Senate debates

Monday, 30 November 2015

Questions without Notice

Special Minister of State

2:00 pm

Photo of George BrandisGeorge Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Collins, I could, if I chose to, give you a very long talk about the law relating to search warrants. But I think it is sufficient for me to say, as I said last week, that the mere fact of a search warrant being executed is no indication that a crime has been committed. A search warrant is sought and obtained on certain grounds. The mere fact that a search warrant is sought and obtained is not probative of guilt. For example, it could never be the case that the fact that a search warrant was executed would be admissible in evidence in the Crown case, were there to be a prosecution. The purpose of a search warrant is to locate documents and things. It is not probative of guilt.

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