Defamation (Matters of Public Interest) Amendment Bill 1999* (Qld)

Queensland

DEFAMATION (MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST) AMENDMENT BILL 1999

Section Page 1 Short title 2.0... eee eee 4 2 Act amended .......... 0.0 e eee 4 3 Insertion of news 5A... 0.0... eee eee eee 4

5A What is "corrupt conduct" ........... 6... e cece cece 4 4 Insertion of news 15A... 2... ee eee eee 5

15A — Protection—corrupt conduct of public officials................. 5

Queensland (hah

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DEFAMATION (MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST) AMENDMENT BILL 1999

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

A BILL

FOR

An Act to amend the Defamation Act 1889

sl 4 s3

Defamation (Matters of Public Interest) Amendment

The Parliament of Queensland enacts—

Short title

Clause 1. This Act may be cited as the Defamation (Matters of Public Interest) Amendment Act 1999.

Act amended Clause 2. This Act amends the Defamation Act 1889.

Insertion of new s 5A Clause 3. Part 2, after section 5— insert— 'What is "corrupt conduct"

'5A.(1) "Corrupt conduct", of a public official, means conduct that may constitute or involve—

(a) an offence, or an attempt to commit an offence, that involves corruption; or

(b) aconspiracy to commit an offence that involves corruption; or

(c) official misconduct within the meaning of the Criminal Justice

Act 1989. "(2) Conduct of a public official is "corrupt conduct" even though—

(a) a proceeding against the public official for an offence can no longer be brought or continued; or

(b) the person was not a public official when the conduct first happened or is no longer a public official.

"(3) Also, conduct of a public official is "corrupt conduct" even though it happened outside Queensland if it would be corrupt conduct if it happened in Queensland. 12 14 17 20 22 24 s4 5 s4

Defamation (Matters of Public Interest) Amendment

"(4) In this section—

"public official" means— (a) a Minister; or (b) amember of the Legislative Assembly, other than a Minister; or (c) astaffmember of a Minister; or