Can an Australian government agency reveal personal information about an individual to their spouse or a third party such as a member of their family?
I want to get some information about my great uncle. I lent him money a few years ago and he never repayed the loan. I cannot contact him and want to get access to his personal information such as contact number and address. Can I get this information from an Australian government agency?
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.
- No. This is not permitted by law. Your uncle's private information will be protected by the Australian privacy laws.
- If a government agency has not told your uncle that it may disclose the information to a family member and if he has not consented to the information being given then under normal circumstances the government agency is not permitted by law to reveal it to you.
- It is only in some restricted circumstances that a government agency is permitted to reveal information to a person’s spouse or anyone else.
- A government agency may only reveal personal information to someone else if this is necessary to prevent or lessen a threat of death or injury to that person or to someone else or if the government agency is required to do so by a specific law.