Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

A warrant that is in force in relation to premises authorises the executing officer or an officer assisting:

to enter the premises; and

to search for and record fingerprints found at the premises and to take samples of things found at the premises for forensic purposes; and

to search the premises for the kinds of evidential material specified in the warrant, and to seize things of that kind found at the premises; and

to seize other things found at the premises in the course of the search that the executing officer or an officer assisting believes on reasonable grounds to be:

evidential material in relation to an offence, or in relation to a contravention of an environmental penalty provision, to which the warrant relates; or

evidential material in relation to another offence against an environmental law, where the other offence is an indictable offence; or

evidential material in relation to another contravention of an environmental penalty provision;

to seize other things found at the premises in the course of the search that the executing officer or an officer assisting believes on reasonable grounds to be eligible seizable items; and

if the warrant so allows—to conduct an ordinary search or a frisk search of a person at or near the premises if the executing officer or an officer assisting suspects on reasonable grounds that the person has in his or her possession:

any evidential material in relation to an offence against an environmental law, in relation to a contravention of an environmental penalty provision or in relation to both; or

any eligible seizable items.

A warrant that is in force in relation to a person authorises the executing officer or an officer assisting:

to search:

the person as specified in the warrant and things found in the possession of the person; and

any aircraft, vehicle or vessel that the person had operated or occupied at any time within 24 hours before the search began, for things specified in the warrant; and

to:

seize things of that kind; or

record fingerprints from things; or

take forensic samples from things;

to seize other things found on or in the possession of the person or in the aircraft, vehicle or vessel mentioned in subparagraph (a)(ii) in the course of the search that the executing officer or an officer assisting believes on reasonable grounds to be:

evidential material in relation to an offence, or in relation to a contravention of an environmental penalty provision, to which the warrant relates; or

evidential material in relation to another offence against an environmental law, where the other offence is an indictable offence; or

evidential material in relation to another contravention of an environmental penalty provision;

to seize other things found in the course of the search that the executing officer or an officer assisting believes on reasonable grounds to be eligible seizable items.

If a warrant in relation to premises states that the premises may be entered only during particular hours, the premises must not be entered outside those hours.

If a warrant in relation to a person states that the search of the person may be carried out only during particular hours, the search must not be carried out outside those hours.

If a warrant authorises an ordinary search or a frisk search of a person, a search of the person different from that so authorised must not be done.

If things are seized under a warrant, the warrant authorises the executing officer to make the things available to officers of other agencies if it is necessary to do so for the purpose of investigating or prosecuting an offence to which the things relate.