South Australian Consolidated Acts

EVIDENCE ACT 1929 - SECT 14

14—Entitlement of a witness to be assisted by an interpreter

        (1)         Where—

            (a)         the native language of a witness who is to give oral evidence in any proceedings is not English; and

            (b)         the witness is not reasonably fluent in English,

the witness is entitled to give that evidence through an interpreter.

        (1a)         A person may only act as an interpreter—

            (a)         if the person takes an oath or makes an affirmation to interpret accurately; and

            (b)         in a case where a party to the proceeding disputes the person's ability or impartiality as an interpreter, if the judge is satisfied as to the person's ability and impartiality.

        (2)         An affidavit or other written deposition in a language other than English shall be received in evidence in the same circumstances as an affidavit or other written deposition in English if it has annexed to it—

            (a)         a translation of its contents into English; and

            (b)         an affidavit by the translator to the effect that the translation accurately reproduces in English the contents of the original.