Criminal Procedure Regulation 2010 (NSW)
This Regulation is the Criminal Procedure Regulation 2010.
This Regulation commences on 1 September 2010 and is required to be published on the NSW legislation website.
This Regulation replaces the Criminal Procedure Regulation 2005, which is repealed on 1 September 2010 by section 10 (2) of the Subordinate Legislation Act 1989.
In this Regulation:
The Act and the Interpretation Act 1987 contain definitions and other provisions that affect the interpretation and application of this Regulation.
In this Regulation, a reference to a Form is a reference to a Form set out in Schedule 1.
Notes included in this Regulation (except in Schedule 1) do not form part of this Regulation.
The Criminal Listing Director may direct any of the following persons to give to the Director such information to assist the Director in making arrangements for the listing of criminal proceedings as the Director reasonably requires:
(a) a prosecuting authority,
(b) an accused person or appellant,
(c) an Australian legal practitioner acting for an accused person or appellant,
(d) a registrar.
A person to whom such a direction is given must comply with the direction without delay.
The Criminal Listing Director must not give to a prosecuting authority any information furnished to the Director by an accused person or appellant (or by the Australian legal practitioner of an accused person or appellant) in response to a direction under this clause except with the consent of the accused person, appellant or Australian legal practitioner.
The Criminal Listing Director must not give to an accused person or appellant (or to any person acting in the interest of an accused person or appellant) any information furnished to the Director by a prosecuting authority in response to a direction under this clause except with the consent of the prosecuting authority.
An Australian legal practitioner:
(a) who acts for an accused person or appellant in any criminal proceedings, and
(b) who has not filed a notice of appearance in the proceedings in the Local Court that led to those criminal proceedings,
must file a notice of appearance, in the court in which the criminal proceedings are to be heard, as soon as practicable after accepting instructions to so act.
A notice of appearance must be in the form of a document signed by or on behalf of the Australian legal practitioner filing it containing:
(a) the full name of the accused person or appellant for whom the Australian legal practitioner acts, and
(b) the full name, address and telephone number of the Australian legal practitioner.
An Australian legal practitioner who ceases to act for an accused person or appellant in any criminal proceedings must file a notice of ceasing to act, in the court in which the proceedings are to be heard, as soon as practicable after ceasing to so act.
Subclause (3) does not apply if a notice of appearance for the accused person or appellant has already been filed by another Australian legal practitioner.
As soon as practicable after a notice under this clause is filed, the registrar with whom the notice is filed must give a copy of the notice to the Director of Public Prosecutions and to the Criminal Listing Director.
The Director of Public Prosecutions must notify the Criminal Listing Director and the relevant registrar of the Local Court:
(a) if a written transcript of the proceedings in the Local Court that led to the committal for trial of an accused person is not received by the Director of Public Prosecutions within the prescribed time after the accused person was committed for trial, or
(b) if a written transcript of the proceedings in the Local Court that led to an appeal is not received by the Director of Public Prosecutions within the prescribed time after the appellant lodged notice of the appeal under Part 3 of the Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001.
For the purposes of this clause, the
(a) 2 weeks, in the case of an accused person (being a person who is under 21 years of age) who is in custody for the offence the subject of the proceedings, or
(b) 4 weeks, in any other case.
The Criminal Listing Director must take information received under this clause into account in fixing any date for the hearing or mention of the matter before the Supreme Court or the District Court.
As soon as practicable after determining that criminal proceedings are ready to proceed on the part of the Crown, the Director of Public Prosecutions must give to the Criminal Listing Director a notice of readiness for the proceedings.
The notice must be in the form approved for the time being by the Criminal Listing Director and must be accompanied by a draft of the indictment proposed to be presented in the proceedings.
As soon as practicable after receiving the notice, the Criminal Listing Director:
(a) must give a copy of the notice, and of the draft indictment which accompanies the notice, to the registrar of the relevant court, and
(b) must give a copy of the draft indictment to each accused person or the accused person’s Australian legal practitioner.
As soon as practicable after determining that the indictment to be presented in any criminal proceedings is to depart in any material particular from the draft indictment that accompanied the notice of readiness for the proceedings, the Director of Public Prosecutions must give to the Criminal Listing Director a draft of the indictment then proposed to be presented in the proceedings.
The later draft must contain a notice, in the form approved for the time being by the Criminal Listing Director, indicating the nature and extent of the departures from the earlier draft.
As soon as practicable after receiving a draft indictment under subclause (4), the Criminal Listing Director must give a copy of the draft indictment to the registrar and to each accused person or the accused person’s Australian legal practitioner.
This clause applies to:
(a) any application to the Supreme Court or District Court for an order staying or quashing an indictment, and
(b) any demurrer to an indictment.
Unless the court otherwise orders, an application or demurrer to which this clause applies must not be listed for hearing unless it has been filed within the prescribed time after a copy of the draft indictment was given to the accused person or the accused person’s Australian legal practitioner under clause 7 (3) or (6).
For the purposes of this clause, the
(a) 1 month, in the case of an accused person who is in custody for the offence to which the indictment relates, or
(b) 3 months, in any other case.
As soon as practicable after fixing a date for the hearing or mention of any criminal proceedings, the Criminal Listing Director must give notice of the listing to the registrar of the relevant court.
As soon as practicable after receiving notice of the listing, the registrar must cause written notice of the listing to be served, in accordance with the rules of court, on the Director of Public Prosecutions and each accused person or appellant in the proceedings.
For the purposes of section 211A (1) of the Act, the amount of the court costs levy is $85.
For the purposes of section 211A (2) (e) of the Act, a conviction recorded before 13 May 2013 is exempt from the liability to pay the court costs levy.
In this clause, a reference to a conviction includes a reference to an order made under section 10 of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (see section 211A (8) of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986).
The fee that a person must pay to the Supreme Court, the Land and Environment Court, the District Court or the Local Court in respect of a matter referred to in Part 1 of Schedule 2 is the fee specified in that Part in respect of that matter.
Despite subclause (1), no fee is payable for a copy of the print out of any record of committal proceedings conducted in the Local Court by means of an ECM system within the meaning of Schedule 1 to the Electronic Transactions Act 2000.
The fee that a person must pay to the Sheriff in relation to a matter referred to in Part 2 of Schedule 2 is the fee specified in that Part in respect of that matter.
Any fee imposed by Schedule 2 is payable, by the person at whose request the relevant document is filed or service rendered:
(a) in the case of a fee imposed by Part 1 of Schedule 2, to the registrar of the court concerned, and
(b) in the case of a fee imposed by Part 2 of Schedule 2, to the Sheriff or the registrar of the court concerned.
If a document is filed or service rendered at the request of a person acting as agent for another person, each of those persons is jointly and severally liable for payment of any such fee.
A fee imposed by Schedule 2 becomes due when the document concerned is filed or the service concerned is rendered.
Despite subclause (1), a registrar who is requested to file a document or render a service may require any fee for the document or service to be paid before the document is filed or the service rendered.
The registrar of a court may, by order in writing, direct that the whole or any part of any fee payable to the court be waived, postponed or remitted, subject to such conditions (if any) as the registrar thinks fit to impose.
The Sheriff may, by order in writing, direct that the whole or any part of any fee payable to the Sheriff be waived, postponed or remitted, subject to such conditions (if any) as the Sheriff thinks fit to impose.
The powers conferred by this clause are to be exercised in accordance with such guidelines as may from time to time be published by the Attorney General.
The taking of any fee in respect of the business of the court in relation to proceedings involving a party who is a legally assisted person is, if the fee is payable by the party, to be postponed until judgment has been given in the proceedings.
The fee is not to be taken at all, or if taken must be remitted, if:
(a) judgment in the proceedings is against the legally assisted person, or
(b) judgment is in favour of the legally assisted person, but costs are not awarded in his or her favour.
In this clause:
For the purposes of section 4A (2A) of the Act, the NSW Government agencies and statutory bodies representing the Crown set out in Schedule 2A are prescribed.
In this Part:
For the purposes of section 306V (2) of the Act, if a prosecuting authority intends to adduce evidence of a previous representation by a vulnerable person wholly or partly by means of a recorded interview or a transcript of a recorded interview in a criminal proceeding where the vulnerable person who made the representation is not the accused person, the prosecuting authority must notify the accused person or his or her Australian legal practitioner (if any) of the intention in accordance with this clause.
A notice under subclause (1) must:
(a) be in writing, and
(b) specify each recorded interview (or transcript of such interview) that the prosecuting authority intends to adduce, and
(c) contain information to the effect that the accused person and his or her Australian legal practitioner are entitled to listen to or view each recorded interview at a police station or other place nominated by the prosecuting authority, and
(d) set out the name of a person responsible for arranging access to each recorded interview.
