Queensland Consolidated Acts Queensland Consolidated Acts(1) The Minister may, for the purpose of—
(a) ascertaining whether there is any liability on a person to pay an amount of royalty under this Act, and if so, the amount of the liability; or
(b) ascertaining whether a person is required to comply with this part or whether this part has been contravened or not complied with by a person in any respect; or
(c) inquiring into any matter connected with the administration of this part;
require a person—
(d) to lodge a royalty return as prescribed in respect of a specified period, whether or not any mineral has been mined during that period; or
(e) to give information of a kind and in a form or manner required or to produce records (or copies thereof) (being information or records believed to be within the knowledge, in the custody or under the control of the person) at a place and within a time specified by the Minister, to the Minister or an officer authorised by the Minister; or
(f) to attend before the Minister or other officer specified by the Minister at a time and place specified by the Minister and there to give information and to produce records of a kind specified (being information or records believed to be within the knowledge, in the custody or under the control of the person) and to answer questions or to do all or any of those things.
(2) A person appointed for that purpose by the Minister and all other persons acting in aid of the person may enter any place wherein or whereon that person suspects on reasonable grounds that there are accounts, records, documents or other information in respect of which a requirement could be made under subsection (1), may search for and require production at that place, at the mining registrar's office or at any other specified place of such accounts, records, documents and information and may examine, copy and make extracts from any such accounts, records, documents and information.
(3) Before a person referred to in subsection (2) enters a part of any place which part is used exclusively as a dwelling house the person shall, save where the person has the permission of the occupier of that part to the person's entry, obtain from a justice a warrant to enter.
(4) A justice who is satisfied upon the complaint of a person referred to in subsection (2) that there is reasonable cause to suspect that in any place there are accounts, records, documents or other information referred to in subsection (2), may issue the justice's warrant directed to the complainant to enter the place named in the warrant for the purpose of exercising therein the powers conferred upon that person under this Act.
(5) A complaint made under subsection (4) shall be made on oath or affirmation and shall set out the grounds on which the suspicion of the person making the same is based.
(6) A justice who is the chief executive or other officer of the department of the Government for the time being administering this Act is not competent to issue a warrant to which subsections (3), (4) and (8) apply.
(7) A justice who issues the justice's warrant pursuant to subsection (4) shall forward a copy of the warrant to the mining registrar for the mining district in which the dwelling house is situated.
(8) A warrant shall be, for the period of 1 month from the date of its issue, sufficient authority for the person named therein and all persons acting in aid of the person—
(a) to enter the place specified in the warrant; and
(b) to exercise therein the powers conferred upon the person named therein by or under this Act.
(9) In subsections (3) to (8) premises that are used as a dwelling house do not include the curtilage of those premises.
(10) The Minister or an officer authorised by the Minister pursuant to subsection (1) may require information sought under this section to be given, verbally on oath or in writing by statutory declaration, as the case may be, and for that purpose the Minister, that officer or any justice may administer an oath or take a declaration.
(11) The Minister or an officer authorised by the Minister pursuant to subsection (1) may cause to be made copies of or extracts from the whole or part of the information or accounts, records or documents produced in accordance with subsection (1).
(12) A requirement pursuant to subsection (1) which requires a person to give information to, to attend before or to produce accounts, records or documents to an officer authorised by the Minister pursuant to subsection (1) may specify that officer by name or by the office that the officer holds.
(13) Notwithstanding that a requirement made pursuant to subsection (1) requires a person to give information to, to attend before or to produce accounts, records or documents to an officer whose name or office is specified in the requirement, the Minister may at any time (without notice to the person to whom the notice was given) authorise another officer for that purpose to exercise any power or perform any duty that the officer would be able to exercise or perform if the officer were authorised pursuant to subsection (1).
(14) Any reasonable expenses incurred by a person whose attendance is required under this section which are acceptable to the Minister may be allowed.