NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION (CRIMINAL AND CIVIL PROCEEDINGS) ACT 2004

This compilation was prepared on 3 August 2005
taking into account amendments up to Act No. 89 of 2005

The text of any of those amendments not in force
on that date is appended in the Notes section

The operation of amendments that have been incorporated may be
affected by application provisions that are set out in the Notes section

Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting and Publishing,
Attorney‑General’s Department, Canberra

Contents

Part 1—Preliminary 1

1............ Short title see Note 1]....................................................................... 1

2............ Commencement [see Note 1].............................................................. 1

3............ Object of this Act............................................................................... 2

4............ Extension of Act to external Territories............................................. 2

5............ Act binds Crown................................................................................ 2

6............ Application of Act to federal criminal proceedings............................ 2

6A......... Application of Act to civil proceedings............................................. 2

Part 2—Interpretation 5

Division 1—Definitions 5

7............ Definitions.......................................................................................... 5

Division 2—National security and related definitions 7

8............ Meaning of national security.............................................................. 7

9............ Meaning of security............................................................................ 7

10.......... Meaning of international relations..................................................... 7

11.......... Meaning of law enforcement interests................................................ 7

Division 3—Federal criminal proceeding and related definitions 8

13.......... Meaning of criminal proceeding......................................................... 8

14.......... Meaning of federal criminal proceeding............................................. 8

15.......... Meaning of defendant in relation to a federal criminal proceeding...... 9

Division 3A—Civil proceeding definition 10

15A....... Meaning of civil proceeding............................................................. 10

Division 4—Other interpretation provisions 11

16.......... Disclosure of information in permitted circumstances..................... 11

17.......... Meaning of likely to prejudice national security............................... 12

18.......... Operation of other Acts etc.............................................................. 12

19.......... General powers of a court................................................................ 12

20.......... When an order of a court ceases to be subject to appeal.................. 13

Part 3—Protection of information whose disclosure in federal criminal proceedings is likely to prejudice etc. national security 14

Division 1—Management of information in federal criminal proceedings 14

21.......... Pre‑trial conferences......................................................................... 14

22.......... Arrangements for federal criminal proceedings about disclosures relating to or affecting national security 14

23.......... Protection of certain information disclosed in a federal criminal proceeding 15

Division 2—Attorney‑General’s certificates for protection of information in federal criminal proceedings 16

Subdivision A—Notifying Attorney‑General etc. of expected disclosure in federal criminal proceedings 16

24.......... Prosecutor and defendant must notify expected disclosure in federal criminal proceedings of information relating to or affecting national security................................................................. 16

Subdivision B—Notifying Attorney‑General etc. where disclosure expected by witness answering question in federal criminal proceedings 17

25.......... Preventing witnesses from disclosing information in federal criminal proceedings by not allowing them to answer questions........................................................................................... 17

Subdivision C—Attorney‑General’s federal criminal proceedings certificates 18

26.......... Attorney‑General’s criminal non‑disclosure certificate.................... 18

27.......... Consequences of Attorney‑General giving criminal non‑disclosure certificate 21

28.......... Attorney‑General’s criminal witness exclusion certificate............... 22

Division 3—Closed hearings and non‑disclosure or witness exclusion orders in federal criminal proceedings 25

29.......... Closed hearing requirements in federal criminal proceedings............ 25

29A....... Request to delay making record available pending appeal decision.. 27

30.......... Intervention by Attorney‑General in federal criminal proceedings.. 27

31.......... Court orders in federal criminal proceedings.................................... 28

32.......... Reasons for court orders................................................................... 30

33.......... Request to delay giving section 32 statement pending appeal decision.. 31

34.......... Period of operation of court orders.................................................. 31

35.......... Consequence of certain court orders................................................. 31

36.......... Adjournment after certain court orders............................................ 32

Division 4—Appeals in federal criminal proceedings 33

36A....... Appeal against court decision under section 29............................... 33

5>37.......... Appeals against court orders under section 31................................. 33

5>38.......... Appeal against court decisions under section 32.............................. 33

Part 3A—Protection of information whose disclosure in civil proceedings is likely to prejudice etc. national security 34

Division 1—Management of information in civil proceedings 34

38A....... Conferences before the substantive hearings in civil proceedings begin 34