A notice under subclause (1) must be given to the accused person or his or her Australian legal practitioner at least 14 days before the evidence for the prosecution is given in the proceeding.
Section 76 of the Act provides that a transcript of a recorded interview is not admissible in committal proceedings unless the defendant has been given, in accordance with the regulations under section 306V (2) of the Act, a reasonable opportunity to listen to or view the recorded interview.
An accused person or Australian legal practitioner who receives a prosecuting authority notice may notify the responsible person that he or she requires access to any one or more of the recorded interviews specified in the notice.
A notice under subclause (1) must:
(a) be in writing, and
(b) set out the name of the accused person and his or her Australian legal practitioner (if any), and
(c) specify the recorded interview or interviews to which the accused person or his or her Australian legal practitioner requires access, and
(d) be given to the responsible person at least 7 days before the evidence for the prosecution is given in the proceeding, unless the court gives leave for the notice to be given at a later time.
A responsible person who receives a defence notice must give the accused person and his or her Australian legal practitioner (if any) access to listen to or view the recorded interview within 7 days (or such shorter period of time as the court directs) after the day on which the responsible person receives the defence notice.
The responsible person may give the accused person or his or her Australian legal practitioner access to listen to or view the recorded interview on more than one occasion.
For the purposes of section 151 (1) of the Act, notice of an accused person’s intention to adduce evidence of substantial mental impairment at his or her trial for murder:
(a) must be in Form 1, and
(b) must be given to the Director of Public Prosecutions at least 35 days before the date on which the trial is listed to commence.
For the purposes of section 187 (5) of the Act, the following proceedings are prescribed as proceedings of a kind in which a prosecutor is not required to serve a brief of evidence:
(a) proceedings for an offence for which a penalty notice may be issued (other than an offence that is set out in Schedule 3 and that is not referred to below),
(b) proceedings for an offence under section 4 of the Summary Offences Act 1988,
(c) proceedings for an offence under any of the following provisions of the Road Transport Act 2013 (or a former corresponding provision within the meaning of that Act):
(i) section 53 (3) or 54 (1) (a), (3) (a), (4) (a), (5) (a) (i) or (5) (b) (i),
(ii) section 110 or 112,
(d) proceedings for a summary offence for which there is a monetary penalty only,
(e) (Repealed)
(f) proceedings for an offence under section 10 of the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985,
(g) proceedings for an offence under section 16 (1) of the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966.
Subclause (1) has effect in relation to proceedings referred to in subclause (1) (b), (c) or (d) only if the proceedings are commenced on or after 14 November 2007.
Subclause (1) has effect in relation to proceedings referred to in subclause (1) (e), (f) or (g) only if the proceedings are commenced on or after 1 February 2010.
The object of this clause is to reduce the time spent by police officers in producing statements of non-material witnesses for inclusion in certain briefs of evidence and, accordingly, a court is to have regard to that object when exercising its functions under this clause.
This clause applies only to proceedings for summary offences (including proceedings for indictable offences specified in Table 2 to Schedule 1 to the Act that are being dealt with summarily) for which a brief of evidence is required to be served under section 183 of the Act.
In this clause,
(a) a police officer who provides evidence that the preconditions of the exercise of a power have been satisfied or establishes that the evidence on which the prosecutor relies was obtained in accordance with the law (for example, the custody manager who cautions the accused person under Part 9 of the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002),
(b) a police officer who was responsible for the movement of, or recording the movement of, a thing connected with the offence or the investigation of the offence (for example, a police officer who conveys DNA or a drug sample to the Division of Analytical Laboratories),
(c) a police officer who operated a device that produced or caused the production of a document, photograph, video or any other thing relied on by the prosecutor to prove the prosecution’s case,
(d) any other police officer who provides evidence that merely corroborates evidence of another police officer whose statement relates to a process or procedure and is included in the brief of evidence (for example, a police officer, other than the investigating police officer, who was present when the accused person was interviewed),
(e) a person who is a medical practitioner, nurse, paramedic or other health care professional if all the notes of the person (for example, doctor’s treatment notes or ambulance officer’s checklists) have been included in the brief of evidence.
For the purposes of section 183 (2) of the Act, a brief of evidence need not include the following:
(a) any prescribed statement so long as the brief includes a list of each prescribed statement that, but for this clause, would need to be included in the brief and a summary of what each such statement would include,
(b) any document that was served on the accused person or the accused person’s legal representative by or on behalf of the prosecutor after the court attendance notice in relation to the offence concerned was served.
On application by the accused person in proceedings, the court may order that any prescribed statement, or any document referred to in subclause (4) (b), be served on the accused person by the prosecutor within a specified time before the hearing if the statement or document was not included in the brief of evidence. The court is to give reasons for the making of such an order.
The court may make an order under subclause (5) only if satisfied that:
(a) in the case of a prescribed statement, the making of the order would assist the accused person to respond to the charge or assist the court in determining the matter, or
(b) in the case of a document referred to in subclause (4) (b), the application for the order has been made in good faith.
This clause has effect in respect of proceedings only if the accused person in the proceedings was charged with the offence to which the proceedings relate on or after 12 November 2007.
(Repealed)
For the purposes of section 306B (3) (a) or 306I (3) (a) of the Act, a notice given by the prosecutor to the accused person under either of those provisions must:
(a) specify whether the record or records to be tendered by the prosecutor in the new trial proceedings are an audio visual recording, an audio recording or a transcript of the evidence given by the complainant in the original proceedings, and
(b) if a record to be tendered is an audio visual recording or audio recording, contain information to the effect that the accused person and his or her Australian legal practitioner are entitled to listen to or view the recording at a place nominated by the prosecutor and set out the name of the person responsible for arranging access to the recording.
For the purposes of section 306F (4) of the Act, this clause sets out the procedure for obtaining access to listen to or view an audio visual recording or audio recording of the original evidence of a complainant.
On receipt of a notice under section 306B (3) (a) or 306I (3) (a) of the Act specifying the prosecutor’s intention to tender in proceedings an audio visual recording or audio recording of the original evidence of the complainant, the accused person, or his or her Australian legal practitioner, may give the responsible person a notice in writing that he or she requires access to the recording.
A responsible person who receives a notice that complies with this clause must give the accused person and his or her Australian legal practitioner (if any) access to listen to or view the recording as soon as practicable after the day on which the responsible person receives the notice.
The responsible person may give any person accompanying the accused person, or his or her Australian legal practitioner, who has been engaged to assist the accused person’s case access to listen to or view the recording.
In this clause:
For the purposes of section 279 (5) (b) of the Act, Form 2 is the prescribed form in which a court’s reasons are to be recorded.
For the purposes of section 284 (2) of the Act, Form 3 is the prescribed form in which a deposition must be taken.
For the purposes of the definition of
For the purposes of section 347 (1) of the Act, the program of measures described in this Part for dealing with offenders is declared to be an intervention program for the purposes of Part 4 of Chapter 7 of the Act.
In this Part:
(a) is a member of the Aboriginal race of Australia, and
(b) identifies as an Aboriginal person, and
(c) is accepted by the Aboriginal community as an Aboriginal person.
(a) a suitability assessment order, or
(b) a program participation order.
This Part applies only in respect of the Local Court sitting at a declared place.
For the purposes of this Part, a
Each place at which sittings of a participating court could be held immediately before the commencement of the Miscellaneous Acts (Local Court) Amendment Act 2007 is taken to be a declared place.
Any declaration made, or taken to have been made, under this clause may be amended or revoked from time to time.
The following is a summary of the process involved in referring an offender for participation in the program:
(a) Suitability assessment order made A participating court makes a suitability assessment order in respect of the offender.
(b) Project Officer convenes meeting of Aboriginal Community Justice Group The Project Officer for the declared place convenes a special meeting of the Aboriginal Community Justice Group for the declared place under Division 2 to assess whether the offender is a suitable candidate to participate in the program.
(c) Aboriginal Community Justice Group assesses offender The Aboriginal Community Justice Group meets to assess the offender’s suitability having regard to certain criteria. The Group may either assess the offender as being suitable or not suitable for participation. In either event, the Group must report its finding to the court that referred the offender.
(d) Court determines whether program participation order should be made If the Aboriginal Community Justice Group assesses an offender as not being suitable for participation, the offender will not be eligible to participate in the program. However, if the Group assesses the offender to be suitable, the participating court may then make a program participation order if it is satisfied that the offender is otherwise eligible to participate and that it would be appropriate for the offender to participate in the program.
(e) Offender enters into agreement to participate The offender enters into an agreement to participate in the program.
(f) Project Officer convenes a circle sentencing group The Project Officer will then convene a circle sentencing group constituted as provided by Division 3 for the purpose of recommending an appropriate sentence and determining a treatment and rehabilitation plan for the offender. The Magistrate who refers the offender will preside over the circle sentencing group.
