Commonwealth Numbered Acts

MUTUAL ASSISTANCE IN CRIMINAL MATTERS ACT 1987 No. 85, 1987 - SECT 19

19. (1) Where a person is in Australia:

   (a)  pursuant to a request under section 16; or

   (b)  to give evidence in a proceeding, or to give assistance in relation to
        an investigation, pursuant to a request made by or on behalf of the
        Attorney-General (not being a request under section 16) for
        international assistance in a criminal matter; the person, subject to
        subsection (2), shall not:

   (c)  be detained, prosecuted or punished in Australia for any offence that
        is alleged to have been committed, or that was committed, before the
        person's departure from the foreign country pursuant to the request;

   (d)  be subjected to any civil suit in respect of any act or omission of
        the person that is alleged to have occurred, or that occurred, before
        the person's departure from the foreign country pursuant to the
        request; or

   (e)  be required to give evidence in any proceeding in Australia other than
        the proceeding to which the request relates (if any).

(2) Subsection (1) ceases to apply to a person if:

   (a)  the person has left Australia; or

   (b)  the person has had the opportunity of leaving Australia and has
        remained in Australia otherwise than for:

        (i)    the purpose to which the request relates;

        (ii)   the purpose of giving evidence in a proceeding in Australia
               certified by the Attorney-General, in writing, to be a
               proceeding in which it is desirable that the person give
               evidence; or

        (iii)  the purpose of giving assistance in relation to an
               investigation in Australia certified by the Attorney-General,
               in writing, to be an investigation in relation to which it is
               desirable that the person give assistance.

(3) A certificate given by the Attorney-General for the purposes of
subparagraph (2) (b) (ii) or (iii) has effect from the day specified in the
certificate (which may be a day before the day on which the certificate is
given).

(4) This section binds the Crown in right of the Commonwealth, of each of the
States and of Norfolk Island.