10Collection, use and disclosure of personal information by human services agencies

10 Collection, use and disclosure of personal information by human services agencies

10 Collection, use and disclosure of personal information by human services agencies

(1) In this clause:

allied agency means an agency (other than a public sector agency) that is wholly or partly funded by a human services agency and that is approved in writing by the head of that human services agency as an allied agency for the purposes of this clause.

senior officer means a senior member of staff of a human services agency who has been nominated in writing for the purposes of this clause by the head of that agency.

substantial adverse impact includes, but is not limited to, serious physical or mental harm, significant loss of benefits or other income, imprisonment, loss of housing or the loss of a carer.

(2) Despite the information protection principles, a human services agency may collect and use personal information about an individual, and may disclose personal information about the individual to another human services agency or an allied agency, if the collection, use or disclosure is in accordance with a written authorisation given by a senior officer of the agency.

(3) An authorisation under subclause (2) must specify:

(a) the period (maximum 12 months) for which the authorisation has effect, and

(b) the classes of personal information to which the authorisation is to apply (the specified information), and

(c) the human services agencies or allied agencies (if any) to whom the specified information may be disclosed (the specified agencies).

(4) A senior officer may give an authorisation under subclause (2) only if the officer is satisfied that:

(a) the individual to whom the specified information relates is a person to whom services are provided or proposed to be provided by a human services agency or an allied agency, and

(b) the individual (or a person authorised by or under the Act or any other law to give consent on the individual’s behalf) has failed to consent to the agency collecting or using the specified information, or disclosing the specified information to the specified agencies, and

(c) there are reasonable grounds to believe that there is a risk of substantial adverse impact on the individual or some other person if collection or use of the specified information, or disclosure of the specified information to the specified agencies, does not occur, and