Australian Capital Territory Consolidated Acts Australian Capital Territory Consolidated Acts(1) The board must not include a comment in a report of an inquiry that is adverse to an entity who is identifiable from the report unless the board has, before making the report, given the entity a copy of the proposed comment and a written notice under subsection (2).
(2) The written notice to the entity must—
(a) tell the entity that the entity may—
(i) make a submission to the board in relation to the proposed adverse comment; or
(ii) give the board a written statement in relation to the proposed adverse comment; and
(b) tell the entity that, if the entity makes a submission or gives a written statement in relation to the comment, the submission or statement, or a summary of it, will be included in the board's report of the inquiry; and
(c) state the period within which a submission in relation to the comment may be made or statement given.
(3) The period allowed under subsection (2) (c) must end not earlier than 14 days after the day the notice is given.
(4) A copy of a submission made, or statement given, in relation to the comment within the time allowed must be included in the board's report of the inquiry.
(5) However, if the board is satisfied on reasonable
grounds that a submission made, or statement given, in relation to the comment
is excessively long or contains defamatory or offensive language, the board
may include a fair summary of the submission or statement in the report of the
inquiry instead of the submission or statement.