ALRC Report 112
Secrecy Laws and Open Government in Australia
Download and viewing options
Whole document: Portable Document Format (PDF) (3.2MB). An HTML version of ALRC Report 112 is available on the AustLII website.
You need Adobe Acrobat® Reader 4.0, or a later version, to view the PDF files. Acrobat Reader is available as a free download from the Adobe website.
Contents
Terms of Reference (PDF) (RTF)
List of Participants (PDF) (RTF)
List of Recommendations (PDF) (RTF)
1. Introduction to the Inquiry (PDF) (RTF)
Background
Process of reform
Overview of this Report
Stop press—legislation recently introduced into Parliament
2. Secrecy in the Context of Open Government (PDF) (RTF)
Introduction
From secrecy to open government
Current trends in open government
Freedom of expression
Balancing secrecy, freedom of expression and open government
3. Overview of Current Secrecy Laws (PDF) (RTF)
Introduction
Duties of confidentiality and loyalty and fidelity
Specific statutory secrecy provisions
General criminal offences
4. Framework for Reform (PDF) (RTF)
Introduction
The need for statutory secrecy provisions
Criminal, civil or administrative provisions
A harm-based approach
5. General Secrecy Offence: Harm to Public Interests (PDF) (RTF)
Introduction
What should be included in the general secrecy offence?
What should not be included in the general secrecy offence?
6. General Secrecy Offence: Elements (PDF) (RTF)
Whose conduct should be regulated?
What conduct should be regulated?
What information should be protected?
Fault elements
Initial and subsequent disclosures
7. General Secrecy Offence: Exceptions and Penalties (PDF) (RTF)
Introduction
Exceptions and defences
Which exceptions and defences should be expressly included?
Which exceptions and defences should not be expressly included?
Public interest disclosure
Penalties
Other issues
8. The Role of Specific Secrecy Offences (PDF) (RTF)
Introduction
When are secrecy offences warranted?
Express requirement of harm
Protecting categories of information
ALRC’s views
9. Specific Secrecy Offences: Elements (PDF) (RTF)
Introduction
Whose conduct should be regulated?
What conduct should be regulated?
Fault elements
Subsequent disclosure offences
Penalties
10. Authorised Disclosure Provisions (PDF) (RTF)
Introduction
Authorised disclosure provisions
Interaction with the exceptions in the general secrecy offence
Exceptions in specific secrecy offences
Public interest disclosure
Override provisions
11. Specific Secrecy Offences: Review and Guidance (PDF) (RTF)
Introduction
Reviewing specific secrecy offences
Policy guidance and drafting directions
12. Administrative Obligations in the Australian Public Service (PDF) (RTF)
Introduction
Background
Prejudice to the effective working of government
Information communicated in confidence
Exceptions and defences
Penalties
Processes for dealing with breaches
13. Regulating Beyond the Australian Public Service (PDF) (RTF)
Introduction
Commonwealth employees outside the APS
Former Commonwealth employees
Persons outside Commonwealth employment
14. Frameworks for Effective Information Handling (PDF) (RTF)
Introduction
Commonwealth information-handling manuals
Agency-specific policies and guidelines
Lawful and reasonable employer directions
Memorandums of understanding
Information and communication technology systems
Data matching
15. A Culture of Effective Information Handling (PDF) (RTF)
Introduction
Individual Commonwealth employees
Australian Government agencies
16. Interactions with Other Laws (PDF) (RTF)
Introduction
Freedom of information
Archives
Privacy
Parliamentary privilege
Appendix 1. List of Submissions (PDF) (RTF)
Appendix 2. List of Agencies, Organisations and Individuals Consulted (PDF) (RTF)
Appendix 3. List of Abbreviations (PDF) (RTF)
Appendix 4. Table of Secrecy Provisions (PDF) (RTF)
Appendix 5. Extracts of Key Secrecy Provisions (PDF) (RTF)
This Report reflects the law as at 11 November 2009.