Discretion not to investigate
176G Discretion not to investigate
For the purposes of subsection 337CA(2) of the Act, any of the following circumstances are circumstances in which an authorised official (the investigator) may decide not to investigate a disclosure, or not to investigate a disclosure further, under Division 3 of Part 4A of Chapter 11 of the Act (the investigation provisions):
the information does not, to any extent, concern serious disclosable conduct;
the disclosure is frivolous or vexatious;
the discloser has informed the investigator that the discloser does not wish the investigation to be pursued, and the investigator is reasonably satisfied that there are no matters concerning the disclosure that warrant investigation;
it is impracticable for the disclosure to be investigated:
because the discloser’s contact details have not been disclosed; or
because the discloser refuses or fails, or is unable, to give, for the purposes of the investigation, such information or assistance as the investigator asks the discloser to give; or
because of the age of the information;
column 1 of an item of the following table applies to the information, or the disclosable conduct that the information concerns, and any additional condition in column 2 of that item is satisfied.
Information or disclosable conduct that has been or is being dealt with adequately | ||
|---|---|---|
Item | Column 1 Information or disclosable conduct | Column 2 Additional condition |
1 | the information or disclosable conduct is the same, or substantially the same, as information or disclosable conduct that is being or has been investigated under the investigation provisions | none |
2 | the information or disclosable conduct is the same, or substantially the same, as: (a) information or disclosable conduct that is being or has been investigated under another law of the Commonwealth or the executive power of the Commonwealth; or (b) information included in evidence that has been admitted in a proceeding, or disclosable conduct that is or has been the subject of a proceeding; or (c) information or disclosable conduct that is being or has been dealt with by an authorised official under another process | (a) it would be inappropriate to conduct another investigation at the same time as that other investigation, proceeding or process; or (b) the investigator is reasonably satisfied that, because of that investigation, proceedings or process, investigation under the investigation provisions is not warranted |
3 | an authorised official has disclosed some or all of the information to a member of an Australian police force or to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission under section 337CD of the Act | the investigator is reasonably satisfied that there are no matters concerning the disclosure, other than the offence or contravention mentioned in that section, that warrant investigation |
4 | an authorised official or any other person or body has disclosed the information to another person or body | the investigator is reasonably satisfied that the person or body to whom the information has been disclosed will deal with the information in such a way that further investigation under the investigation provisions is not warranted |
If the investigator decides not to investigate the disclosure, or not to investigate it further, Part 4A of Chapter 11 of the Act does not, by implication, prevent the information from being investigated otherwise than under the investigation provisions.
This Act’s bill:Explanatory statement
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