38B....... Arrangements for civil proceedings about disclosures relating to or affecting national security 35

38C....... Protection of certain information disclosed in a civil proceeding..... 35

Division 2—Attorney‑General’s certificates for protection of information in civil proceedings 36

Subdivision A—Notifying Attorney‑General etc. of expected disclosure in civil proceedings 36

38D....... Parties must notify expected disclosure in civil proceedings of information relating to or affecting national security.......................................................................................................... 36

Subdivision B—Notifying Attorney‑General etc. where disclosure expected by witness answering question in civil proceedings 38

38E........ Preventing witnesses from disclosing information in civil proceedings by not allowing them to answer questions.......................................................................................................... 38

Subdivision C—Attorney‑General’s civil proceedings certificates 39

38F........ Attorney‑General’s civil non‑disclosure certificate.......................... 39

38G....... Consequences of Attorney‑General giving civil non‑disclosure certificate 42

38H....... Attorney‑General’s civil witness exclusion certificate..................... 43

Division 3—Closed hearings and non‑disclosure or witness exclusion orders in civil proceedings 46

38I......... Closed hearing requirements in civil proceedings............................. 46

38J........ Request to delay making record available pending appeal decision.. 49

38K....... Intervention by Attorney‑General in civil proceedings.................... 49

38L........ Court orders in civil proceedings...................................................... 49

38M...... Reasons for court orders................................................................... 51

38N....... Request to delay giving section 38M statement pending appeal decision 52

38O....... Period of operation of court orders.................................................. 52

38P........ Adjournment after certain court orders............................................ 53

Division 4—Appeals in civil proceedings 54

38Q....... Appeal against court decision under section 38I.............................. 54

5>38R....... Appeals against court orders under section 38L.............................. 54

5>38S........ Appeal against court decisions under section 38M.......................... 54

Part 4—Security clearances 55

Division 1—Security clearances required in federal criminal proceedings 55

39.......... Security clearance for defendant’s legal representative etc............... 55

Division 2—Security clearances required in civil proceedings 57

39A....... Security clearance for parties etc. to a civil proceeding.................... 57

Part 5—Offences 60

Division 1—Offences relating to federal criminal proceedings 60

40.......... Offence to disclose information before Attorney‑General gives criminal non‑disclosure certificate etc. under section 26.......................................................................................................... 60

5>41.......... Offence to disclose information before Attorney‑General gives criminal witness exclusion certificate etc. under section 28.......................................................................................... 61

5>42.......... Offence to contravene requirement to notify Attorney‑General etc. under sections 24 and 25 62

5>43.......... Offence to disclose information contrary to Attorney‑General’s criminal non‑disclosure certificate given under section 26.......................................................................................... 62

5>44.......... Offence to call witness contrary to Attorney‑General’s criminal witness exclusion certificate given under section 28.......................................................................................................... 62

5>45.......... Offence to contravene court order.................................................... 62

46.......... Offence to disclose information in federal criminal proceedings to certain persons without security clearance etc........................................................................................................... 63

Division 2—Offences relating to civil proceedings 64

46A....... Offence to disclose information before Attorney‑General gives civil non‑disclosure certificate etc. under section 38F.......................................................................................................... 64

5>46B....... Offence to disclose information before Attorney‑General gives civil witness exclusion certificate etc. under section 38H....................................................................................... 65

5>46C....... Offence to contravene requirement to notify Attorney‑General etc. under sections 38D and 38E 65

5>46D....... Offence to disclose information contrary to Attorney‑General’s civil non‑disclosure certificate given under section 38F.......................................................................................................... 66

5>46E........ Offence to call witness contrary to Attorney‑General’s civil witness exclusion certificate given under section 38H.......................................................................................................... 66

5>46F........ Offence to contravene court order.................................................... 66

46G....... Offence to disclose information in civil proceedings to certain persons without security clearance etc. 66

Part 6—Miscellaneous 68

47.......... Report to Parliament on certificates given by Attorney‑General etc. 68

48.......... Rules of court................................................................................... 68

49.......... Regulations....................................................................................... 68

