Vic: Privacy chief probes police files claims

AAP General News (Australia)
12-09-2003
Vic: Privacy chief probes police files claims

MELBOURNE, Jan 29 AAP - Victoria's Privacy Commissioner has evidence that police have
misused Victorians' personal files, part way into a formal inquiry into abuse of the force's
LEAP database before the last state election.

Complaints that political candidates' files had been abused date back to the November
2002 state election and claims that the files of Liberal candidate Matthew Guy and independent
Kay Nesbit were accessed inappropriately.

In a statement today, Privacy Commissioner Paul Chadwick said the investigation began
formally in October and was currently limited to Victoria Police.

"Information so far indicates apparent breaches of IPP 2, which deals with use and
disclosure of personal information, and IPP 4 (data security), which requires organisations
to take reasonable steps to protect the personal information they hold from misuse and
unauthorised access," the commissioner said.

The Victoria Police ethical standards department has found that personal information
held on the Law Enforcement and Assistance Program database was inappropriately accessed
and five officers were awaiting disciplining over the affair.

The ALP has confirmed it has asked police to check the files of 30 Labor MPs, including
that of Premier Steve Bracks, for signs of inappropriate access.

Mr Chadwick said Victoria Police were cooperating with his investigation, which was
primarily to determine how breaches occurred and the steps needed to prevent a repeat.

The investigation was the commissioner's first to be conducted under Part 6 of the
Information Privacy Act 2000 (Vic), which allowed scope for the commissioner to act on
his own, a spokesman for the office said.

"People come to police notice for a variety of reasons including as offenders, associates,
victims, as people providing assistance, and as motorists," Mr Chadwick said.

"Much of the information police collect is personal and sensitive," he said.

A spokesman for the commissioner said there was no deadline on the investigation, although
a report would eventually be released.

AAP ra/dk/cjh/de

KEYWORD: FILES

2003 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.