(1) A person who makes
a statement purporting to be a disclosure of public interest
information —
(a)
knowing it to be false in a material particular or being reckless about
whether it is false in a material particular; or
(b)
knowing it to be misleading in a material particular or being reckless about
whether it is misleading in a material particular,
commits an offence.
Penalty: $12 000 or imprisonment for one
year.
(2) A person who makes
a statement in contravention of this section is not protected by this Act in
respect of that statement, whether or not it is truly a disclosure of public
interest information.