Notes 69

Act	Number and year	Date of Assent	Date of commencement	Application, saving or transitional provisions
National Security Information (Criminal Proceedings) Act 2004	150, 2004	14 Dec 2004	Ss. 3–49: 11 Jan 2005 Remainder: Royal Assent
National Security Information (Criminal Proceedings) Amendment (Application) Act 2005	27, 2005	21 Mar 2005	21 Mar 2005	—
National Security Information Legislation Amendment Act 2005	89, 2005	6 July 2005	Schedule 1: 3 Aug 2005 Remainder: Royal Assent	—

Table of Amendments

ad. = added or inserted am. = amended rep. = repealed rs. = repealed and substituted
Provision affected	How affected
Title....................................	am. No. 89, 2005
Part 1
S. 1....................................	am. No. 89, 2005
S. 3....................................	am. No. 89, 2005
S. 5....................................	am. No. 89, 2005
Heading to s. 6...................	am. No. 89, 2005
S. 6....................................	rs. No. 27, 2005
	am. No. 89, 2005
S. 6A..................................	ad. No. 89, 2005
Part 2
Division 1
S. 7....................................	am. No. 89, 2005
Division 3
Heading to s. 15.................	am. No. 89, 2005
Division 3A
Div. 3A of Part 2................	ad. No. 89, 2005
S. 15A................................	ad. No. 89, 2005
Division 4
S. 16..................................	am. No. 89, 2005
Subhead to s. 19(1)...........	ad. No. 89, 2005
Subhead to s. 19(2)...........	am. No. 89, 2005
S. 19..................................	am. No. 89, 2005
Part 3
Heading to Part 3...............	rs. No. 89, 2005
Division 1
Heading to Div. 1 of Part 3.	rs. No. 89, 2005
Heading to s. 22.................	am. No. 89, 2005
Heading to s. 23.................	am. No. 89, 2005
Division 2
Heading to Div. 2 of Part 3.	rs. No. 89, 2005
Subdivision A
Heading to Subdiv. A of .... Div. 2 of Part 3	rs. No. 89, 2005
Heading to s. 24.................	am. No. 89, 2005
Subdivision B
Heading to Subdiv. B of .... Div. 2 of Part 3	rs. No. 89, 2005
Heading to s. 25.................	am. No. 89, 2005
Subdivision C
Heading to Subdiv. C of .... Div. 2 of Part 3	rs. No. 89, 2005
Heading to s. 26.................	am. No. 89, 2005
Heading to s. 27.................	am. No. 89, 2005
Heading to s. 28.................	am. No. 89, 2005
Division 3
Heading to Div. 3 of Part 3.	rs. No. 89, 2005
Heading to s. 29.................	am. No. 89, 2005
Heading to s. 30.................	am. No. 89, 2005
Heading to s. 31.................	am. No. 89, 2005
Division 4
Heading to Div. 4 of Part 3.	rs. No. 89, 2005
Part 3A
Part 3A...............................	ad. No. 89, 2005
Division 1
Ss. 38A–38C.....................	ad. No. 89, 2005
Division 2
Subdivision A
S. 38D................................	ad. No. 89, 2005
Subdivision B
S. 38E................................	ad. No. 89, 2005
Subdivision C
Ss. 38F–38H......................	ad. No. 89, 2005
Division 3
Ss. 38I–38P........................	ad. No. 89, 2005
Division 4
Ss. 38Q–38S.....................	ad. No. 89, 2005
Part 4
Division 1
Heading to Div. 1 of Part 4.	ad. No. 89, 2005
Division 2
Div. 2 of Part 4...................	ad. No. 89, 2005
S. 39A................................	ad. No. 89, 2005
Part 5
Division 1
Heading to Div. 1 of Part 5.	ad. No. 89, 2005
Heading to s. 40.................	am. No. 89, 2005
Heading to s. 41.................	am. No. 89, 2005
Heading to s. 42.................	am. No. 89, 2005
Heading to s. 43.................	am. No. 89, 2005
Heading to s. 44.................	am. No. 89, 2005
S. 45..................................	am. No. 89, 2005
Heading to s. 46.................	am. No. 89, 2005
Division 2
Div. 2 of Part 5...................	ad. No. 89, 2005
Ss. 46A–46G.....................	ad. No. 89, 2005
Part 6
S. 47..................................	rs. No. 89, 2005

Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION (CRIMINAL AND CIVIL PROCEEDINGS) ACT 2004 - NOTES