Public Interest Disclosures Act 2002
50Disclosure of privileged or confidential information to Ombudsman
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50 Disclosure of privileged or confidential information to Ombudsman
(1) An obligation to maintain confidentiality or any other restriction on the disclosure of information obtained by or furnished to persons in the service of the Crown or any public body that is imposed by any Act, oath or rule of law or practice, or under an agreement, does not apply to the disclosure of information necessary for the purposes of an investigation by the Ombudsman of a disclosed matter.
(2) The Crown is not, in relation to an investigation by the Ombudsman of a disclosed matter, entitled to any privilege in respect of the production of documents or the giving of evidence that is allowed by law in legal proceedings.
(3) Subject to subsections (1) and (2) , a person cannot be compelled, for the purposes of an investigation by the Ombudsman of a disclosed matter, to produce any document or give any evidence that the person could not be compelled to produce or give in proceedings before a court.