PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS ACT 1994 - SECT 22 Functions of Director
PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS ACT 1994 - SECT 22
Functions of Director(1) The functions of the Director are—
(a) to institute, prepare and conduct on behalf of the Crown, proceedings in the High Court, Supreme Court or County Court in respect of any indictable offence;
S. 22(1)(ab) inserted by No. 68/2009 s. 90(1).
(ab) to take over and conduct any proceeding in respect of—
(i) a summary offence which has been transferred to the Supreme Court or the County Court under section 145 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2009 ;
(ii) a summary offence which is to be heard and determined by the Supreme Court or the County Court under section 242 or 243 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2009 ;
S. 22(1)(ab)(iii) inserted by No. 57/2017 s. 51, amended by No. 27/2018 s. 363(a).
(iii) a summary offence which has been transferred to the Supreme Court or the County Court under section 175 of the Serious Offenders Act 2018 ;
S. 22(1)(ab)(iv) inserted by No. 57/2017 s. 51, amended by No. 27/2018 s. 363(b).
(iv) a summary offence which is to be heard and determined by the Supreme Court or the County Court under section 176 of the Serious Offenders Act 2018 ;
(b) if he or she considers it desirable to do so—
S. 22(1)(b)(i) amended by No. 68/2009 s. 90(2).
(i) to institute, prepare and conduct any committal proceeding under the Criminal Procedure Act 2009 ;
S. 22(1)(b)(ii) amended by Nos 2/1998
s. 4, 68/2009 s. 90(3).
(ii) to take over and conduct any proceedings in respect of any summary or indictable offence;
S. 22(1)(b)(iii) amended by Nos 35/1996
s. 453(Sch. 1 item 69.3), 77/2008 s. 129(Sch. 2 item 22).
(iii) on behalf of the Crown, to assist a coroner or to instruct legal practitioners assisting a coroner in any inquest under the Coroners Act 2008 ;
S. 22(1)(ba) inserted by No. 2/1998
s. 5.
(ba) to institute, prepare and conduct on behalf of the Crown or be a party to—
(i) proceedings on an application under the Crimes (Confiscation of Profits) Act 1986 or the Confiscation Act 1997 ;
(ii) proceedings claiming any relief or remedy in the nature of certiorari, mandamus, prohibition or quo warranto in relation to a criminal proceeding;
S. 22(1)(ba)(iii) amended by No. 62/1999 s. 6(1).
(iii) proceedings on an application to a court for punishment of a person for a contempt of court committed, or for an injunction restraining a person from engaging in conduct that would or may constitute a contempt of court, in relation to a criminal proceeding (whether pending or otherwise);
S. 22(1)(c) amended by No. 62/1999 s. 6(2).
(c) to refer to the Attorney-General any matter in connection with which the Director considers that it may be desirable for the Attorney-General to apply to a court for punishment of a person for contempt of court;
S. 22(1)(ca) inserted by No. 2/1998
s. 6(1).
(ca) to grant indemnity from prosecution for any summary or indictable offence to a person on account of an undertaking given by that person to give evidence, or an understanding or expectation that that person will give evidence, in a specified proceeding;
S. 22(1)(cb) inserted by No. 2/1998
s. 6(1).
(cb) to give an undertaking to a person that an answer given, or statement or disclosure made, by that person in a specified proceeding will not be used in evidence against that person in any criminal proceeding, other than a proceeding in respect of the falsity of evidence given by that person;
S. 22(1)(cc) inserted by No. 6/2007
s. 3(1).
(cc) if the Director, with the consent of the Attorney-General, holds an appointment, commission or authority to prosecute offences against laws of the Commonwealth or another State or a Territory, to institute, prepare and conduct proceedings in accordance with that appointment, commission or authority;
S. 22(1)(cd) inserted by No. 3/2012 s. 12(1).
(cd) the functions in relation to the public prosecutions service set out in section 23;
S. 22(1)(ce) inserted by No. 81/2011 s. 20.
(ce) if the Director considers it desirable to do so, to provide advice to an agency, body or person that has a power to investigate or prosecute criminal offences, or a class of criminal offences, in relation to an investigation (including a reinvestigation of an offence of which a person has previously been acquitted) or a prosecution;
(d) any other functions that are given to the Director by or under this or any other Act.
S. 22(1A) inserted by No. 2/1998
s. 6(2).
(1A) An indemnity under subsection (1)(ca) or an undertaking under subsection (1)(cb) may be subject to such conditions (if any) as the Director considers appropriate.
S. 22(1B) inserted by No. 6/2007
s. 3(2).
(1B) The Attorney-General's consent under subsection (1)(cc) may be general or specific in nature.
S. 22(2) amended by No. 3/2012 s. 12(2).
(2) Despite subsection (1), if the performance by the Director of any function or the exercise by the Director of any power is dependent on the making of a special decision, the Director may only perform that function or exercise that power after having obtained the advice of the Director's Committee on that special decision.
S. 23 amended by Nos 36/1995 s. 10(4), 35/1996 s. 453(Sch. 1 item 69.4), 2/1998 s. 7, 18/2005 s. 18(Sch. 1 item 90.3), substituted by No. 3/2012 s. 13.