Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

CRIMES ACT 1914 - SECT 35

  (1)   A person commits an offence if:

  (a)   the person gives false testimony touching a matter; and

  (b)   the person does so:

  (i)   in a judicial proceeding; or

  (ii)   with the intention of instituting a judicial proceeding; and

  (c)   the matter is material in the judicial proceeding; and

  (d)   the judicial proceeding is a federal judicial proceeding.

Penalty:   Imprisonment for 5 years.

  (2)   Strict liability applies to the paragraph   (1)(c) element of the offence.

Note:   For strict liability, see section   6.1 of the Criminal Code .

  (3)   Absolute liability applies to the paragraph   (1)(d) element of the offence.

Note:   For absolute liability, see section   6.2 of the Criminal Code .

  (4)   For the purposes of this section, it is immaterial:

  (a)   whether the testimony is given:

  (i)   on oath or not on oath; or

  (ii)   orally or in writing; or

  (b)   whether the court or judicial tribunal to which the testimony is given:

  (i)   is properly constituted; or

  (ii)   is held in the proper place; or

  (c)   whether the person who gave the testimony is a competent witness; or

  (d)   whether the testimony is admissible.