26Meaning of public interest disclosure

#### 26 Meaning of public interest disclosure (1) A disclosure of information is a public interest disclosure if: (a) the disclosure is made by a person (the discloser) who is, or has been, a public official; and (b) the recipient of the information is a person of the kind referred to in column 2 of an item of the following table; and (c) all the further requirements set out in column 3 of that item are met. ```html <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="margin-left:0.25pt; border-collapse:collapse"><thead><tr><td colspan="4" style="width:343.5pt; border-top:1.5pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tabletext" style="page-break-after:avoid"><span style="font-weight:bold">Public interest disclosures</span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="width:24.9pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:1.5pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tabletext" style="page-break-after:avoid"><span style="font-weight:bold">Item</span></p></td><td style="width:52.5pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:1.5pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tabletext" style="page-break-after:avoid"><span style="font-weight:bold">Column 1</span></p><p class="Tabletext" style="page-break-after:avoid"><span style="font-weight:bold">Type of disclosure</span></p></td><td style="width:60.05pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:1.5pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tabletext" style="page-break-after:avoid"><span style="font-weight:bold">Column 2</span></p><p class="Tabletext" style="page-break-after:avoid"><span style="font-weight:bold">Recipient</span></p></td><td style="width:173.65pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:1.5pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tabletext" style="page-break-after:avoid"><span style="font-weight:bold">Column 3</span></p><p class="Tabletext" style="page-break-after:avoid"><span style="font-weight:bold">Further requirements</span></p></td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td style="width:24.9pt; border-top:1.5pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tabletext"><a id="CU_338876"></a><a id="CU_338781"></a><span>1</span></p></td><td style="width:52.5pt; border-top:1.5pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tabletext"><span>Internal disclosure</span></p></td><td style="width:60.05pt; border-top:1.5pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tabletext"><span>An authorised internal recipient, or a supervisor of the discloser</span></p></td><td style="width:173.65pt; border-top:1.5pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tablea"><span>(a) The information tends to show, or the discloser believes on reasonable grounds that the information tends to show, one or more instances of disclosable conduct.</span></p><p class="Tablea"><span>(b) The disclosure is not made in the course of performing the discloser’s ordinary functions as a public official.</span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:118.5pt"><td style="width:24.9pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tabletext" style="background-color:#ffffff"><a id="CU_439127"></a><a id="CU_439032"></a><span>2</span></p></td><td style="width:52.5pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tabletext" style="background-color:#ffffff"><span>External disclosure</span></p></td><td style="width:60.05pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tabletext" style="background-color:#ffffff"><span>Any person other than a foreign public official</span></p></td><td style="width:173.65pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><div style="margin-top:3pt; background-color:#ffffff"><p class="Tablea" style="margin-top:0pt"><span>(a) The information tends to show, or the discloser believes on reasonable grounds that the information tends to show, one or more instances of disclosable conduct.</span></p></div><div style="margin-top:3pt; background-color:#ffffff"><p class="Tablea" style="margin-top:0pt"><span>(b) On a previous occasion, the discloser made an internal disclosure of information that consisted of, or included, the information now disclosed.</span></p></div></td></tr><tr style="height:77.25pt"><td style="width:24.9pt; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tabletext" style="background-color:#ffffff"><span></span></p></td><td style="width:52.5pt; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tabletext" style="background-color:#ffffff"><span></span></p></td><td style="width:60.05pt; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tabletext" style="background-color:#ffffff"><span></span></p></td><td style="width:173.65pt; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><div style="margin-top:3pt; background-color:#ffffff"><p class="Tablea" style="margin-top:0pt"><span>(c) Any of the following apply:</span></p></div><div style="margin-left:27.2pt; background-color:#ffffff"><p class="Tablei" style="margin-left:14.2pt"><span>(i) a disclosure investigation relating to the internal disclosure was conducted under Division</span><span> </span><span>2 of Part</span><span> </span><span>3, and the discloser believes on reasonable grounds that the investigation was inadequate;</span></p></div><div style="margin-left:27.2pt; background-color:#ffffff"><p class="Tablei" style="margin-left:14.2pt"><span>(ii) a disclosure investigation relating to the internal disclosure was conducted (whether or not under Division</span><span> </span><span>2 of Part</span><span> </span><span>3), and the discloser believes on reasonable grounds that the response to the investigation was inadequate;</span></p></div><div style="margin-left:27.2pt; background-color:#ffffff"><p class="Tablei" style="margin-left:14.2pt"><span>(iii) this Act requires an investigation relating to the internal disclosure to be conducted under Division</span><span> </span><span>2 of Part</span><span> </span><span>3, and that investigation has not been completed within the time limit under section</span><span> </span><span>52.</span></p></div><div style="margin-top:3pt; background-color:#ffffff"><p class="Tablea" style="margin-top:0pt"><span>(e) The disclosure is not, on balance, contrary to the public interest.</span></p></div><div style="margin-top:3pt; background-color:#ffffff"><p class="Tablea" style="margin-top:0pt"><span>(f) No more information is publicly disclosed than is reasonably necessary to identify one or more instances of disclosable conduct.</span></p></div><div style="margin-top:3pt; background-color:#ffffff"><p class="Tablea" style="margin-top:0pt"><span>(h) The information does not consist of, or include, intelligence information.