Work Health and Safety Act 2012

An inspector may apply to a magistrate for a search warrant for a place.

Subject to subsection (6), the application must be sworn and state the grounds on which the warrant is sought.

The magistrate may refuse to consider the application until the inspector gives the magistrate all the information the magistrate requires about the application in the way the magistrate requires.

The magistrate may issue a search warrant only if the magistrate is satisfied there are reasonable grounds for suspecting—

there is a particular thing or activity (the evidence) that may provide evidence of an offence against this Act; and

the evidence is, or may be within the next 72 hours, at the place.

Subject to subsection (6), the search warrant must state—

that a stated inspector may, with necessary and reasonable help and force, enter the place and exercise the inspector's compliance powers; and

the offence for which the search warrant is sought; and

the evidence that may be seized under the search warrant; and

the hours of the day or night when the place may be entered; and

the date, within 7 days after the search warrant's issue, the search warrant ends.

An inspector may apply to a magistrate for a search warrant by telephone, fax or other prescribed means if the inspector considers the urgency of the situation requires it and, in such a case, the following provisions will apply:

the magistrate may complete and sign the warrant without the provision of sworn evidence and without a written application that states the grounds on which the warrant is sought if the magistrate is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for issuing the warrant urgently;

if the magistrate completes and signs a warrant under paragraph (a), the magistrate must then tell the inspector—

the terms of the warrant (as contemplated by subsection (5));

the date on which, and the time at which, the warrant was signed;

if steps are taken under paragraph (b), the inspector must then—

complete a form of warrant in the same terms as the warrant signed by the magistrate and write on the form—

the name of the magistrate; and

the date on which, and the time at which, the warrant was signed; and

send the magistrate the completed form of warrant not later than the day after the warrant is executed or comes to an end;

a form of warrant completed by an inspector under paragraph (c) has the same force and effect as a warrant issued by the magistrate under subsections (4) and (5).