Human Services (Medicare) Act 1973

The authorised officer or an officer assisting may operate electronic equipment at the warrant premises to access data (including data not held at the premises) if he or she suspects on reasonable grounds that the data constitutes evidential material.

An authorised officer can obtain an order requiring a person with knowledge of a computer or computer system to provide assistance: see section 8ZGB.

If the authorised officer or officer assisting suspects on reasonable grounds that any data accessed by operating the electronic equipment constitutes evidential material, he or she may:

copy any or all of the data accessed by operating the electronic equipment to a disk, tape or other associated device brought to the premises; or

if the occupier of the premises agrees in writing—copy any or all of the data accessed by operating the electronic equipment to a disk, tape or other associated device at the premises;

If:

the authorised officer or officer assisting takes the device from the premises; and

the Chief Executive Medicare is satisfied that:

the reason for the copying of the data no longer exists; or

a decision has been made not to use the data in evidence;

the removal of the data from any device in the control of a Departmental employee; and

the disposal, by either of the following means, of any other reproduction of the data in the control of a Departmental employee:

returning the reproduction to a person who is the occupier of the premises at that time;

destroying the reproduction.

If the authorised officer or an officer assisting, after operating the equipment, finds that evidential material is accessible by doing so, he or she may:

seize the equipment and any disk, tape or other associated device; or

if the material can, by using facilities at the premises, be put in documentary form—operate the facilities to put the material in that form and seize the documents so produced.

An authorised officer or an officer assisting may seize equipment under paragraph (4)(a) only if:

it is not practicable to copy the data as mentioned in subsection (2) or to put the material in documentary form as mentioned in paragraph (4)(b); or

possession by the occupier of the equipment could constitute an offence.

If the authorised officer or an officer assisting suspects on reasonable grounds that:

evidential material may be accessible by operating electronic equipment at the premises; and

expert assistance is required to operate the equipment; and

if he or she does not take action under this subsection, the material may be destroyed, altered or otherwise interfered with;

The authorised officer or an officer assisting must give notice to the occupier of the premises of his or her intention to secure equipment and of the fact that the equipment may be secured for up to 24 hours.

The equipment may be secured:

for a period not exceeding 24 hours; or

until the equipment has been operated by the expert;

If the authorised officer or an officer assisting believes on reasonable grounds that the expert assistance will not be available within 24 hours, he or she may apply to a magistrate for an extension of that period.

The authorised officer or an officer assisting must give notice to the occupier of the premises of his or her intention to apply for an extension, and the occupier is entitled to be heard in relation to the application.

The provisions of Division 4 relating to the issue of warrants apply, with such modifications as are necessary, to the issuing of an extension.