Commonwealth Consolidated Acts Commonwealth Consolidated Acts(1) A person appearing as a witness at an inquiry by a Commission shall not:
(a) refuse or fail to be sworn or to make an affirmation; or
(b) refuse or fail to answer a question that the person is required to answer by the Commissioner presiding at the inquiry; or
(c) refuse or fail to produce a document that the person was required to produce by a summons under this Act served on him or her.
Penalty: Imprisonment for 6 months or 10 penalty units, or both.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply if the person has a reasonable excuse.
Note: The defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in subsection (2). See subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code .
(3) An offence under subsection (1) is an offence of strict liability.
Note: For strict liability, see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code .