1), amended by No. 45/2019 s. 24(2).
(2A) The Governor may open and inspect a letter or parcel referred to in subsection (2)—
(a) in the presence of the prisoner and a representative of the correspondent; or
(b) in accordance with any alternative arrangement agreed with the correspondent.
S. 47B(3) amended by Nos 18/2005 s. 18(Sch. 1 item 22.3), 41/2015 s. 15(2), 45/2019 s. 24(2).
(3) If the Governor has not received a response from the correspondent within 7 days after notice is given under subsection (2), the Governor may require the prisoner to open the letter or parcel to enable the Governor to inspect it.
S. 47B(4) amended by Nos 10/2013 s. 18, 45/2019 s. 24(2).
(4) If the letter or parcel is to, or from, the Minister, a member of Parliament, the Secretary, the Commissioner or an independent prison visitor, the Governor may require the prisoner to open the letter or parcel to enable the Governor to inspect it.
S. 47B(5) amended by No. 45/2019 s. 24(2).
(5) If a prisoner refuses a request to open a letter or parcel under subsection (3) or (4), the Governor may open the letter or parcel.
S. 47B(6) amended by No. 45/2019 s. 24(2).
(6) In opening or inspecting a letter or parcel under this section, the Governor—
(a) may inspect the envelope, and any associated packet, parcel, container or wrapper; but
S. 47B(6)(b) amended by No. 45/2019 s. 24(2).
(b) must not read or censor the letter or parcel.
S. 47C (Heading) amended by No. 45/2019 s. 25(1).
S. 47C inserted by No. 45/2001 s. 33, amended by Nos 41/2015 s. 16, 45/2019 s. 25(2).