ACTIn ForceAct
Evidence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1991
79AMeaning of protected confidence—div 4.4.3
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79A Meaning of protected confidence—div 4.4.3
(1) For this division, a protected confidence is a counselling
communication made by, to or about a person against whom a sexual
offence or family violence offence was, or is alleged to have been,
committed (the counselled person).
(2) A counselling communication is a protected confidence even if––
(a) it is made before the happening, or alleged happening, of the acts
constituting the sexual offence or family violence offence; or
(b) it is not made in relation to––
(i) the sexual offence or any sexual offence; or
(ii) a condition arising from the sexual offence or any sexual
(iii) the family violence offence or any family violence offence;
or
(iv) a condition arising from the family violence offence or any
family violence offence.
(3) For this section, a counselling communication is a communication
made in circumstances that give rise to a reasonable expectation of
confidentiality or a duty of confidentiality—
(a) by the counselled person to a counsellor for the purpose, or in
the course, of the counselling relationship between the
counselled person and the counsellor; or
(b) to or about the counselled person by the counsellor for the
purpose, or in the course, of the counselling relationship
between the counselled person and the counsellor; or
(c) by the counselled person to a third party mentioned in
counsellor; or
(d) to the counselled person by a third party mentioned in
counsellor; or
(e) about the counselled person by a third party mentioned in
counsellor to—
(i) the counselled person; or
(ii) the counsellor; or
(iii) another third party to whom subsection (4) applies; or
(f) about the counselled person by a counsellor to someone else
who has also been a counsellor for the counselled person; or
(g) about the counselled person to a counsellor by someone else
who has also been a counsellor for the counselled person.
(4) For this section, in deciding whether a communication was made in
circumstances that gave rise to a reasonable expectation of
confidentiality, it does not matter that the communication was made
in the presence of a third party, if the third party was present to assist
or encourage communication between the counselled person and
counsellor or otherwise assist the counselling process.
Examples—third parties
1 a parent, partner, carer, spiritual adviser or other supportive person
2 a person present at the request of the counsellor to take notes of the counselling
session
family violence offence includes alleged family violence offence.
sexual offence includes alleged sexual offence.