(g) Offender must comply with program and any intervention plan An offender must comply with the program participation order and any intervention plan determined by the circle sentencing group. A failure to do so may result in the offender being returned to the participating court for the court to deal with the offender.
(h) Court may pronounce a sentence The court that referred the offender may, if it agrees with the consensus of the circle sentencing group on the issue, impose a sentence on the offender in the terms recommended by the group following the conclusion of the circle. Any such sentence will be pronounced in open court.
This clause does not affect the meaning or interpretation of any provision of this Part that it summarises.
If a participating court sitting at a declared place makes a suitability assessment order in respect of a referred offender, it must notify the Project Officer for the declared place of the order.
The Project Officer for the declared place must convene a meeting of the Aboriginal Community Justice Group for the declared place to assess the suitability of a referred offender to participate in the program as soon as practicable after being notified of a suitability assessment order in respect of the offender.
The meeting is to be attended by at least 3 members of the Group chosen by the Project Officer.
In assessing the suitability of a referred offender to participate in the program, the Aboriginal Community Justice Group to which the offender has been referred is to have regard to the following matters:
(a) the nature of the offence committed by the offender,
(b) whether the offender is part of an Aboriginal community at the declared place or has a close association or kinship with any such community,
(c) the impact of the offence on its victims and the Aboriginal community to which the offender belongs or with which the offender has a close association or kinship,
(d) the potential benefits to the offender, the victims, the Aboriginal community and the community generally should the offender participate in the program,
(e) any other matter that it considers relevant.
The Aboriginal Community Justice Group to which an offender has been referred must report to the participating court that made the suitability assessment order in the form approved by the Minister within 14 days (or such further period as the court may allow) after the Group has been convened.
The objectives of the program are as follows:
(a) to include members of Aboriginal communities in the sentencing process,
(b) to increase the confidence of Aboriginal communities in the sentencing process,
(c) to reduce barriers between Aboriginal communities and the courts,
(d) to provide more appropriate sentencing options for Aboriginal offenders,
(e) to provide effective support to victims of offences by Aboriginal offenders,
(f) to provide for the greater participation of Aboriginal offenders and their victims in the sentencing process,
(g) to increase the awareness of Aboriginal offenders of the consequences of their offences on their victims and the Aboriginal communities to which they belong,
(h) to reduce recidivism in Aboriginal communities.
A person is eligible to participate in the program only if:
(a) the person is an Aboriginal person, and
(b) the person is an offender, and
(c) the person has been assessed as suitable for participation in the program by the Aboriginal Community Justice Group for the declared place at a meeting convened in accordance with Division 2, and
(d) the person enters into an agreement to participate in the program, and
(e) the court considers that the facts, as found by the court, or as pleaded to by the person, in connection with the offence, together with the person’s antecedents and any other information available to the court, indicate that it is likely that the person will be required to serve, or be subject to, a relevant sentence.
In this clause,
(a) any sentence of imprisonment, including a suspended sentence and a sentence the subject of an intensive correction order or home detention order under the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, or
(b) a community service order, or
(c) an order providing for an offender to enter into a good behaviour bond.
The program is constituted by the following measures:
(a) Offender enters into agreement to participate in the program A participating court refers an offender for participation in a circle sentencing intervention program by making a program participation order and the offender enters into an agreement to participate in the program.
(b) Constitution of circle sentencing group The Project Officer for the declared place, in consultation with the presiding Magistrate, convenes a circle sentencing group for the referred offender.
(c) Circle sentencing group determines intervention plan for offender and recommends sentence The circle sentencing group meets:
(i) to determine an appropriate plan (if any) for the treatment or rehabilitation of the referred offender, and
(ii) to recommend an appropriate sentence for the offender.
(d) Offender to comply with intervention plan The offender complies with the requirements of an intervention plan (if any) determined by the circle sentencing group.
Note— Section 346 (1) of the Act defines
intervention plan to mean a plan, agreement or arrangement arising out of the participation of an offender or an accused person in an intervention program.
A participating court that makes a program participation order in respect of a referred offender must notify the Project Officer for the declared place of the order.
The Project Officer must convene a circle sentencing group for the referred offender as soon as practicable after being notified of the making of a program participation order in respect of the offender.
A circle sentencing group must be convened at a location approved by the presiding Magistrate.
A circle sentencing group for a referred offender must include the following persons:
(a) the presiding Magistrate,
(b) the offender,
(c) the offender’s legal representatives (unless the offender directs otherwise),
(d) the prosecutor,
(e) the Project Officer,
(f) at least 3 Aboriginal persons (but no more than the maximum number of persons specified in the guidelines) chosen by the Project Officer, being persons who the Project Officer is satisfied belong to the Aboriginal community of which the offender claims to be part or with which the offender claims to have a close association or kinship.
A circle sentencing group convened by a Project Officer may (but need not) include the following persons:
(a) any victim of the offender’s offence who consents to participate in the group,
(b) a support person for any such victim chosen by the victim,
(c) a support person for the offender chosen by the offender,
(d) any other person or persons chosen by the Project Officer, but only with the consent of the offender and, if a victim is participating, the consent of the victim.
A member of a circle sentencing group may object to the participation in the group of a person chosen by the Project Officer for the purposes of subclause (1) (f) or (2) (d). The presiding Magistrate is to determine any such objection.
The presiding Magistrate may invite any other person of a class specified by the guidelines to attend a circle sentencing group.
The guidelines may specify whether that person may or may not participate in the circle sentencing group.
The functions of a circle sentencing group are as follows:
(a) to determine an appropriate plan for the treatment or rehabilitation of a referred offender,
(b) to recommend an appropriate sentence for the offender,
(c) to provide support or other assistance to the offender in completing the program or an intervention plan arising out of the program,
(d) such other functions as may be imposed or conferred on the group by this Division or the guidelines.
Without limiting subclause (1) (a), a circle sentencing group may require a referred offender to comply with a plan that includes requirements relating to any one or more of the following:
(a) the conduct and good behaviour of the offender,
(b) attendance for counselling or other treatment,
(c) the supervision of the offender for the duration of the plan,
(d) residence, association with other persons or attendance at specified locations,
(e) involvement in activities, courses, training or employment for the purpose of promoting the re-integration of the offender into the community,
(f) such other matters as the group considers would promote the treatment or rehabilitation of the offender.
The presiding Magistrate may exclude a person (other than the offender or a victim) from participation in a circle sentencing group if the Magistrate is satisfied that:
(a) the person has a conflict of interest that would prevent the person from impartially discharging his or her obligations as a member of the group, or
(b) the behaviour of the person is disrupting the orderly conduct of a meeting of the group.
The Magistrate may, with the agreement of the other members of the group, invite another person to replace a person who has been excluded from participating in the group under subclause (1). However, if the other members do not agree, the Project Officer is to convene a new circle sentencing group for the offender excluding any such person.
A person who is not a member of the circle sentencing group may not attend a meeting of the group unless all of the following persons consent:
(a) the presiding Magistrate,
(b) the offender,
(c) the victim, if a victim is participating in the group.
The presiding Magistrate may terminate a meeting of a circle sentencing group if the Magistrate is satisfied that the behaviour of a member of the group is disrupting the orderly conduct of the meeting.
If a meeting is terminated, the Magistrate may direct the Project Officer to convene a new circle sentencing group or the Magistrate may return the matter to the participating court.
If a victim agrees to participate in a circle sentencing group, the victim must be given an opportunity to express his or her views about the offender and the nature of the offence committed against the victim.
The procedure for the calling of meetings of a circle sentencing group and the conduct of business at those meetings is, subject to this Division and the guidelines, to be as determined by the group.
The presiding Magistrate is to preside at a meeting of a circle sentencing group.
The quorum for a meeting of a circle sentencing group is all of the members of the group (other than members excluded under clause 41).
A decision supported by a majority of the members in a meeting of the circle sentencing group is to be treated as a decision of the whole group.
The presiding Magistrate must make a record (or cause a record to be made) of the following matters in connection with a circle sentencing group:
(a) the name, address and date of birth of the referred offender,
(b) the nature of the offence,
(c) the name of the Project Officer,
(d) the names of the other members of the group and the capacity in which they participated,
(e) the dates on, and the locations at, which the circle sentencing group met,
(f) particulars of any intervention plan determined, or sentence recommended, by the group,
(g) the major points of discussion of the group,
(h) any other matter that the Magistrate considers relevant.
A copy of a record made under subclause (1) must be kept in the participating court’s file for the proceedings in respect of which a referred offender was referred.
The Project Officer may, in consultation with the presiding Magistrate, reconvene a circle sentencing group after it has determined an intervention plan or recommended an appropriate sentence (or both) for a referred offender for the purpose of reconsidering any matter it had previously determined or recommended.