</span></p></div><div style="margin-top:3pt; background-color:#ffffff"><p class="Tablea" style="margin-top:0pt"><span>(i) None of the conduct with which the disclosure is concerned relates to an intelligence agency.</span></p></div></td></tr><tr><td style="width:24.9pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tabletext" style="background-color:#ffffff"><span>3</span></p></td><td style="width:52.5pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tabletext" style="background-color:#ffffff"><span>Emergency disclosure</span></p></td><td style="width:60.05pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tabletext" style="background-color:#ffffff"><span>Any person other than a foreign public official</span></p></td><td style="width:173.65pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:0.75pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><div style="margin-top:3pt; background-color:#ffffff"><p class="Tablea" style="margin-top:0pt"><span>(a) The discloser believes on reasonable grounds that the information concerns a substantial and imminent danger to the health or safety of one or more persons or to the environment.</span></p></div><div style="margin-top:3pt; background-color:#ffffff"><p class="Tablea" style="margin-top:0pt"><span>(b) The extent of the information disclosed is no greater than is necessary to alert the recipient to the substantial and imminent danger.</span></p></div><div style="margin-top:3pt; background-color:#ffffff"><p class="Tablea" style="margin-top:0pt"><span>(c) If the discloser has not previously made an internal disclosure of the same information, there are exceptional circumstances justifying the discloser’s failure to make such an internal disclosure.</span></p></div><div style="margin-top:3pt; background-color:#ffffff"><p class="Tablea" style="margin-top:0pt"><span>(d) If the discloser has previously made an internal disclosure of the same information, there are exceptional circumstances justifying this disclosure being made before a disclosure investigation of the internal disclosure is completed.</span></p></div><div style="margin-top:3pt; background-color:#ffffff"><p class="Tablea" style="margin-top:0pt"><span>(f) The information does not consist of, or include, intelligence information.</span></p></div></td></tr><tr><td style="width:24.9pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:1.5pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tabletext" style="background-color:#ffffff"><span>4</span></p></td><td style="width:52.5pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:1.5pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tabletext" style="background-color:#ffffff"><span>Legal practitioner disclosure</span></p></td><td style="width:60.05pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:1.5pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><p class="Tabletext" style="background-color:#ffffff"><span>An Australian legal practitioner</span></p></td><td style="width:173.65pt; border-top:0.75pt solid #000000; border-bottom:1.5pt solid #000000; padding-right:5.4pt; padding-left:5.4pt; vertical-align:top"><div style="margin-top:3pt; background-color:#ffffff"><p class="Tablea" style="margin-top:0pt"><span>(a) The disclosure is made for the purpose of obtaining legal advice, or professional assistance, from the recipient in relation to the discloser having made, or proposing to make, a public interest disclosure.</span></p></div><div style="margin-top:3pt; background-color:#ffffff"><p class="Tablea" style="margin-top:0pt"><span>(b) If the discloser knew, or ought reasonably to have known, that any of the information has a national security or other protective security classification, the recipient holds the appropriate level of security clearance.</span></p></div><div style="margin-top:3pt; background-color:#ffffff"><p class="Tablea" style="margin-top:0pt"><span>(c) The information does not consist of, or include, intelligence information.</span></p></div></td></tr></tbody></table> ``` (1A) A disclosure of information is also a public interest disclosure if: (a) the disclosure is made by a person who is, or has been, a public official; and (b) the information tends to show, or the discloser believes on reasonable grounds that the information tends to show, one or more instances of disclosable conduct; and (c) the disclosure is a NACC disclosure. (2) However, a disclosure made before the commencement of this section is not a public interest disclosure. (2A) A response to a disclosure investigation is taken, for the purposes of item 2 of the table in subsection (1), not to be inadequate to the extent that the response involves action that has been, is being, or is to be taken by: (a) a Minister; or (b) the Speaker of the House of Representatives; or (c) the President of the Senate. (3) In determining, for the purposes of item 2 of the table in subsection (1), whether a disclosure is not, on balance, contrary to the public interest, regard must be had to the following: (aa) whether the disclosure would promote the integrity and accountability of the Commonwealth public sector; (ab) the extent to which the disclosure would expose a failure to address serious wrongdoing in the Commonwealth public sector; (ac) the extent to which it would assist in protecting the discloser from adverse consequences relating to the disclosure if the disclosure were a public interest disclosure; (ad) the principle that disclosures by public officials should be properly investigated and dealt with; (ae) the nature and seriousness of the disclosable conduct; (a) any risk that the disclosure could cause damage to any of the following: (i) the security of the Commonwealth; (ii) the defence of the Commonwealth; (iii) the international relations of the Commonwealth; (iv) the relations between the Commonwealth and a State; (v) the relations between the Commonwealth and the Australian Capital Territory; (vi) the relations between the Commonwealth and the Northern Territory; (vii) the relations between the Commonwealth and Norfolk Island; (b) if any of the information disclosed in the disclosure is Cabinet information—the principle that Cabinet information should remain confidential unless it is already lawfully publicly available; (c) if any of the information disclosed in the disclosure was communicated in confidence by or on behalf of: (i) a foreign government; or (ii) an authority of a foreign government; or (iii) an international organisation; the principle that such information should remain confidential unless that government, authority or organisation, as the case may be, consents to the disclosure of the information; (d) any risk that the disclosure could prejudice the proper administration of justice; (e) the principle that legal professional privilege should be maintained; (f) any other relevant matters.