Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

PUBLIC INTEREST DISCLOSURE ACT 2013 - SECT 67

  (1)   A person commits an offence if:

  (a)   the person has obtained information in the person's capacity as the recipient of a legal practitioner disclosure; and

  (b)   the person:

  (i)   discloses the information to another person; or

  (ii)   uses the information.

Penalty:   Imprisonment for 2 years or 120 penalty units, or both.

  (2)   Subsection   (1) does not apply if:

  (a)   the disclosure or use is for the purpose of providing legal advice, or professional assistance, relating to a public interest disclosure (other than a legal practitioner disclosure) made, or proposed to be made, by the person who made the legal practitioner disclosure referred to in paragraph   (1)(a); or

  (b)   the information has previously been lawfully published.

Note:   A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to a matter in subsection   (2) (see subsection   13.3(3) of the Criminal Code ).