The members of the reconvened group should, so far as is reasonably possible, be the same members who participated in the original circle sentencing group.
A circle sentencing group cannot be reconvened if:
(a) the period of 12 months has elapsed since the matter to be reconsidered was originally determined or recommended by the group, or
(b) the court that referred the referred offender to the group has imposed a sentence on the offender for the offence (whether or not in the terms recommended by the group).
The Minister is to establish an Aboriginal Community Justice Group for each declared place.
The Minister may appoint such Aboriginal persons as the Minister considers necessary to be members of an Aboriginal Community Justice Group established under this Part.
The Minister may make an appointment under subclause (1) only on the recommendation of the Project Officer for the declared place concerned.
A person appointed as a member under subclause (1) is appointed for a period of 3 years, unless before the expiry of that period:
(a) the person resigns his or her appointment, or
(b) the person’s appointment is revoked by the Minister.
A person appointed as a member under subclause (1) may resign his or her appointment by written notice to the Minister.
The Minister may revoke the appointment of a person as a member of an Aboriginal Community Justice Group at any time by written notice to the person.
Nothing in this clause prevents the Minister from re-appointing a person as a member of an Aboriginal Community Justice Group under subclause (1) following the expiry of a previous period of appointment or the revocation of a previous appointment.
The functions of an Aboriginal Community Justice Group include (but are not limited to) the following functions:
(a) assessing the suitability of a referred offender to participate in the program and reporting to the participating court that referred the offender about the offender’s suitability,
(b) such other functions as may be imposed or conferred on the Group by this Part or the guidelines.
The procedure for the calling of meetings of an Aboriginal Community Justice Group and the conduct of business at those meetings is, subject to this Part and the guidelines, to be as determined by the Group.
The quorum for a meeting of an Aboriginal Community Justice Group is 3 members of the Group.
A decision supported by a majority of the members in attendance at a meeting of an Aboriginal Community Justice Group is to be treated as a decision of the whole Group.
The Minister is to ensure that there is a Project Officer (Circle Sentencing) for each declared place.
The functions of a Project Officer include (but are not limited to) the following functions:
(a) contacting victims of a referred offender for the purpose of ascertaining whether they wish to participate in a circle sentencing group for the offender,
(b) informing any such offender of:
(i) the processes involved in the program or in being assessed for participation in the program, and
(ii) the offender’s obligations under the program or an intervention plan arising out of the program,
(c) convening meetings of Aboriginal Community Justice Groups and circle sentencing groups,
(d) monitoring the compliance of an offender with his or her obligations under the program or an intervention plan arising out of the program and reporting any non-compliance to the participating court that referred the offender and to the circle sentencing group for the court,
(e) such other functions as may be imposed or conferred on the Project Officer by this Division or the guidelines.
The Minister may from time to time issue guidelines, not inconsistent with this Part, for or with respect to any or all of the following matters:
(a) the constitution and procedure for meetings of Aboriginal Community Justice Groups and circle sentencing groups,
(b) the functions of such Aboriginal Community Justice Groups and circle sentencing groups and of members of such groups in connection with the program or assessment for participation in the program,
(c) any other matter in respect of which guidelines are permitted or required by this Part.
Without limiting subclause (1), the guidelines may include provisions that:
(a) apply generally, or
(b) apply only in relation to specified persons, courts, groups or other bodies, or
(c) apply only in specified circumstances, or
(d) do a combination of the things referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c).
Evidence of anything said, or any admission made or document produced, in:
(a) a meeting of a circle sentencing group concerning a referred offender, or
(b) a meeting of an Aboriginal Community Justice Group held to assess a referred offender’s suitability to participate in the program,
is not admissible in any criminal or civil proceedings.
Subclause (1) does not apply to the criminal proceedings in respect of which a referred offender was referred or any appeal made in respect of those proceedings.
A relevant program participant must not disclose any information obtained in connection with:
(a) the assessment of a referred offender’s suitability to participate in the program, or
(b) the conduct of the program or an intervention plan arising out of the program.
Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.
Nothing in subclause (1) prevents a relevant program participant from disclosing information:
(a) in connection with the conduct of an assessment of a referred offender’s suitability to participate in the program, or
(b) to a victim of a referred offender about the outcome of a circle sentencing group for the offender, or
(c) for the purposes of any legal proceedings, or
(d) in accordance with a requirement of the Ombudsman Act 1974 or with any request made by the Ombudsman, or
(e) with other lawful excuse.
In this clause:
(a) a member of an Aboriginal Community Justice Group, or
(b) a person selected to participate in a circle sentencing group for a referred offender under clause 39 (1) (f) or (2) (b), (c) or (d).
For the purposes of section 347 (1) of the Act, the program of measures described in this Part for dealing with offenders is declared to be an intervention program for the purposes of Part 4 of Chapter 7 of the Act.
The following offences are prescribed for the purposes of section 348 (2) (g) of the Act in relation to that intervention program:
(a) a domestic violence offence within the meaning of the Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007, but only in relation to an offence committed by an offender against another person with whom the offender has or has had an intimate domestic relationship,
(b) an offence under section 60 or 93B of the Crimes Act 1900,
(b1) an offence under section 10, 11, 11A, 11B, 11C, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 18A, 19 or 20 of the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985,
(c) an offence under any of the following provisions of the Road Transport Act 2013 (or a former corresponding provision within the meaning of that Act):
(i) section 53 (3),
(ii) section 54 (1), (3), (4) or (5),
(iii) section 71,
(iv) section 110 (4),
(v) clause 16 (1) (b) or 18 (1) (a) or (b) of Schedule 3,
(c1), (d) (Repealed)
(e) an offence under section 4, 11B or 11C of the Summary Offences Act 1988.
For the purposes of this clause, a person has or has had an
(a) is or has been married to the other person, or
(b) is or has been a de facto partner of the other person, or
Note— De facto partner is defined in section 21C of the Interpretation Act 1987.(c) has or has had a relationship involving his or her dependence on the ongoing paid or unpaid care of the other person, or
(d) otherwise has or has had an intimate personal relationship with the other person, whether or not the intimate relationship involves or has involved a relationship of a sexual nature,
but not if the person merely:
(e) is living or has lived in the same household as the other person, or
(f) is living or has lived as a long-term resident in the same residential facility as the other person (not being a facility that is a correctional centre within the meaning of the Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Act 1999 or a detention centre within the meaning of the Children (Detention Centres) Act 1987), or
(g) is or has been a relative, within the meaning of section 6 of the Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007, of the other person, or
(h) in the case of an Aboriginal person or a Torres Strait Islander, is or has been part of the extended family or kin of the other person according to the Indigenous kinship system of the person’s culture.
In this Part:
(a) a grant of bail that is subject to a condition referred to in section 36A (2) (b) (i) of the Bail Act 1978, or
(b) an order referred to in section 11 (1) (b2) of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999,
made in respect of an offender for the purpose of allowing the offender to participate in the program by attending a conference.
(a) a grant of bail that is subject to a condition referred to in section 36A (2) (b) (i) of the Bail Act 1978,
(b) an order referred to in section 10 (1) (c) or 11 (1) (b2) of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999,
(c) an order providing for an offender to enter into a good behaviour bond that contains a condition referred to in section 95A (1) of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999.
(a) a grant of bail that is subject to a condition referred to in section 36A (2) (a) of the Bail Act 1978, or
(b) an order referred to in section 11 (1) (b1) of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999,
made in respect of an offender for the purpose of allowing an assessment of the offender’s capacity and prospects for participation in the program to be made.
This Part applies only in respect of the Local Court sitting at a declared place.
For the purposes of this Part, a
Each place at which sittings of a participating court could be held immediately before the commencement of the Miscellaneous Acts (Local Court) Amendment Act 2007 is taken to be a declared place.
Any declaration made, or taken to have been made, under this clause may be amended or revoked from time to time.
The following is a summary of the process involved in referring an offender for participation in the program:
(a) Suitability assessment order made A participating court makes a suitability assessment order and the offender enters into an agreement to be subjected to an assessment of the offender’s capacity and prospects for participation in the program.
(b) Operations team employee ensures that assessment is carried out of the appropriateness of the program for the offender An operations team employee ensures that an assessment is carried out of the appropriateness of the offender’s case for being dealt with under the program.
(c) Operations team employee ensures that assessment is carried out of offender’s suitability If the offender’s case has been assessed as appropriate for being dealt with under the program, an operations team employee ensures that an assessment is carried out of the offender’s capacity and prospects for participation in the program.
(d) Victim participation is sought If the offender’s case has been assessed as appropriate for being dealt with under the program and the offender has been assessed as having the capacity and prospects for participation in the program, an operations team employee contacts any victim of the offender to ascertain whether the victim wishes to participate, or to have his or her nominated representative participate, in the conference.
