Victorian Current Acts Victorian Current Acts(1) Parliament may expressly declare in an Act that that Act or a provision of that Act or another Act or a provision of another Act has effect despite being incompatible with one or more of the human rights or despite anything else set out in this Charter.
(2) If an override declaration is made in respect of an Act or a provision of an Act that declaration must be taken to extend to any subordinate instrument made under or for the purpose of that Act or provision.
S. 31(3) amended by No. 20/2022 s. 22.
(3) A member of Parliament who introduces a Bill containing an override declaration, or another member acting on the member's behalf, must make a statement to the Legislative Council or the Legislative Assembly, as the case requires, explaining the exceptional circumstances that justify the inclusion of the override declaration.
(4) It is the intention of Parliament that an override declaration will only be made in exceptional circumstances.
(5) A statement under subsection (3) must be made—
(a) during the second reading speech for the Bill that contains the override declaration; or
(b) after not less than 24 hours' notice is given of the intention to make the statement but before the third reading of the Bill; or
(c) with the leave of the Legislative Council or the Legislative Assembly, as the case requires, at any time before the third reading of the Bill.
(6) If an override declaration is made in respect of a statutory provision, then to the extent of the declaration this Charter has no application to that provision.
Note
As the Charter has no application to a statutory provision for which an override declaration has been made, the Supreme Court cannot make a declaration of inconsistent interpretation in respect of that statutory provision. Also, the requirement under section 32 to interpret that provision in a way that is compatible with human rights does not apply.
(7) A provision of an Act containing an override declaration expires on the 5th anniversary of the day on which that provision comes into operation or on such earlier date as may be specified in that Act.
(8) Parliament may, at any time, re-enact an override declaration, and the provisions of this section apply to any re-enacted declaration.
(9) A failure to comply with subsection (3) or (5) in relation to any Bill that becomes an Act does not affect the validity, operation or enforcement of that Act or of any other statutory provision.
Division 3—Interpretation of laws