Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

EVIDENCE ACT 1995 - SECT 158

  (1)   If:

  (a)   a public document, or a certified copy of a public document, of a State or Territory is admissible for a purpose in that State or Territory under the law of that State or Territory; and

  (b)   it purports to be sealed, or signed and sealed, or signed alone, as directed by the law of that State or Territory;

it is admissible in evidence to the same extent and for that purpose in all courts:

  (c)   without proof of:

  (i)   the seal or signature; or

  (ii)   the official character of the person appearing to have signed it; and

  (d)   without further proof in every case in which the original document could have been received in evidence.

  (2)   A public document of a State or Territory that is admissible in evidence for any purpose in that State or Territory under the law of that State or Territory without proof of:

  (a)   the seal or signature authenticating the document; or

  (b)   the judicial or official character of the person appearing to have signed the document;

is admissible in evidence to the same extent and for any purpose in all courts without such proof.

  (3)   This section only applies to documents that are public records of a State or Territory.

Note 2:   Section   5 extends the operation of this provision to proceedings in all Australian courts.