Queensland Consolidated Regulations

CRIMINAL PRACTICE RULES 1999 - REG 54AL

54AL Court may give directions in relation to interpreters

(1) The court may at any time, having regard to the nature of a proceeding (including the type of allegations made in the proceeding and the characteristics of the parties, the witnesses and the accused person), give directions relating to 1 or more of the following matters—

(a) any particular attributes required or not required for an interpreter to accommodate any cultural or other reasonable concerns of a party, a witness or the accused person, including, but not limited to—

(i) gender; and

(ii) age; and

(iii) ethnic, cultural or social background;

(b) the number of interpreters required in the proceeding and whether relay interpreting should be used;

(c) establishing the expertise of an interpreter;

(d) the steps to be taken to obtain an interpreter who is certified, registered or recognised by a recognised agency or is otherwise qualified to act as an interpreter;

(e) the steps to be taken before an order under rule 54AG is made;

(f) the information about the proceeding that may be provided to a person in advance of any hearing in the proceeding to assist the person to prepare to act as an interpreter for the hearing, including, but not limited to—

(i) the indictment or charge sheet; and

(ii) affidavits and statements; and

(iii) lists of witnesses; and

(iv) other documents;

(g) when, and in what circumstances and under what conditions (if any), the information mentioned in paragraph (f) may be provided;

(h) whether an interpreter is to interpret a witness’s evidence consecutively, simultaneously or in some other way;

(i) other resources an interpreter may need to consult in the course of acting as an interpreter, including, for example, dictionaries and other reference works;

(j) the length of time for which an interpreter should interpret during a hearing without a break;

(k) security for an interpreter, including, if necessary, arrangements to preserve the anonymity of the interpreter;

(l) practical matters relating to an interpreter, including, for example, the seating for and the location of the interpreter, and any necessary equipment to assist the interpreter;

(m) the disqualification, removal or withdrawal of an interpreter, including on the application of the interpreter or any party to the proceeding or by the court on its own initiative;

(n) the payment of interpreters;

(o) any other direction the court considers appropriate.

(2) Subrule (1) does not limit the generality of the court’s power to control its own procedures.