Western Australian Current Acts

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACT 2005 - SECT 77Q

77Q .         General powers during COVID-19 declaration

        (1)         In this section —

        relevant information means —

            (a)         relevant information as defined in section 77P(1); or

            (b)         information of a kind specified by the State Emergency Coordinator as relevant to COVID-19 management.

        (2)         While a COVID-19 declaration is in force, an authorised COVID-19 officer may take, or direct a person or a class of person to take, any action that the officer considers is reasonably necessary to prevent, control or abate risks associated with COVID-19.

        (3)         For the purposes of COVID-19 management while a COVID-19 declaration is in force, an authorised COVID-19 officer may direct a person to —

            (a)         give to the officer relevant information about the person or any other person closely associated with the person; or

            (b)         answer questions intended to elicit relevant information about the person or any other person closely associated with the person.

        (4)         A person is not excused from complying with a direction given to the person under subsection (3) on the ground that giving the information or answering the question might tend to incriminate the person or expose the person to a criminal penalty.

        (5)         However, any information or answer given by a person in compliance with a direction given to the person under subsection (3) is not admissible in evidence in any criminal proceedings against the person other than proceedings for an offence under section 89.

        (6)         The powers conferred by this section are in addition to the powers conferred by sections 77K to 77P and nothing in those sections or in Part 6 limits the powers conferred by this section.

        [Section 77Q inserted: No. 33 of 2022 s. 7.]