Victorian Current Acts

SURVEILLANCE DEVICES ACT 1999

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

   PART 1--PRELIMINARY

   1.      Purposes  
   2.      Commencement  
   3.      Definitions  
   4.      Act binds the Crown  
   5.      Act not to apply to certain Commonwealth agents  
   5A.     Application of Act  

   PART 2--REGULATION OF INSTALLATION, USE ANDMAINTENANCE OF SURVEILLANCE DEVICES

   6.      Regulation of installation, use and maintenance of listening devices  
   7.      Regulation of installation, use and maintenance of optical surveillance devices  
   8.      Regulation of installation, use and maintenance of tracking devices  
   9.      Regulation of installation, use and maintenance of data surveillance devices by law enforcement officers  

   PART 2A--WORKPLACE PRIVACY

   9A.     Definitions  
   9B.     Prohibition on certain uses of optical surveillance devices or listening devices  
   9C.     Prohibition on communication or publication of activities or conversations permitted to be observed etc.  
   9D.     Offences by unincorporated bodies or firms  

   PART 3--RESTRICTION ON COMMUNICATION AND PUBLICATION OF PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS AND ACTIVITIES

   11.     Prohibition on communication or publication of private conversations or activities  
   12.     Communication and publication of information from the use of a data surveillance device  

   PART 4--AUTHORISATIONS FOR THE USE OF SURVEILLANCE DEVICES

           Division 1AA--Role of Public Interest Monitor

   12A.    Application of Division 1AA  
   12B.    Information to be given to Public Interest Monitor  
   12C.    Full disclosure to Public Interest Monitor  
   12D.    Role of Public Interest Monitor  

           Division 1--Warrants

   13.     Types of warrant  
   14.     Who may issue warrants?  
   15.     Application for surveillance device warrant  
   16.     Remote application  
   17.     Determining the application  
   18.     What must a surveillance device warrant contain?  
   19.     What a surveillance device warrant authorises  
   20.     Extension and variation of surveillance device warrant  
   20A.    Revocation of surveillance device warrant  
   20B.    Discontinuance of use of surveillance device under warrant  
   20C.    Application for retrieval warrant  
   20D.    Remote application  
   20E.    Determining the application  
   20F.    What must a retrieval warrant contain?  
   20G.    What a retrieval warrant authorises  
   20H.    Revocation of retrieval warrant  

           Division 2--Assistance orders

   21.     Application for assistance order  
   22.     Assistance order  
   23.     Failure to comply with assistance order  
   24.     Existence and operation of assistance order not to be disclosed  

           Division 3--Emergency authorisations

   25.     Application of Division  
   26.     Emergency authorisation—risk of serious personal violence or substantial property damage  
   27.     Emergency authorisation—serious drug offences  
   28.     Application for approval after use of surveillance device under emergency authorisation  
   29.     Consideration of application  
   30.     Judge may approve emergency use of powers  
   30A.    Admissibility of evidence  

   PART 4A--RECOGNITION OF CORRESPONDING WARRANTS AND AUTHORISATIONS

   30B.    Corresponding warrants  
   30C.    Corresponding emergency authorisations  

   PART 5--COMPLIANCE AND MONITORING

           Division 1--Restrictions on use, communication and publication of information

   30D.    What is protected information?  
   30E.    Prohibition on use, communication or publication of protected information  
   30F.    Permitted use of local protected information  
   30G.    Permitted use of corresponding protected information  
   30H.    Dealing with records obtained by use of surveillance devices  
   30I.    Protection of surveillance device technologies and methods  
   30J.    Protected information in the custody of a court  

           Division 2--Reporting and record-keeping

   30K.    Report to judge or magistrate  
   30L.    Annual reports  
   30M.    Keeping documents connected with warrants and emergency authorisations  
   30N.    Other records to be kept  
   30O.    Register of warrants and emergency authorisations  

           Division 3--Inspections

   30P.    Inspection of records by Victorian Inspectorate  
   30Q.    Reports on inspections by Victorian Inspectorate  
   30R.    Commonwealth Ombudsman's reports on investigations  

           Division 4--Further offences and enforcement

   31.     Unlawful interference with surveillance devices  
   32.     Criminal liability of officers of bodies corporate—accessorial liability  
   32A.    Criminal liability of officers of bodies corporate—failure to exercise due diligence  
   33.     Search warrant  
   34.     Announcement before entry  
   35.     Copy of warrant to be given to occupier or person searched  
   35A.    Copy of warrant to be given to person in charge of vehicle or person searched  

   PART 6--MISCELLANEOUS

   36.     Evidentiary certificates  
   37A.    Regulations  

   PART 7--REPEALS, TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS AND CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS

   41.     Transitional provision—annual reports  
   42.     Transitional provisions—Surveillance Devices (Amendment) Act 2004  
   42A.    Transitional provision—Statute Law Amendment (Directors' Liability) Act 2013  
   43.     Transitional provisions—Integrity and Accountability Legislation Amendment Act 2012  
   44.     Transitional provisions—Public Interest Monitor and repeal of Police Integrity Act 2008  
   44A.    Transtional provisions—Serious Offenders Act 2018  
   45.     Annual report of Victoria Police for financial year ending 30 June 2015  
           ENDNOTES