57   Power to summon witnesses and require written information

(1)  The President of the Board or any other member authorised by the Board may, by notice in writing, summon any person to attend at the place and time specified in the notice:

(a)  for the purpose of giving evidence before the Board, or

(b)  for the purpose of providing any document,

      with respect to any matter within the jurisdiction of the Board.

(2)  The chairperson of the Investigating Committee may, by notice in writing, summon any person to attend at the time and place specified in the notice:

(a)  for the purpose of giving evidence before the Investigating Committee, or

(b)  for the purpose of providing any document,

      with respect to any investigation of a complaint by that Committee.

(3)  A person who is duly summoned shall not, without reasonable cause:

(a)  fail or neglect to attend after reasonable expenses have been paid or tendered to the person,

(b)  refuse to be sworn or to make a statutory declaration, or

(c)  refuse to answer any lawful question.

Maximum penalty (subsection (3)): 20 penalty units.

(4)  A registered veterinary surgeon who is duly summoned is guilty of misconduct in a professional respect if the veterinary surgeon, without reasonable cause:

(a)  fails or neglects to attend after reasonable expenses have been paid or tendered to the veterinary surgeon, or

(b)  refuses to be sworn or to make a statutory declaration, or

(c)  refuses to answer any lawful question.

(5)  The chairperson of the Investigating Committee may, by notice in writing, require any person to provide, in accordance with directions in the notice and within the time specified in it, such information, verified by statutory declaration, as is relevant to the investigation of a complaint and is specified in the notice.

(6)  A person must not, without reasonable cause, refuse or fail to comply with a requirement under subsection (5).

Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.

(7)  A veterinary surgeon who fails, without reasonable cause, to comply with a requirement under subsection (5) is guilty of misconduct in a professional respect.