(e) Offender not eligible if offender’s case not appropriate, offender not suitable or no victim consents to participate The offender will not be eligible to participate in any program if:
(i) the offender’s case has been assessed as not appropriate for being dealt with under the program, or
(ii) the offender has been assessed as not being suitable for participation in the program, or
(iii) no victim wishes to participate, or to have his or her nominated representative participate, in any conference.
(f) Participating court determines whether forum participation order should be made However, if:
(i) the offender’s case has been assessed as appropriate for being dealt with under the program, and
(ii) the offender has been assessed as being suitable for participation in the program, and
(iii) at least one victim wishes to participate, or to have his or her nominated representative participate, in a conference,
the participating court may make a forum participation order if it is satisfied that the offender is otherwise eligible for participation in the program, having regard to the matters set out in clause 63.
(g) Offender enters into agreement to participate The offender enters into an agreement to participate in the program.
(h) Offender returned to court if offender becomes unsuitable or all victims withdraw consent to participate in conference The offender will be returned to the court for the court to deal with if:
(i) the offender becomes unsuitable to participate in the program, or
(ii) all victims who wished to participate, or to have their nominated representatives participate, in a conference withdraw their consent to participate, or
(iii) the offender’s case otherwise becomes inappropriate for being dealt with under the program.
(i) Conference held and draft intervention plan for offender prepared A conference is held. Participants are encouraged to agree to appropriate recommendations about the offender. A draft intervention plan is prepared that is based on any recommendations made, and agreed to, by participants in the conference.
(j) Participating court considers draft intervention plan Any draft intervention plan arising from the conference is referred to the participating court together with a report on the conference that is prepared by an operations team employee. If the court approves the draft intervention plan, it makes an intervention plan order.
(k) Offender to comply with intervention plan An offender who is subject to any such order must comply with the intervention plan. An operations team employee for the declared place supervises the implementation and completion of the intervention plan. An operations team employee notifies the court as to whether the plan is satisfactorily completed.
(l) Effect of failure to comply with intervention plan A failure to satisfactorily complete the intervention plan may result in the offender being returned to the court for the court to deal with the offender.
This clause does not affect the meaning or interpretation of any provision of this Part that it summarises.
A participating court that makes a suitability assessment order in respect of an offender must, within 7 days after making the order, notify an operations team employee for the declared place that it has done so.
As soon as practicable after any operations team employee has been notified of the making of a suitability assessment order, an operations team employee must ensure that an assessment is carried out of the appropriateness of the offender’s case for being dealt with under the program.
The assessment must be carried out in accordance with the guidelines.
If the offender’s case has been assessed as not being appropriate for being dealt with under the program, an operations team employee must report, in the form approved by the Minister, to the participating court that made the suitability assessment order at least 2 days before the date on which the court is due to continue the proceedings in respect of which the offender was referred.
As soon as practicable after any operations team employee has been notified of the making of a suitability assessment order and an assessment has been made that the offender’s case is appropriate for being dealt with under the program, an operations team employee must ensure that an assessment is carried out of the offender’s capacity and prospects for participation in the program.
The assessment must be carried out in accordance with the guidelines.
An operations team employee must report, in the form approved by the minister, to the participating court that made the suitability assessment order at least 2 days before the date on which the court is due to continue the proceedings in respect of which the offender was referred.
An operations team employee may request a relevant police officer or relevant prosecutor to provide the name, address and phone number of any victim of the offender.
The request may be made only if an operations team employee has made an assessment that the offender’s case is appropriate for being dealt with under the program and may be made for the purpose only of enabling compliance with clause 60C.
A relevant police officer or relevant prosecutor must provide an operations team employee with the information requested under this clause as soon as practicable and in any case no later than 72 hours after the request is made.
In this clause:
(a) any police officer responsible for investigating the offence to which the suitability assessment order relates, or
(b) any senior police officer (within the meaning of section 332 of the Act) from that police officer’s command.
An operations team employee must contact any victim of the offender to ascertain whether the victim wishes to participate, or to have his or her nominated representative participate, in a conference and must record the victim’s response in the report to the court under clause 60A (3).
Such contact may be made only if:
(a) an operations team employee has made an assessment that the offender’s case is appropriate for being dealt with under the program, and
(b) an operations team employee has made an assessment that the offender is suitable for participation in the program.
The objectives of the program are as follows:
(a) to provide for the greater participation in the justice process of offenders and victims and the families and support persons of offenders and victims,
(b) to increase offenders’ awareness of the consequences of their offences for their victims and the community,
(c) to promote the reintegration of offenders into the community,
(d) to increase the satisfaction of victims with the justice process,
(e) to increase the confidence of the community in the justice process,
(f) to provide a participating court with an additional sentencing option,
(g) to reduce re-offending.
The principles that are to guide the operation of the program, including persons exercising functions under the program, are as follows:
(a) the program should enhance the rights and place of victims in the justice process and have due regard to their interests,
(b) conferences should be conducted in a way that promotes the active participation and empowerment of referred offenders and their victims, and the families and support persons of those offenders and victims, in responding to and resolving crime,
(c) conferences should be conducted in a way that respects and takes into account the rights, needs, capacities, gender, sexuality and cultural and linguistic diversity of all participants, including the Aboriginality of any participants and any disability that any participants have,
(d) conferences should be conducted in a way that assists referred offenders to understand and take responsibility for the offences they have committed,
(e) an intervention plan should recognise the harm done, as a consequence of the offending behaviour of the referred offender to whom the plan applies, to any victims of that offender and the community,
(f) an intervention plan should take account of the rights, needs, capacities, gender, sexuality, culture of, and language spoken by, the referred offender to whom the plan applies, including (if applicable) the Aboriginality of that offender,
(g) if a referred offender has a disability, an intervention plan that applies to that offender should take account of any needs arising from that disability, especially needs arising from any communication or cognitive difficulties that the offender has.
A person is eligible to be referred by a participating court to participate in a conference only if:
(a) the person is an offender, and
(b) the court considers that the facts, as found by the court, or as pleaded to by the person, in connection with the offence, together with the person’s antecedents and any other information available to the court, indicate that it is likely that a conviction will be recorded and that the person will be required:
(i) to serve a sentence of imprisonment, including a suspended sentence or a sentence the subject of an intensive correction order or a home detention order under the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, or
(ii) to perform community service work in accordance with a community service order, or
(iii) to enter into a good behaviour bond, and
(c) the offender’s case has been assessed as appropriate for being dealt with under the program in accordance with clause 60, and
(d) the offender has been assessed as suitable for participation in the program in accordance with clause 60A, and
(e) at least one victim of the offender has agreed to participate, or to have his or her nominated representative participate, in a conference, and
(f) the court considers that, if it refers the person to participate in the program, it is likely that the person will enter into an agreement to participate in the program.
A person is not eligible to be referred by a participating court to participate in a conference if, at the date on which the court proposes to make the referral, the person has been convicted of any of the following offences:
(a) murder,
(b) manslaughter,
(c) a category 1 personal violence offence,
(d) two or more category 2 personal violence offences (whether or not the same offence),
(e) a relevant drug offence,
(f) a serious firearms or weapons offence.
A reference in subclause (2) to a conviction for an offence does not include a reference to a conviction for:
(a) the particular offence in respect of which a referral is proposed to be made, or
(b) an offence committed by the person when the person was under 18 years of age, other than an offence that is a serious children’s indictable offence within the meaning of the Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987.
In this clause:
(a) an offence under section 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 61J, 61JA, 61K, 66A, 66B, 66C, 66EA, 66F, 73, 86, 96 or 98 of the Crimes Act 1900, or
(b) an offence committed before the commencement of this Regulation under a law of New South Wales that constituted an offence of a similar nature to an offence referred to in paragraph (a).
(a) an offence under section 33A, 35 (1) or (3), 37 (1) or (2), 38, 39 (1), 46, 47, 48, 61I, 61M, 80A, 87, 110, 195 (1) (b), (1A) (b) and (2) (b), 196 (1) (b) and (2) (b) or 198 of the Crimes Act 1900,
(b) an offence under section 109, 111, 112, 113 or 249K of the Crimes Act 1900 if the circumstances of the offence involve an act of actual or threatened violence against a person,
(c) an offence committed before the commencement of this Regulation under a law of New South Wales that constituted an offence of a similar nature to an offence referred to in paragraph (a) or (b).
(a) an offence under section 23 (1), 24 (1) or 25 (1) or (1A) of the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 (but only if the plant or drug concerned was found to be of a quantity that was at least twice the indictable quantity applicable under that Act at the date of the offence),
(b) an offence under section 23 (1A) or (2), 24 (1A), (2) or (2A), 25 (2), (2A), (2C) or (2D) or 25A of that Act,
(c) an offence under section 26 of that Act of conspiring to commit an offence referred to in paragraph (a) or (b),
(d) an offence under section 27 of that Act of aiding, abetting, counselling, procuring, soliciting or inciting the commission of an offence referred to in paragraph (a) or (b).
