Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Human Services, upon notice, on 14 November 2011:

In regard to information sharing between the Australian Taxation Office and the Child Support Agency:

(1) What checks are made by the Commissioner of Taxation to ensure that releasing individual Tax File Number (TFN) information to the Child Support Registrar is lawfully authorised.

(2) What percentage of cases handled by the Child Support Agency (CSA) are TFNs obtained under section 150D of the Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989 (the Assessment Act).

(3) Is it correct that under section 150D of the Assessment Act the Registrar is not required to seek a client's permission to use a TFN or seek a statement in writing from a client authorising the Commissioner of Taxation to release their TFN to CSA.

(4) Is the Commissioner of Taxation provided with a copy of a statement in writing from the Child Support Registrar to confirm the particular individual client has authorised the Commissioner to give the individual's TFN information to the Child Support Registrar when the TFN is not obtained under section 150D of the Assessment Act.

(5) Is a record kept of requests to access child support liable parent's TFNs made by the Child Support Registrar under section 150D of the Assessment Act or under section 16C of the Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988 (Registration and Collection Act).

(6) Is a record kept of the statements in writing provided by a paying parent to the Child Support Registrar under section 150C(2) or (3) of the Assessment Act or in section 16B(4) or (5) of the Registration and Collection Act.

(7) Does the process for releasing the TFN information of individuals to the Child Support Registrar differ from the process for releasing the TFN information of individuals to other Commonwealth officers; if so, in what way does the process differ.