Introduction

8.1          In this Report, the ALRC recommends the creation of a new general secrecy offence that would make it an offence for a current or former Commonwealth officer to disclose information that causes, or was likely or intended to cause, harm to specified public interests.^[1]

8.2          The ALRC does not, however, consider that the new general secrecy offence should be the only criminal provision regulating the unauthorised disclosure of Commonwealth information. There is still a need for specific secrecy offences tailored to the needs of particular agencies; or to the protection of certain kinds of information; or to cover people other than Commonwealth officers. Chapters 8 to 11 consider the circumstances in which separate secrecy offences are warranted, and what such offences should look like.