(a) an offence under section 93G, 93GA, 93H (2), 93I (2) or 154D of the Crimes Act 1900,
(b) an offence under section 7, 36, 50, 50A (2), 51 (1A) or (2A), 51A or 51D (2) of the Firearms Act 1996, being an offence that relates to a prohibited firearm or pistol,
(c) an offence under section 51B or 51BB of the Firearms Act 1996.
(Repealed)
The program is constituted by the following measures:
(a) Offender enters into agreement to participate in the program A participating court refers an offender for participation in a conference by making a forum participation order and the offender enters into an agreement to participate in the program.
(b) Forum facilitator arranges conference A forum facilitator arranges a conference in respect of the offender.
(c) Conference held and draft intervention plan prepared A conference is held with the aim of determining an appropriate draft intervention plan for the offender. Any draft intervention plan arising from the conference is referred to the participating court.
(d) Offender completes intervention plan If the participating court makes an intervention plan order, the offender completes the intervention plan to which the order applies.
If a referred offender decides not to participate, or to continue to participate, in the program, the referred offender is to notify this decision to an operations team employee or forum facilitator for the declared place at which the court that made the forum participation order or intervention plan order applying to that offender was sitting.
An operations team employee is to notify the court of the referred offender’s decision within 7 days after the referred offender gives notice under this clause.
The program manager must as soon as practicable notify the court that made the forum participation order:
(a) if, at anytime after the order was made and before any conference in respect of the referred offender is concluded, the program manager forms an opinion (with reference to the guidelines referred to in clauses 60 (2) and 60A (2), as appropriate):
(i) that the offender’s case is no longer appropriate for being dealt with under the program, or
(ii) that the offender is no longer suitable to participate in the program, or
(b) if, at any time before a conference is held, all the victims of the referred offender who wished to participate, or have their nominated representative participate, in a conference withdraw their consent to participate.
The program manager may delegate his or her functions under this clause (other than this power of delegation) to an operations team employee.
A participating court that makes a forum participation order must, within 7 days after making the order, notify an operations team employee for the declared place that it has done so.
As soon as practicable after being notified under this clause, an operations team employee must allocate a forum facilitator to facilitate a conference in respect of the offender to whom the order applies.
A conference is to be held in respect of a referred offender:
(a) if practicable, within 56 days after an operations team employee is notified by the participating court that it has made a forum participation order applying to that offender, or
(b) as soon as practicable after those 56 days have elapsed.
A forum facilitator must determine:
(a) the date, time and location of any conference that the forum facilitator has been allocated to facilitate, and
(b) the persons who are to be invited to participate in the conference.
The forum facilitator must, if practicable, before determining the matters referred to in subclause (1):
(a) consult with:
(i) an operations team employee for the court that made the forum participation order, and
(ii) the referred offender concerned, and
(iii) any victim of that offender, and
(b) advise any such victim:
(i) of the victim’s right to participate in the conference and to be accompanied by one or more support persons, and
(ii) if the victim cannot, or elects not to, participate in the conference—of the victim’s right to be represented by a person nominated by the victim and to have the victim’s views about the matter conveyed to conference participants, and
(c) consider the specific needs and expressed views or wishes of the referred offender and of any such victim.
Before the conference is held, the forum facilitator must notify the referred offender of the following information:
(a) the offence in respect of which the conference is to be held,
(b) the date, time and location of the conference,
(c) the name of the forum facilitator,
(d) any requirements to be met by the referred offender,
(e) the right of the referred offender to decide not to participate, or to continue to participate, in the program, the requirement for the referred offender to notify an operations team employee of any such decision and the consequences of any such decision,
(f) the consequences of failure to participate in the conference,
(g) the right of the referred offender to obtain legal advice and where that advice may be obtained,
(h) the right of the referred offender to have a legal practitioner participate in the conference in an advisory, but not in a representative, capacity,
(i) the right of the referred offender to have one or more support persons participate in the conference.
Before the conference is held, the forum facilitator must take all reasonable steps to notify any other persons who are entitled to participate, or who the forum facilitator determines are to be invited to participate, of the date, time and location of the conference.
Before the conference is held, the forum facilitator must take all reasonable steps to provide persons who are to participate in the conference with information available to the forum facilitator that, in the forum facilitator’s opinion, will assist the participants to formulate a draft intervention plan.
Before the conference is held, the forum facilitator must ascertain, if practicable, the views about the matter of any persons who have been invited or are entitled to participate but have advised that they will not be participating.
The following persons are entitled to participate in a conference:
(a) the referred offender in respect of whom the conference is to be held,
(b) the forum facilitator,
(c) any victim of the referred offender or a person nominated by any such victim as a representative of the victim,
(d) a police officer responsible for investigating the offence in respect of which the conference is proposed to be held or a person chosen by the police officer as a representative of the police officer,
(e) any persons chosen by the referred offender as support persons for the referred offender,
(f) a legal practitioner advising the referred offender,
(g) any persons chosen by any victim of the referred offender as support persons for any such victim.
The forum facilitator may, after consulting with the referred offender and any victim of that offender who proposes to participate in the conference, invite any of the following persons to participate in the conference:
(a) a member of the referred offender’s family nominated by the referred offender,
(b) if the referred offender is subject to a good behaviour bond that requires supervision, a community service order or parole—the referred offender’s supervising officer,
(c) an interpreter,
(d) any other person of a class specified by the guidelines.
The following persons may be invited to attend, but not participate in, a conference, with the consent of the referred offender and any victim of that offender:
(a) a senior forum facilitator,
(b) an operations team employee for the court that made the forum participation order applying to the referred offender,
(c) a person wishing to observe the conference for a research or educational purpose, including a police officer, a magistrate and a legal practitioner,
(d) a person wishing to observe the conference for the purpose of monitoring or evaluating the program,
(e) a member of the news media,
(f) any other person of a class specified by the guidelines.
If a forum facilitator forms the opinion that the presence of a person (other than a referred offender or any victim of that offender) may frustrate the purpose or conduct of a conference, the forum facilitator may exclude that person from attending, or continuing to attend, the conference.
A conference may be held in respect of more than one offender and more than one offence.
A forum facilitator must, at or before a conference, ensure that the participants are informed of the views of any person who is entitled or invited to attend, but is unable or declines to do so, if the forum facilitator is informed of those views.
A forum facilitator is to facilitate a conference in accordance with any guidelines on the facilitation of conferences.
A referred offender is entitled to be advised, but not represented, by a legal practitioner at a conference.
A conference may be adjourned at any time for the purpose of allowing the referred offender to obtain advice from a legal practitioner.
If a referred offender fails, without reasonable explanation, to attend a conference, a forum facilitator or operations team employee must notify the court that made the forum participation order applying to the referred offender.
The participants at a conference may agree to make such recommendations as they think fit about the referred offender in respect of whom the conference is held and include those recommendations in a draft intervention plan.
Without limiting subclause (1), a draft intervention plan may provide for one or more of the following:
(a) that the referred offender apologise to any victim of that offender orally or in writing,
(b) that the referred offender make reparations to any such victim or the community,
(c) that the referred offender participate in a program aimed at improving that offender’s prospects (for example, a counselling program, a drug or alcohol rehabilitation program or an education program),
(d) the taking of action directed towards the reintegration of the referred offender into the community,
(e) the times within which the plan is to be implemented.
The participants may not include in a draft intervention plan a requirement that the referred offender carry out work in the community for a period that exceeds the period applying to community service orders under section 8 of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999.
A draft intervention plan is, if possible, to be determined by consensus of the participants in the conference and, subject to subclauses (5) and (6), may be agreed to by a majority of participants in the conference even though it is not agreed to by all the participants. In the absence of a consensus, a decision of a majority of the participants is a decision of the conference.
The referred offender, and any victim of that offender who personally attends the conference, each has a right of veto with respect to the whole of a draft intervention plan, or with respect to any recommendation proposed to be contained in a draft intervention plan, regardless of the views of any other participant in the conference who is not a victim.
A victim’s right of veto does not operate unless all victims who personally attend the conference agree to the veto.
The draft intervention plan is to be prepared in the form approved by the Minister.
An operations team employee must refer a draft intervention plan agreed to at the conference to the court that made the forum participation order.
An operations team employee must notify the court that made the forum participation order if a forum facilitator for a conference has informed an operations team employee that:
(a) the participants at a conference are unable to agree to a draft intervention plan, or
(b) Referred traffic offender to participate in course The referred traffic offender complies with the requirements of the approved traffic course that the Local Court has required the offender to undertake.
