2.1 An organisation must not use or disclose personal information about an individual for a purpose (the secondary purpose ) other than the primary purpose of collection unless:
(a) both of the following apply:
(i) the secondary purpose is related to the primary purpose of collection and, if the personal information is sensitive information, directly related to the primary purpose of collection;
(ii) the individual would reasonably expect the organisation to use or disclose the information for the secondary purpose; or
(b) the individual has consented to the use or disclosure; or
(c) if the information is not sensitive information and the use of the information is for the secondary purpose of direct marketing:
(i) it is impracticable for the organisation to seek the individual’s consent before that particular use; and
(ii) the organisation will not charge the individual for giving effect to a request by the individual to the organisation not to receive direct marketing communications; and
(iii) the individual has not made a request to the organisation not to receive direct marketing communications; and
(iv) in each direct marketing communication with the individual, the organisation draws to the individual’s attention, or prominently displays a notice, that he or she may express a wish not to receive any further direct marketing communications; and
(v) each written direct marketing communication by the organisation with the individual (up to and including the communication that involves the use) sets out the organisation’s business address and telephone number and, if the communication with the individual is made by fax, telex or other electronic means, a number or address at which the organisation can be directly contacted electronically; or
(d) if the information is health information and the use or disclosure is necessary for research, or the compilation or analysis of statistics, relevant to public health or public safety:
(i) it is impracticable for the organisation to seek the individual’s consent before the use or disclosure; and
(ii) the use or disclosure is conducted in accordance with guidelines approved by the Commissioner under section 95A for the purposes of this subparagraph; and
(iii) in the case of disclosure—the organisation reasonably believes that the recipient of the health information will not disclose the health information, or personal information derived from the health information; or
(e) the organisation reasonably believes that the use or disclosure is necessary to lessen or prevent:
(i) a serious and imminent threat to an individual’s life, health or safety; or
(ii) a serious threat to public health or public safety; or
(f) the organisation has reason to suspect that unlawful activity has been, is being or may be engaged in, and uses or discloses the personal information as a necessary part of its investigation of the matter or in reporting its concerns to relevant persons or authorities; or
(g) the use or disclosure is required or authorised by or under law; or
(h) the organisation reasonably believes that the use or disclosure is reasonably necessary for one or more of the following by or on behalf of an enforcement body:
(i) the prevention, detection, investigation, prosecution or punishment of criminal offences, breaches of a law imposing a penalty or sanction or breaches of a prescribed law;
(ii) the enforcement of laws relating to the confiscation of the proceeds of crime;
(iii) the protection of the public revenue;
(iv) the prevention, detection, investigation or remedying of seriously improper conduct or prescribed conduct;
(v) the preparation for, or conduct of, proceedings before any court or tribunal, or implementation of the orders of a court or tribunal.
Note 1: It is not intended to deter organisations from lawfully co-operating with agencies performing law enforcement functions in the performance of their functions.
Note 2: Subclause 2.1 does not override any existing legal obligations not to disclose personal information. Nothing in subclause 2.1 requires an organisation to disclose personal information; an organisation is always entitled not to disclose personal information in the absence of a legal obligation to disclose it.
Note 3: An organisation is also subject to the requirements of National Privacy Principle 9 if it transfers personal information to a person in a foreign country.
2.2 If an organisation uses or discloses personal information under paragraph 2.1(h), it must make a written note of the use or disclosure.
2.3 Subclause 2.1 operates in relation to personal information that an organisation that is a body corporate has collected from a related body corporate as if the organisation’s primary purpose of collection of the information were the primary purpose for which the related body corporate collected the information.
2.4 Despite subclause 2.1, an organisation that provides a health service to an individual may disclose health information about the individual to a person who is responsible for the individual if:
(a) the individual:
(i) is physically or legally incapable of giving consent to the disclosure; or
(ii) physically cannot communicate consent to the disclosure; and
(b) a natural person (the carer ) providing the health service for the organisation is satisfied that either:
(i) the disclosure is necessary to provide appropriate care or treatment of the individual; or
(ii) the disclosure is made for compassionate reasons; and
(c) the disclosure is not contrary to any wish:
(i) expressed by the individual before the individual became unable to give or communicate consent; and
(ii) of which the carer is aware, or of which the carer could reasonably be expected to be aware; and
(d) the disclosure is limited to the extent reasonable and necessary for a purpose mentioned in paragraph (b).
2.5 For the purposes of subclause 2.4, a person is responsible for an individual if the person is:
(a) a parent of the individual; or
(b) a child or sibling of the individual and at least 18 years old; or
(c) a spouse or de facto spouse of the individual; or
(d) a relative of the individual, at least 18 years old and a member of the individual’s household; or
(e) a guardian of the individual; or
(f) exercising an enduring power of attorney granted by the individual that is exercisable in relation to decisions about the individual’s health; or
(g) a person who has an intimate personal relationship with the individual; or
(h) a person nominated by the individual to be contacted in case of emergency.
2.6 In subclause 2.5:
child of an individual includes an adopted child, a step-child and a foster-child, of the individual.
parent of an individual includes a step-parent, adoptive parent and a foster-parent, of the individual.
relative of an individual means a grandparent, grandchild, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece, of the individual.
sibling of an individual includes a half-brother, half-sister, adoptive brother, adoptive sister, step-brother, step-sister, foster-brother and foster-sister, of the individual.
3 Data quality
An organisation must take reasonable steps to make sure that the personal information it collects, uses or discloses is accurate, complete and up-to-date.