Defence and Veterans’ Service Commissioner Act 2026

This section applies in relation to a person if:

the person voluntarily provides, or makes available, information or documents to the Commissioner for the purposes of an inquiry under this Act; or

the person is served with a notice under section 31 or 33 and the person:

answers a question at a hearing that the Commissioner requires the person to answer; or

gives evidence, information or a statement that the person is required to give in accordance with the notice; or

produces a document or thing that the person is required to produce in accordance with the notice; or

the person discloses information in accordance with section 44 or 45.

A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matters in this subsection: see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code.

The person is not (subject to subsection (5)) liable to a penalty or to be prosecuted for an offence under a provision of any other law of the Commonwealth for providing or making available the information, statement or documents.

The information, statement or documents, and the providing or making available of the information, statement or documents, are not (subject to subsection (5)) admissible in evidence against the person in any court or in any proceedings before a person authorised to hear evidence.

The providing or making available of the information or documents does not affect any legal professional privilege that is, or may be, claimed by any person in relation to the information or documents.

Subsections (2) and (3) do not apply in relation to proceedings for an offence against:

Part III of the Crimes Act 1914 that relates to this Act; or

the Defence Force Discipline Act 1982 that relates to this Act; or

this Act.