54Offence to use or divulge protected information

### 54 Offence to use or divulge protected information > > (1)  In this section – > > > > > ***court*** includes a tribunal, authority and person having power to require the production of documents or the answering of questions; > > > > > ***divulge*** includes – > > > > > > > > (a) communicate; and > > > > > > > > > (b) publish; > > > > > ***officer*** means – > > > > > > > > (a) the Registrar or a person who has been the Registrar; or > > > > > > > > > (b) an independent advisor or a person who has been an independent advisor; or > > > > > > > > > (c) any other person who is performing or exercising, or has performed or exercised, a function or power under this Act; > > > > > ***produce*** includes allow access to; > > > > > ***protected information*** means information about a person that is disclosed to, or obtained by, an officer because of the performance or exercise of a function or power under this Act by the officer or another person; > > > > > > | Note | Examples of what is protected information are as follows: | > > > | | (a) information obtained by the Registrar in conducting a risk assessment of a person; | > > > | | (b) information disclosed by the Registrar in obtaining information or advice from an entity about a registered person. | > > > > > ***use information*** includes make a record of the information. > > > (2)  An officer must not use protected information about another person. > > > > Penalty:  Fine not exceeding 50 penalty units or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or both. > > > (3)  An officer must not do any act that divulges protected information about a person. > > > > Penalty:  Fine not exceeding 50 penalty units or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or both. > > > (4)  Neither [subsection (2)](#GS54@Gs2@EN) nor [(3)](#GS54@Gs3@EN) applies if the information is used or divulged – > > > > > > (a) under this Act, another Act or a corresponding law; or > > > > > > > (b) in relation to the performance or exercise of a function or power, as an officer, under this Act, another Act or a corresponding law; or > > > > > > > (c) in a court proceeding. > > > (5)  Neither [subsection (2)](#GS54@Gs2@EN) nor [(3)](#GS54@Gs3@EN) applies to the using or divulging of protected information about a person with the person’s consent. > > > (6)  An officer need not divulge protected information to a court, or produce to a court a document containing protected information, unless it is necessary to do so for the purposes of this or another Act.