(1AA) The functions referred to in subsection (1) may be exercised by the Secretary for any one or more of the following purposes--(a) for the purposes of providing information to, or exchanging information with, a prescribed body,(b) for the purpose of exercising the functions of the Secretary.
(1) The Secretary may do either or both of the following--(a) the Secretary may, in accordance with the requirements (if any) prescribed by the regulations, furnish a prescribed body with information relating to the safety, welfare and well-being of a particular child or young person or class of children or young persons,(b) the Secretary may, in accordance with the requirements (if any) prescribed by the regulations, direct a prescribed body to furnish the Secretary with information relating to the safety, welfare and well-being of a particular child or young person or class of children or young persons.
(1A) Information about the following may be furnished under this section in the same way as information about a child or young person or class of children or young persons may be furnished--(a) an unborn child who is the subject of a pre-natal report under section 25,(b) the family of an unborn child the subject of such a report,(c) the expected date of birth of an unborn child the subject of such a report.
(2) It is the duty of a prescribed body to whom a direction is given under subsection (1)(b) to comply promptly with the requirements of the direction.
(3) If information is furnished under subsection (1) or (1A)--(a) the furnishing of the information is not, in any proceedings before a court, tribunal or committee, to be held to constitute a breach of professional etiquette or ethics or a departure from accepted standards of professional conduct, and(b) no liability for defamation is incurred because of the furnishing of the information, and(c) the furnishing of the information does not constitute a ground for civil proceedings for malicious prosecution or for conspiracy.
(4) A reference in subsection (3) to information furnished under subsection (1) or (1A) extends to any information so furnished in good faith and with reasonable care.
(5) A provision of any Act or law that prohibits or restricts the disclosure of information does not operate to prevent the furnishing of information (or affect a duty to furnish information) under this section. Nothing in this subsection affects any obligation or power to provide information apart from this subsection.
(6) In this section--
"prescribed body" means--(a) the NSW Police Force, a Public Service agency or a public authority, or(b) a government school or a registered non-government school within the meaning of the Education Act 1990 , or(c) a TAFE establishment within the meaning of the Technical and Further Education Commission Act 1990 , or(d) a public health organisation within the meaning of the Health Services Act 1997 , or(e) a private health facility within the meaning of the Private Health Facilities Act 2007 , or(f) a person or class of persons prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this section, or(g) a body or class of bodies prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this section,and a reference in this section to any such prescribed body includes a reference to any part (however described) of the prescribed body.