Royal Commissions Act 1923

A witness summoned to attend or appearing before the commission shall not be excused from answering any question or producing any document or other thing on the ground that the answer or production may criminate or tend to criminate the witness, or on the ground of privilege, or on the ground of a duty of secrecy or other restriction on disclosure, or on any other ground.

Subsection (1) prevails over any inconsistent provision of any other Act or law (whether the inconsistent provision is made before or after the commencement of this subsection) unless the inconsistent provision specifically states that it is to have effect despite this section.

An answer made, or document or other thing produced by a witness to or before the commission shall not, except as otherwise provided in this section, be admissible in evidence against that person in any civil or criminal proceedings.

Nothing in this section shall be deemed to render inadmissible:

any answer, document or other thing in proceedings for an offence against this Act,

any answer, document or other thing in any civil or criminal proceedings if the witness was willing to give the answer or produce the document or other thing irrespective of the provisions of subsection (1),

any book, document, or writing in civil proceedings for or in respect of any right or liability conferred or imposed by the document or other thing.

This section shall not have effect unless in the letters patent by which the commission is issued, or in other letters patent under the Public Seal, the Governor declares that the section shall apply to and with respect to the inquiry.

A declaration under section 15 that the provisions of this Division are to have effect is not sufficient to apply this section unless the declaration specifically states that this section shall apply to and with respect to the inquiry.