Australian Capital Territory Consolidated Acts Australian Capital Territory Consolidated Acts(1) This section applies to any of the following people (a witness ) giving evidence in a proceeding:
(a) a child;
(b) a witness with a disability.
(2) The court must, on application by a party that intends to call a witness, order that, while the witness gives evidence, the witness have a person (a "support person") in the court who is—
(a) for a witness with a vision impairment—close enough to the witness for the court to be satisfied that the witness is aware of the person's presence; or
(b) for any other witness—close to the witness and within the witness's sight.
(3) The court may order that a witness have more than 1 support person if it considers it is in the interests of justice.
(4) The support person must not—
(a) speak for the witness during the proceeding; or
(b) otherwise interfere in the proceeding.
(5) Unless the court otherwise orders, the support person must not be, or be likely to be, a witness or party in the proceeding.
(6) If the proceeding is a trial by jury, the court must tell the jury that—
(a) a witness having a support person in the court while giving evidence is a usual practice; and
(b) the jury must not draw any inference against the accused person, or give the evidence more or less weight, because the support person is present.