Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Hansard source

I table a supplementary explanatory memorandum relating to the government’s amendments to be moved to this bill. The memorandum was circulated in the chamber on 16 October 2006. I move government amendment (1) on sheet PJ334:

(1)    Schedule 1, item 1, page 4 (line 10), after “that”, insert “directly”.

This is the first of two government amendments, which I alluded to previously. This first amendment will change the definition in the bill of ‘permitted purpose’ so that it is a purpose that directly relates to the Commonwealth’s response to the emergency or disaster in respect of which an emergency declaration is in force. This comes from a recommendation of the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs. The definition of ‘permitted purpose’ specifies the circumstances in which Australian government agencies and certain private sector and charitable organisations may collect, use and disclose personal information when an emergency or disaster has been declared, in accordance with the provisions proposed to be inserted in the Privacy Act 1988 by this bill.

I mentioned the Senate committee recommendation. That committee found that the original definition of ‘permitted purpose’ was unnecessarily broad, which is why it is being limited to a purpose that directly relates to the government’s response. I believe that this accommodates that recommendation and I commend it to the committee.