Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

FEDERAL MAGISTRATES ACT 1999 - SECT 34

             (1)  The Federal Magistrates Court may, by order, refer proceedings in the Federal Magistrates Court, or any part of them or any matter arising out of them, to a mediator for mediation in accordance with the Rules of Court.

             (2)  Subsection (1) has effect subject to the Rules of Court.

             (3)  Referrals under subsection (1) to a mediator may be made with or without the consent of the parties to the proceedings.

             (4)  Evidence of anything said, or of any admission made, at a conference conducted by a mediator in the course of mediating anything referred under subsection (1) is not admissible:

                     (a)  in any court (whether exercising federal jurisdiction or not); or

                     (b)  in any proceedings before a person authorised by a law of the Commonwealth or of a State or Territory, or by the consent of the parties, to hear evidence.

             (5)  A mediator has, in mediating anything referred under subsection (1), the same protection and immunity as a Federal Magistrate has in performing the functions of a Federal Magistrate.