Victorian Consolidated Legislation

Food Act 1984 - SECT 29

Offences with respect to authorized officers and articles

29. Offences with respect to authorized officers and articles

A person who-

   (a)  except with the authority of an authorized officer or pursuant to an
        order of a court-

   (i)  removes, alters or interferes in any way with-

                (A)  an article seized and detained under this Act; or

                (B)  any article or other thing or matter or a sample of any
                     article or other thing or matter obtained by an
                     authorized officer under section 21; or

   (ii) erases, alters, opens, breaks or removes a mark, seal or fastening
        placed by an authorized officer in the exercise of his powers or
        authorities or the discharge of his functions or duties under this
        Act-

                (A)  on an article other than part of a sample or any sample,
                     object or package left by the authorized officer with a
                     person from whom a sample was obtained; or

                (B)  on any door, gate or opening affording access to an
                     article;

   (b)  refuses to sell to an authorized officer any food or to allow him to
        take a sample of any food or other article in such quantity as he
        reasonably requires;

   (c)  refuses or neglects, when required by or under this Act to do so, to
        render assistance or to furnish information to an authorized officer
        or other person;

   (d)  fails, when required by the Secretary to do so, to produce for the
        Secretary's inspection or to produce to an authorized officer any book
        required or authorized by or under this Act to be produced, or fails
        to allow an authorized officer to examine or to make a copy of or an
        extract from any book so produced or to remove it for the purpose of
        making a copy thereof or extracts therefrom;

   (e)  contravenes or fails to comply with any lawful direction or order of
        an authorized officer;

   (f)  makes orally or in writing a statement knowing it to be false or
        misleading to an authorized officer exercising a power or authority or
        discharging a function or duty under this Act;

   (g)  assaults, obstructs or attempts to obstruct, threatens, abuses,
        insults, intimidates or attempts to intimidate any authorized officer
        or other person in the exercise of his powers or authorities or the
        discharge of his functions or duties under this Act; or

   (h)  when required by an authorized officer to do so, fails to state his
        full name and the address of his usual place of residence or states a
        false name or address-

is guilty of an offence. Penalty: For a first offence 25 penalty units, and
for a second or subsequent offence 50 penalty units. _______________