EVIDENCE ACT 1995 - SECT 155 Evidence of official records

EVIDENCE ACT 1995 - SECT 155

  (1)   Evidence of a Commonwealth record or of a public record of a State or Territory may be adduced by producing a document that:

  (a)   purports to be such a record and to be signed or sealed by:

  (i)   a Minister, or a Minister of the State or Territory, as the case requires; or

  (ii)   a person who might reasonably be supposed to have custody of the record; or

  (b)   purports to be a copy of or extract from the record that is certified to be a true copy or extract by:

  (i)   a Minister, or a Minister of the State or Territory, as the case requires; or

  (ii)   a person who might reasonably be supposed to have custody of the record.

  (2)   If such a document is produced, it is presumed, unless evidence that is sufficient to raise doubt about the presumption is adduced, that:

  (a)   the document is the record, copy or extract that it purports to be; and

  (b)   the Minister, Minister of the State or Territory or person:

  (i)   signed or sealed the record; or

  (ii)   certified the copy or extract as a true copy or extract;

    as the case requires.

Note :   Section   5 extends the application of this section to proceedings in all Australian courts.