Witness Protection Regulations 1995

Administered by Department of Home Affairs

Legislation au F1996B00046 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

Witness Protection Regulations 1995

Statutory Rules 1995 No. 68 as amended

made under the

Witness Protection Act 1994

This compilation was prepared on 4 March 2010
taking into account amendments up to SLI 2010 No. 18

Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting and Publishing,
AttorneyGeneral’s Department, Canberra

Contents

 1 Name of Regulations [see Note 1]

 2 Commencement 

 3 Interpretation 

 4 Permission not to disclose former identity—prescribed form 

 5 Meaning of civil proceeding

Schedule 1 Forms 

Form 1 Permission under the Witness Protection Act 1994 for a participant not to disclose his or her original identity or a former NWPP identity             

Form 2 Permission under a law of a State or Territory for a participant not to disclose his or her original identity or former NWPP identity             

Notes   

 

 

 

1 Name of Regulations [see Note 1]

  These Regulations may be cited as the Witness Protection Regulations 1995.

2 Commencement

  These Regulations commence on 18 April 1995.

3 Interpretation

 (1) In these Regulations, unless the contrary intention appears:

Act means the Witness Protection Act 1994.

 (2) In these Regulations, a reference to a form by number is a reference to the form so numbered in Schedule 1.

4 Permission not to disclose former identity—prescribed form

 (1) For the purposes of subsection 16 (1) of the Act, Form 1 is prescribed.

 (2) For the purposes of subsection 16 (5) of the Act, Form 2 is prescribed.

5 Meaning of civil proceeding

  For paragraph (d) of the definition of civil proceeding in subsection 27A (3) of the Act, each of the following is prescribed:

 (a) an application for a restraining order under Part 21 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002;

 (b) an examination conducted under Part 31 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

 

Schedule 1 Forms

(regulation 4)

Form 1 Permission under the Witness Protection Act 1994 for a participant not to disclose his or her original identity or a former NWPP identity

  Subsection 16 (1) of the Witness Protection Act 1994

  I, [insert name], the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, acting under subsection 16 (1) of the Witness Protection Act 1994, give permission to [insert name of participant], a participant within the meaning of section 16 of that Act:

 (a) who has been provided with a new identity under the National Witness Protection Program; and

 (b) who would, apart from section 16 of that Act, be required by or under a law of the Commonwealth to disclose his or her original identity /former NWPP identity provided on [insert date] for a particular purpose, namely [specify the purpose];

not to disclose that identity for that particular purpose.

Dated

________________________

[signature of Commissioner]

_________________

Form 2 Permission under a law of a State or Territory for a participant not to disclose his or her original identity or former NWPP identity

  Subsection 16 (5) of the Witness Protection Act 1994

  I, [insert name], the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, acting under [specify provision] of [specify State or Territory law] of [specify State or Territory], a complementary witness protection law within the meaning of the Witness Protection Act 1994 of the Commonwealth (the Witness Protection Act), give permission to [insert name of participant], being a participant within the meaning of section 16 of the Witness Protection Act:

 (a) who has been provided with a new identity under the National Witness Protection Program under the Witness Protection Act; and

 (b) who would, apart from section 16 of the Witness Protection Act, be required by or under a law of the Commonwealth to disclose his or her original identity /former NWPP identity provided on [insert date] for a particular purpose, namely [specify the purpose];

not to disclose that identity for that particular purpose.

Dated

________________________

[signature of Commissioner]

Notes to the Witness Protection Regulations 1995

Note 1

The Witness Protection Regulations 1995 (in force under the Witness Protection Act 1994) as shown in this compilation comprise Statutory Rules 1995 No. 68 amended as indicated in the Tables below.

Table of Instruments

Year and
Number

Date of notification
in Gazette or FRLI registration

Date of
commencement

Application, saving or
transitional provisions

1995 No. 68

11 Apr 1995

18 Apr 1995

 

2010 No. 18

3 Mar 2010 (see F2010L00513)

4 Mar 2010

Table of Amendments

ad. = added or inserted      am. = amended      rep. = repealed      rs. = repealed and substituted

Provision affected

How affected

R. 5.................

ad. 2010  No. 18

Schedule 1

 

Schedule 1............

rs. 2010 No. 18

 

 The terms ‘original identity’ and ‘former NWPP identity’ have the same meaning as provided by section 3 of the Witness Protection Act.  Omit whichever is not applicable.

 

 The terms ‘original identity’ and ‘former NWPP identity’ have the same meaning as provided by section 3 of the Witness Protection Act.  Omit whichever is not applicable.

 

Overview

The Witness Protection Regulations 1995, made under the Witness Protection Act 1994, were enacted to address the problem of protecting witnesses, particularly those involved in organised crime, from retribution. This legislation was introduced by the Australian Parliament to provide a comprehensive framework for safeguarding witnesses who are at risk of harm if their identities are disclosed. The primary policy objective of these regulations is to facilitate the protection of witnesses by allowing them to adopt new identities while ensuring their safety and the integrity of the judicial process. The regulations establish prescribed forms for obtaining permission for a participant not to disclose their former identity, which is crucial in maintaining the confidentiality required to protect witnesses effectively.

Scope and Application

The Witness Protection Regulations 1995, made under the Witness Protection Act 1994, provide specific guidelines and procedures for protecting the identities of participants in the National Witness Protection Program (NWPP). These regulations apply to participants who have been granted new identities under the NWPP and are subject to Commonwealth laws that would otherwise require them to disclose their original or former NWPP identities. The scope of these regulations is limited to Commonwealth applications and does not extend to state or territory laws unless explicitly stated otherwise. The regulations detail the forms (Forms 1 and 2) that must be used to request permission for participants not to disclose their identities in specific circumstances. These regulations are designed to ensure that the anonymity of participants is maintained in a way that complies with both federal and, where applicable, state or territory laws. The regulations came into effect on 18 April 1995 and have been amended to reflect changes in related laws, such as the inclusion of certain proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Key Provisions

The Witness Protection Regulations 1995, made under the Witness Protection Act 1994, establish specific procedures and forms required for participants in the National Witness Protection Program to obtain permission not to disclose their original or former identities. Regulation 4 specifies two prescribed forms: Form 1 for permission under the Act (subsection 16(1)) and Form 2 for permission under State or Territory law (subsection 16(5)). These forms are crucial for participants who have been given a new identity and need authorisation to withhold their previous identities in certain circumstances. The regulations impose specific obligations on the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, who must sign the prescribed forms to grant the necessary permissions. These obligations ensure that the Commissioner follows the legal requirements when providing authorisation for a participant to withhold their identity. Additionally, the regulations mandate the inclusion of particular details on the forms, such as the participant's name, the date, and the specific purpose for which the identity is being withheld. Failure to comply with the requirements set out in these regulations can result in legal consequences. While the regulations themselves do not explicitly state penalties for non-compliance, breaches of the underlying Act or associated State or Territory laws could lead to civil or criminal penalties. For instance, under the Witness Protection Act 1994, serious breaches may attract fines or imprisonment. The exact penalties would depend on the nature of the breach and the jurisdiction in which it occurs.

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