(c) Approved traffic course provider reports to Local Court on compliance The approved traffic course provider makes a written report to the Local Court as to the referred traffic offender’s compliance with the requirements of the approved traffic course before the Court finalises the matter.
The approved traffic course provider that conducts the approved traffic course to which a referred traffic offender has been referred must report to the Local Court in the form approved by the Minister on the extent to which the offender has complied with the requirements of the program no later than 5 working days before the date fixed by the Court for the offender to re-appear before the Court to finalise the matter.
The approved traffic course provider that conducts the approved traffic course to which a referred traffic offender has been referred must make a record (or cause a record to be made) of the following matters in connection with the participation of the offender in the course:
(a) the name, address and date of birth of the offender,
(b) the nature of the traffic offence,
(c) the extent to which the offender has complied with the requirements of the course (including attendance at the course and assessment criteria for the course),
(d) any fees or other moneys paid by the offender to the provider in relation to the course,
(e) any other matters specified by the guidelines or that the provider considers relevant.
The Secretary may, by order published in the Gazette, approve a course of study or training as an approved traffic course for the purposes of the program.
The Secretary may approve a course of study or training under subclause (1):
(a) on the Secretary’s own motion, or
(b) on the application (in the form approved by the Secretary from time to time) of the government agency or association that conducts the course.
The Secretary may approve a course of study or training under subclause (1) only if:
(a) the course is to be conducted by a government agency or by an association, and
(b) the course provider has submitted a statement to the Secretary in the form approved by the Secretary from time to time that sets out the following:
(i) the objectives of the course,
(ii) an outline of the content of the course,
(iii) assessment criteria for the course, including the minimum rate of attendance by course participants,
(iv) an itemised proposed fee structure for course participants,
(v) details of proposed monitoring of the course and evaluation mechanisms for the course, and
(c) the course consists of the following kinds of measures:
(i) measures that aim to improve the understanding of course participants of their legal obligations as road users,
(ii) measures that aim to develop safe driving behaviour by course participants,
(iii) measures to inform course participants about the potential impact of traffic offences on the victims of such offences and on the community generally, and
(d) the Secretary is satisfied that any fee that is proposed to be charged for participation in the course is being charged on a cost recovery basis and not for profit, and
(e) the Secretary is satisfied that the course complies with any relevant guidelines for the content or conduct of approved traffic courses.
A course of study or training approved under subclause (1) may be approved for all Local Courts or for only such Local Courts as may be specified in the order approving the course.
The Secretary may at any time and for any reason revoke an approval for a course of study or training under subclause (1) by order published in the Gazette.
An approval for a course of study or training under subclause (1) has effect for a period of 3 years, unless sooner revoked.
Nothing in subclause (6) prevents the Secretary from re-approving a course of study or training under subclause (1) after a previous approval for the study or training has ceased to have effect.
An approved traffic course provider that conducts an approved traffic course is to ensure that:
(a) the course complies with any content requirements specified in the guidelines that are relevant to the course, and
(b) the course is otherwise conducted in accordance with any guidelines that are relevant to the course.
The Minister may issue guidelines, not inconsistent with this Part, from time to time with respect to any or all of the following matters:
(a) the keeping of records in respect of participation in the program or approved traffic courses undertaken as part of the program,
(b) the monitoring of participation of referred traffic offenders in the program and in approved traffic courses undertaken as part of the program,
(c) the functions and responsibilities of approved traffic course providers in connection with the program,
(d) the content and conduct of approved traffic courses,
(e) the process of identifying the availability of a suitable approved traffic course,
(f) any other matter in respect of which guidelines are permitted or required by this Part.
Without limiting subclause (1), the guidelines may include provisions that:
(a) apply generally, or
(b) apply only in relation to specified persons, courts, groups or other bodies, or
(c) apply only in specified circumstances, or
(d) do a combination of the things referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c).
Evidence of anything said, or any admission made, by a referred traffic offender in the course of participating in an approved traffic course is not admissible in any criminal or civil proceedings.
Subclause (1) does not apply to the criminal proceedings in respect of which a referred traffic offender was referred.
An approved traffic course provider that conducts an approved traffic course undertaken by a referred traffic offender as part of the program (or any person involved in conducting the course for or on behalf of the provider) must not disclose the name of, or any other identifying information about, the offender that is obtained in connection with the conduct of the program or course.
Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.
Nothing in subclause (1) prevents an approved traffic course provider or person from disclosing information of the kind referred to in that subclause:
(a) in connection with the conduct of the program or an approved traffic course undertaken as part of the program, or
(b) for the purposes of any legal proceedings, or
(c) in accordance with a requirement of the Ombudsman Act 1974 or with any request made by the Ombudsman, or
(d) with other lawful excuse.
For the purposes of clause 89 (2) of Schedule 2 to the Act, successful completion of the witness intermediary training course provided by the Department of Justice in addition to tertiary qualifications in psychology, social work, speech pathology or occupational therapy are prescribed.
Victims Services in the Department of Justice (or, if the Attorney General has nominated another agency under clause 89 (1) of Schedule 2 to the Act, that agency) may:
(a) suspend or revoke the inclusion of a person on a panel under clause 89 of Schedule 2 to the Act, or
(b) make such inclusion subject to conditions, or
(c) vary or revoke any condition of inclusion or impose additional conditions on inclusion.
The following are prescribed as the form of oath to be taken, or affirmation to be made, respectively, by a children’s champion for the purposes of clause 90 (4) of Schedule 2 to the Act:
(a) I swear that I will well and faithfully communicate questions and answers and make true explanation of all matters and things as may be required of me according to the best of my skill and understanding,
(b) I solemnly and sincerely declare and affirm that I will well and faithfully communicate questions and answers and make true explanation of all matters and things as may be required of me according to the best of my skill and understanding.
A person must either take an oath, or make an affirmation, before acting as a children’s champion in proceedings to which Part 29 of Schedule 2 to the Act applies.
The following fees are payable to a children’s champion (not including the amount of any Goods and Services Tax payable in respect of the relevant work or report):
(a) $144 for each hour of work done,
(b) $550 for each report provided.
For the purposes of paragraph (f) of the definition of
(a) the Independent Commission Against Corruption,
(b) the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, New South Wales,
(c) the Animal Welfare League NSW,
(d) the Australian Federal Police,
(e) the Australian Securities and Investments Commission,
(f) the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency,
(g) the Office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions,
(h) the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission.
For the purposes of the definitions of
(a) the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, New South Wales,
(b) the Animal Welfare League NSW,
(c) the Australian Federal Police,
(d) the Australian Securities and Investments Commission,
(e) the Office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.
For the purposes of section 44 (1) of the Act, Form 4 is the prescribed form of certificate.
For the purposes of section 46 (2) of the Act, the offences referred to in sections 12 and 19A of the Crimes Act 1900 are prescribed as being offences that are not within the jurisdiction of the District Court.
For the purposes of section 220 of the Act, proceedings for or relating to an apprehended violence order commenced under the Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007 are prescribed as proceedings to which Part 3 of Chapter 4 of the Act applies.
For the purposes of section 265 (1) (b) of the Act, Form 5 is the prescribed form of words for the statement about a person’s right to make an election and the consequences of not making an election.
For the purposes of section 266 (2) (a) of the Act, an election may be made orally to the Local Court or by filing a written notice with the Court.
For the purposes of section 266 (2) (b) of the Act, the withdrawal of an election may be made orally to the Local Court or by filing a written notice with the Court.
For the purposes of section 336 of the Act, each offence created by a provision specified in Column 1 of Schedule 3 is prescribed as a penalty notice offence.
For the purposes of section 337 of the Act, the prescribed penalty for any such offence is the amount specified in Column 2 of Schedule 3 opposite the offence.
The registrar of a court may delegate to any person the exercise of any of the functions conferred on the registrar by this Regulation, other than this power of delegation.
The Sheriff may delegate to any person the exercise of any of the functions conferred on the Sheriff by this Regulation, other than this power of delegation.
Any act, matter or thing that, immediately before the repeal of the Criminal Procedure Regulation 2005, had effect under that Regulation continues to have effect under this Regulation.
The amendments to this Regulation made by the Criminal Procedure Amendment (Forum Sentencing Program) Regulation 2010 apply only in relation to criminal proceedings commenced on or after the commencement of that Regulation and offenders the subject of such proceedings.
An offender in relation to whom a suitability assessment order has been made before the commencement of the Criminal Procedure Amendment (Forum Sentencing Intervention Program) Regulation 2014 and in relation to whom the program under Part 7 had not been completed before that commencement, is to be dealt with under Part 7 as if that Regulation had not been made.
