(4) The party must serve a
copy of the filed application on each other party at least 2 clear days before
the day nominated for the direction hearing, unless the court directs
otherwise.
(5) At a direction hearing, a magistrate may give a direction he
or she is entitled to make at law about any aspect of the conduct of the
proceeding, including, for example, about any of the following—
(aa)
disclosure under the Criminal Code , chapter 62 , chapter division 3 ;
(a) a
party providing a copy of—
(i) a medical, psychiatric or other expert
report; or
(ii) a statement, report or other stated information relevant to
the proceeding;
(b) psychiatric or other medical examination of the
defendant;
(c) joining complaints;
(ca) hearing complaints that have been
ordered to be heard together under section 43A;
(d) receiving evidence or
submissions by telephone, video link or other form of communication;
(e)
issuing a summons or warrant;
(f) changing the usual practice of the court in
a way that helps an alleged victim of the offence to give evidence in the
proceeding;
(i) the
arrangements necessary for the giving of evidence by a special witness or an
affected child under the Evidence Act 1977, part 2 , division 4 or 4A ; or
(5AA) A magistrate may also, at a
direction hearing, give a direction under this section requiring the
prosecution to call the maker of a written statement tendered or to be
tendered by the prosecution under section 110A(3) —
(a) to attend before
the court as a witness to give oral evidence; or
(b) to be made available for
cross-examination on the written statement.
(b) does not apply to a written
statement given by an affected child under the Evidence Act 1977, part 2 ,
division 4A , subdivision 2 .
(5AC) Also, a direction can not be given under
subsection (5AA) if it would provide for a cross-examination that is not
otherwise permitted.
Example—
The Evidence Act 1977, section 21N provides
that a person charged may not cross-examine a protected witness in person.
(5A) In a summary proceeding, a magistrate may give a direction under
subsection (5) (a) about prosecution disclosure, despite subsection (5) (aa)
and section 41.
(6) A direction is binding unless a magistrate, for special
reason, gives leave to reopen the direction.
(7) A direction must not be
subject to interlocutory appeal but may be raised as a ground of appeal
against conviction or sentence.
(8) To remove any doubt, it is declared that
costs are not payable on a direction hearing in relation to an offence dealt
with by way of committal proceeding, except to the extent they are awarded
under section 83Barising out of noncompliance with a direction given under
subsection (5) (aa) .
(9) A direction hearing for a disclosure obligation
direction under division 10B , or for a direction under subsection (5AA) , may
be held on the date set by the court for the commencement of the hearing of
evidence in the proceeding the subject of the direction.
(10) In this
section—
"direction hearing" means a hearing before the court for a direction about the
conduct of the proceeding.