Commonwealth Numbered Acts

DATA-MATCHING PROGRAM (ASSISTANCE AND TAX) ACT 1990 No. 20 of 1991 - SECT 18

18. Section 27 of the Principal Act is amended:

   (a)  by omitting paragraph (1) (b) and substituting the following
        paragraph:

"(b) to examine (with or without a request from a Minister) a proposed
enactment that would require or authorise acts or practices of an agency that
might, in the absence of the enactment, be interferences with the privacy of
individuals or which may otherwise have any adverse effects on the privacy of
individuals and to ensure that any adverse effects of such proposed enactment
on the privacy of individuals are minimised,";

   (b)  by omitting paragraph (1) (k) and substituting the following
        paragraph:
    "(k)   to examine (with or without a request from a Minister) a
proposal for data-matching or data linkage that may involve an interference
with the privacy of individuals or which may otherwise have any adverse
effects on the privacy of individuals and to ensure that any adverse effects
of such proposal on the privacy of individuals are minimised,";

   (c)  by adding at the end of paragraph (1) (e), the words "or which may
        otherwise have any adverse effects on the privacy of individuals";

   (d)  by adding at the end of subsection (1) the following paragraphs:
    "(p)   to issue guidelines under the Data-matching Program
(Assistance and Tax) Act 1990;

   (q)  to monitor and report on the adequacy of equipment and user
        safeguards;

   (r)  may, and if requested to do so, shall make reports and recommendations
        to the Minister in relation to any matter that concerns the need for
        or the desirability of legislative or administrative action in the
        interests of the privacy of individuals.".