From 31 March 2014 to 31 March 2015, the functions of an operations team employee under Part 7 may be exercised by a program administrator (within the meaning of that Part immediately before the commencement of the Criminal Procedure Amendment (Forum Sentencing Intervention Program) Regulation 2014).
(Clause 3 (2))
(Clause 20)
R v [
To the Director of Public Prosecutions:
The defendant [
In accordance with section 151 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986, notice is given to the Director of Public Prosecutions that the defendant intends to adduce evidence tending to prove a contention by the defendant that the defendant is not liable to be convicted of murder by virtue of section 23A of the Crimes Act 1900.
The defendant intends to rely on the evidence of the following persons in support of that contention [
If more space is needed, attach material to this form.
[
Defendant/defendant’s legal practitioner
Date:
(Clause 26)
On this date, I, the undersigned, a Judge of the Supreme Court/Judge of the District Court/Magistrate, sitting at [
I am satisfied, for the reasons stated below, that the application to be excused was made freely and independently of threat or any other improper influence by any person and that:
(a) it is relatively unimportant to the case to establish the facts in relation to which it appears that the spouse of the accused person is to be asked to give evidence or there is other evidence available to establish those facts, and
(b) the offence with which the accused person is charged is of a minor nature.
Reasons:
[
Judge/Magistrate
Date:
(Clause 27)
The deposition of [
The witness’s statement is to be in the first person, and should be reasonably full as to all material facts. The statement should be signed by the witness.
And I hereby certify that I have taken this deposition under section 284 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986 because it has been made to appear to me that the deponent is dangerously ill and that his or her evidence, if not immediately taken, will probably be lost.
[
Justice
Date:
If the deposition is by affirmation or declaration, the form is to be varied accordingly.
(Clause 102)
This is to certify that no further proceedings are to be taken with respect to [
To their Honours the Judges of the Supreme Court. | } |
[
Attorney General/Director of Public Prosecutions
Date:
(Clause 105)
To [
The offence with which you have been charged is an indictable offence. That means that you may be dealt with by a jury.
If you want to be dealt with by a jury you must elect to have the offence dealt with that way.
If you are dealt with by a jury and are found guilty the maximum penalty/term is [
If you do not elect to be dealt with by a jury, you will be dealt with summarily by a Magistrate of the Local Court sitting alone.
If the offence is dealt with summarily by a Magistrate and you are found guilty, the maximum penalty/term is [
You will shortly be provided with a copy of the brief of evidence against you and with your criminal history.
You have to make your decision within [
You may wish to seek legal advice before you make an election.
Regardless of what you do, the prosecuting authority can elect to have the offence dealt with on indictment.
(Clauses 10 and 11)
Item | Matter for which fee payable | Fee |
1 | Filing a court attendance notice under Chapter 4 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986 to commence proceedings to which Parts 2–4 of that Chapter apply | $93 |
2 | Filing an application under Chapter 4 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986 to commence proceedings to which Part 5 of that Chapter applies, being proceedings in the Land and Environment Court (Class 5 of that Court’s jurisdiction) | $937 |
3 | Filing an application to commence summary proceedings brought in the District Court, other than proceedings brought by the secretary of an industrial organisation of employees | $1,852 |
4 | Filing an application to the Local Court for annulment of conviction or sentence under Part 2 of the Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 | $93 |
5 | Filing a notice of appeal, or an application for leave to appeal, to the District Court under Part 3 of the Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001: | |
| $115 | |
| $179 | |
6 | Filing a notice of appeal, or an application for leave to appeal, to the Land and Environment Court under Part 4 of the Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 (Class 6 or 7 of that Court’s jurisdiction) | $937 |
7 | Issuing a certificate of conviction or dismissal | $60 |
8 | Retrieving, providing access to and furnishing a copy of any document (otherwise than as provided for by items 9 and 11): | |
| $13 | |
| $7 | |
9 | Retrieving and providing access to, but not furnishing a copy of, any file or box of files, where the file or box of files is retrieved from an off-site storage facility: |
| $80 per file or box of files | |
| Such additional fee incurred by a court | |
10 | Supplying a duplicate recording of sound-recorded evidence—per disc | $52 |
11 | Providing a copy of any deposition or transcript (unless otherwise provided for under any other Act): | |
| ||
| $89 | |
| $11 | |
| ||
| $109 | |
| $13 |
Item | Matter for which fee payable | Fee |
1 | Attending a view by a jury in criminal proceedings | $184 |
(Clause 15A)
Barangaroo Delivery Authority
Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust
Department of Education and Communities, but only in relation to offences against the following Acts or the regulations made under them:
(a) the Combat Sports Act 2008,
(b) the Combat Sports Act 2013,
(c) the Motor Vehicle Sports (Public Safety) Act 1985,
(d) the Mount Panorama Motor Racing Act 1989,
(e) the Sporting Venues Authorities Act 2008,
(f) the Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Act 1978,
(g) the Sydney Olympic Park Authority Act 2001.
Department of Finance and Services, but only in relation to offences against the following Acts or the regulations made under them or the following regulation:
(a) the Associations Incorporation Act 2009,
(b) the Australian Consumer Law (NSW),
(c) the Boarding Houses Act 2012,
(d) the Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013,
(e) the Community Land Management Act 1989,
(f) the Contracts Review Act 1980,
(g) the Conveyancers Licensing Act 2003,
(h) the Co-operative Housing and Starr-Bowkett Societies Act 1998,
(i) the Co-operatives Act 1992,
(j) the Co-operatives National Law (NSW),
(k) the Crimes Act 1900,
(l) the Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2004,
(m) the Fair Trading Act 1987,
(n) the Fitness Services (Pre-paid Fees) Act 2000,
(o) the Funeral Funds Act 1979,
(p) the Gas Supply (Consumer Safety) Regulation 2012,
(q) the Holiday Parks (Long-term Casual Occupation) Act 2002,
(r) the Home Building Act 1989,
(s) the HomeFund Commissioner Act 1993,
(t) the Landlord and Tenant Act 1899,
(u) the Landlord and Tenant (Amendment) Act 1948,
(v) the Motor Dealers Act 1974,
(w) the Motor Dealers and Repairers Act 2013,
(x) (Repealed)
(y) the Partnership Act 1892,
(z) the Pawnbrokers and Second-hand Dealers Act 1996,
(aa) the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2011,
(bb) the Prices Regulation Act 1948,
(cc) the Property, Stock and Business Agents Act 2002,
(dd) the Residential (Land Lease) Communities Act 2013,
(ee) the Residential Parks Act 1998,
(ff) the Residential Tenancies Act 2010,
(gg) the Retirement Villages Act 1999,
(hh) the Strata Schemes Management Act 1996,
(ii) the Tattoo Parlours Act 2012,
(jj) the Travel Agents Act 1986,
(kk) the Valuers Act 2003.
Department of Primary Industries, Department of Trade and Investment, Regional Infrastructure and Services, but only in relation to offences against the following Acts or the regulations made under them:
(a) the Fisheries Act 1935,
(b) the Fisheries Management Act 1994,
(c) the Water Act 1912,
(d) the Water Management Act 2000.
Destination NSW
Environment Protection Authority
Government Property NSW
Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales
Hunter Development Corporation
Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority
Lifetime Care and Support Authority
Local Land Services
Long Service Corporation
Motor Accidents Authority
New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation
NSW Food Authority
NSW Self Insurance Corporation
NSW Trustee and Guardian
Office of Environment and Heritage, Department of Premier and Cabinet, but only in relation to offences against the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 or the regulations made under it
Parramatta Park Trust
Rail Corporation New South Wales
Rental Bond Board
Roads and Maritime Services, but only in relation to offences against the following Acts or the regulations made under them or the following regulation:
(a) the Heavy Vehicle National Law (NSW),
(b) the Marine Safety Act 1998,
(c) the Road Transport (Vehicle and Driver Management) Act 2005,
(d) the Road Transport (Mass, Loading and Access) Regulation 2005 only in respect of offences relating to heavy vehicles,
(e) the Tow Truck Industry Act 1998.
The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust
State Records Authority of New South Wales
State Transit Authority of NSW
Statutory State owned corporations (within the meaning of the State Owned Corporations Act 1989) that represent the Crown by express agreement of the voting shareholders as referred to in section 20F of that Act
Sydney Ferries
Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority
Sydney Metro
Sydney Olympic Park Authority
Teacher Housing Authority NSW
UrbanGrowth NSW Development Corporation
Venues NSW
Western Sydney Parklands Trust
WorkCover Authority of NSW
Zoological Parks Board
(Clause 106)
Column 1 | Column 2 |
Offence | Amount of penalty |
section 117, if value of property or amount does not exceed $300 | $300 |
section 527C (1) | $350 |
section 4 (1) | $500 |
section 4A (1) | $500 |
section 6 | $200 |
section 6A | $250 |
section 9 | $1,100 |
0
0
0