40APower to audit declarations made by exempt workers

40A Power to audit declarations made by exempt workers

40A Power to audit declarations made by exempt workers

(1) This section applies to a statutory declaration provided to an employer by an exempt worker that contains information relating to the offences specified in Schedule 2.

(2) The Children’s Guardian may audit the accuracy of the statutory declaration, or may authorise a person to carry out such an audit.

(3) The Children’s Guardian may authorise a person under this section only if the Privacy Commissioner advises the Children’s Guardian, in writing, that the Privacy Commissioner is satisfied that the person is able to adequately provide for the security of any information obtained in the exercise of functions pursuant to the authorisation.

(4) The Commissioner of Police is authorised to disclose (or arrange for a member of the NSW Police Force to disclose) the following information for the purposes of this section—

(a) information relating to spent convictions, despite anything to the contrary in the Criminal Records Act 1991,

(b) information relating to offences, despite anything to the contrary in section 579 of the Crimes Act 1900.

(5) If a person authorised under this section reasonably believes that a statutory declaration is inaccurate, the person must, as soon as practicable, inform the Children’s Guardian and provide any information relevant to that belief to the Children’s Guardian.

(6) The Children’s Guardian may disclose information obtained under this section to the following persons—

(a) the person who made the statutory declaration,

(b) the employer of that person,

(c) a police officer of the State or of the Commonwealth or another State or Territory,

(d) the Ombudsman,

(e) any other investigative agency that the Children’s Guardian considers appropriate,

(f) the Department,

(g) the Director of Public Prosecutions,