Western Australian Current Acts

PROSTITUTION ACT 2000 - SECT 23

23 .         Powers to obtain information

        (1)         A police officer may, for the purpose of performing any function in respect of an offence under section 7 or any offence involving a child —

            (a)         require a person to produce to the police officer any document or other thing that is in the possession or under the control of the person; and

            (b)         inspect any document or other thing produced to the police officer and retain it for such reasonable period as the police officer thinks fit, and make copies of a document or any of its contents; and

            (c)         require a person —

                  (i)         to give the police officer such information as the police officer requires; and

                  (ii)         to answer any question put to that person.

        (2)         A requirement made under subsection (1) to produce a document or other thing —

            (a)         is to be made in writing given to the person required to produce the document or other thing; and

            (b)         is to specify the time at or within which the document or other thing is to be produced; and

            (c)         may, by its terms, require that the document or other thing required be produced at a place and by means specified in the requirement; and

            (d)         where the document required is not in a readable format, is to be treated as a requirement to produce —

                  (i)         the document itself; and

                  (ii)         the contents of the document in a readable format.

        (3)         A requirement made under subsection (1) to give information or answer a question —

            (a)         may be made orally or in writing served on the person required to give information or answer a question, as the case may be; and

            (b)         is to specify the time at or within which the information is to be given or the question is to be answered, as the case may be; and

            (c)         may, by its terms, require that the information or answer required —

                  (i)         be given orally or in writing;

                  (ii)         be given at or sent or delivered to a place specified in the requirement;

                  (iii)         in the case of written information or answers, be sent or delivered by means specified in the requirement;

                  (iv)         be verified by statutory declaration.

        (4)         If under subsection (1) the police officer requires a person to give information or answer a question, the police officer is to inform the person that the person is required under this Act to give the information or answer the question.