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TELECOMMUNICATIONS (INTERCEPTION AND ACCESS) ACT 1979 - SECT 181A

Disclosure/use offences: authorisations under Division 3

Disclosures

             (1)  A person commits an offence if:

                     (a)  the person discloses information; and

                     (b)  the information is about any of the following:

                              (i)  whether an authorisation under Division 3 has been, or is being, sought;

                             (ii)  the making of such an authorisation;

                            (iii)  the existence or non-existence of such an authorisation;

                            (iv)  the revocation of such an authorisation;

                             (v)  the notification of such a revocation.

Penalty:  Imprisonment for 2 years.

             (2)  A person commits an offence if:

                     (a)  the person discloses a document; and

                     (b)  the document consists (wholly or partly) of any of the following:

                              (i)  an authorisation under Division 3;

                             (ii)  the revocation of such an authorisation;

                            (iii)  the notification of such a revocation.

Penalty:  Imprisonment for 2 years.

             (3)  Paragraphs (1)(a) and (2)(a) do not apply to a disclosure of information or a document if:

                     (a)  the disclosure is for the purposes of the authorisation, revocation or notification concerned; or

                     (b)  the disclosure is reasonably necessary:

                              (i)  to enable the Organisation to perform its functions; or

                            (ia)  to enable a person to comply with his or her obligations under section 185D or 185E; or

                             (ii)  to enforce the criminal law; or

                            (iii)  to enforce a law imposing a pecuniary penalty; or

                            (iv)  to protect the public revenue; or

                     (c)  the disclosure is:

                              (i)  to an IGIS official for the purpose of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security exercising powers, or performing functions or duties, under the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986 ; or

                             (ii)  by an IGIS official in connection with the IGIS official exercising powers, or performing functions or duties, under that Act.

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

Uses

             (4)  A person commits an offence if:

                     (a)  the person uses information; and

                     (b)  the information is about any of the following:

                              (i)  whether an authorisation under Division 3 has been, or is being, sought;

                             (ii)  the making of such an authorisation;

                            (iii)  the existence or non-existence of such an authorisation;

                            (iv)  the revocation of such an authorisation;

                             (v)  the notification of such a revocation.

Penalty:  Imprisonment for 2 years.

             (5)  A person commits an offence if:

                     (a)  the person uses a document; and

                     (b)  the document consists (wholly or partly) of any of the following:

                              (i)  an authorisation under Division 3;

                             (ii)  the revocation of such an authorisation;

                            (iii)  the notification of such a revocation.

Penalty:  Imprisonment for 2 years.

             (6)  Paragraphs (4)(a) and (5)(a) do not apply to a use of information or a document if:

                     (a)  the use is for the purposes of the authorisation, revocation or notification concerned; or

                     (b)  the use is reasonably necessary:

                              (i)  to enable the Organisation to perform its functions; or

                            (ia)  to enable a person to comply with his or her obligations under section 185D or 185E; or

                             (ii)  to enforce the criminal law; or

                            (iii)  to enforce a law imposing a pecuniary penalty; or

                            (iv)  to protect the public revenue; or

                     (c)  the use is by an IGIS official in connection with the IGIS official exercising powers, or performing functions or duties, under the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986 .

Note:          A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matter in subsection (6) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code ).



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