Electoral (Amendment) Act 2015

Review by Standards in Public Office Commission - direction

5. Section 4 of the Electoral Act 1997 is amended by inserting after subsection (4) the following:

“(4A) Where a person fails to comply with a requirement made of him or her under subsection (4) within such time as the Standards in Public Office Commission considers reasonable, it may direct the person to furnish it with such information, document or thing specified in the direction within such period of time mentioned in the direction and, if the person fails to comply with the direction within that period, the person commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a class D fine.

(4B) Any information furnished by a person (other than information that the person knows is false or misleading) to the Standards in Public Office Commission pursuant to a direction under subsection (4A) is not admissible as evidence in proceedings brought against the person for an offence.

(4C) It shall be a defence for a person charged with an offence under subsection (4A) to show that the information, document or thing the subject of the direction was not in his or her possession or control and that it was not reasonably practicable for him or her to comply with the direction.”.