Environment Protection Act 1997

If—

an information is laid before a magistrate alleging that an authorised officer has reasonable grounds for suspecting that there may be on any premises a thing of a particular kind connected with a particular offence against this Act; and

the information sets out those grounds;

the magistrate may issue a search warrant authorising the authorised officer named in the warrant, with the assistance and by the force that is necessary and reasonable—

to enter the premises described in the warrant; and

to search the premises for things of the kind mentioned in paragraph (a); and

to exercise any of the powers listed in section 100 in relation to those things.

A magistrate must not issue a warrant unless—

the informant or another person has given the magistrate, either orally on oath or by affidavit, any further information that the magistrate requires about the grounds on which the issue of the warrant is being sought; and

the magistrate is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for issuing the warrant.

A warrant must—

state the purpose for which it is issued, including a reference to the nature of the offence in relation to which the entry and search is authorised; and

state that the entry is authorised at any time of the day or night, or specify particular hours during which the entry is authorised; and

include a description of the kind of things in relation to which the powers listed in section 100 may be exercised; and

specify a date, not later than 1 month after the date the warrant is issued, when the warrant ceases to have effect.

If in the course of searching under a warrant for things of a particular kind connected with a particular offence, an authorised officer—

finds a thing that the officer has reasonable grounds for believing to be—

connected with the offence, although not a thing of the kind specified in the warrant; or

connected with another offence against this Act; and

is satisfied that it is necessary to exercise any of the powers listed in section 100 in relation to the thing to prevent the committing, continuing or repeating of the offence or the other offence;

the warrant must be taken to authorise the officer to exercise those powers in relation to that thing.

Division 11.3 Emergency powers