Disposal of packets

1 The packets and parcels must be safely kept for 6 months unopened, unless a court of competent jurisdiction or the House of Representatives orders them, or any of them, to be opened. 2 At the end of 6 months, the packets and parcels must be destroyed unopened in the presence of the Clerk of the House of Representatives and an Electoral Commissioner . 3 Despite subsection (2), a packet or parcel may not be destroyed so long as the packet or parcel is, or may reasonably be expected to be, required for the purposes of an investigation into, or a prosecution of, an offence against this Act. Section 189 : substituted , on 28 February 2002 , by section 75 of the Electoral Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 1). Section 189(2) : amended , on 1 October 2010 , by section 32(2)(a) of the Electoral (Administration) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 26).