After a long court battle over care and protection issues I have finally had my children returned to me by the Department of Family and Community Services. The only problem is that I now share parental responsibility with the department. They are responsible for corresponding with my ex-husband and arranging supervised contact visits. I have already moved three times to get away from my ex-husband. How can I make sure the department don’t release my contact details to him?
Lawyer Answers (1): Answers from lawyers are general preliminary responses. They are not formal legal advice and cannot taken account of all your circumstances. They do not create a lawyer–client relationship.
Answer by Madylene Mendiola, Doonside 2767 NSW
- Contact the relevant department or agency first to find out their privacy policy.
- A government department or agency will not usually give out your private information unless:
- you give your consent;
- it is authorised or required by law; or
- the information is exempt from privacy obligations under the Australian Privacy Principles (see our Legal Guide on Privacy).
- The department or agency will notify you if a third party is seeking to access your personal information through a freedom of information application. You are able to choose whether to refuse or allow the third party to have access to your information.
- If you are unhappy with the way your private information was handled, you may lodge a complaint. Our Legal Guide on Freedom of Information has information about complaint procedures.