Northern Territory Consolidated Acts Northern Territory Consolidated Acts(1) An external intervener is guilty of an offence if the external intervener:
(a) discloses information obtained as a result of the external intervener's appointment ( protected information ) to someone else; or
(b) does something that discloses protected information to someone else and is reckless about whether:
(i) the information is protected information; or
(ii) doing the thing would result in the information being disclosed.
Maximum penalty: 400 penalty units or imprisonment for 2 years.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to the disclosure of information:
(a) necessary for exercising or performing the external intervener's powers or functions; or
(b) to any court, tribunal or other person acting judicially; or
(c) to a regulatory authority of any jurisdiction; or
(d) to any officer of or Australian legal practitioner instructed by:
(i) a regulatory authority of any jurisdiction; or
(ii) the Commonwealth or a State or Territory of the Commonwealth; or
(iii) an authority of the Commonwealth or of a State or Territory of the Commonwealth;
in relation to any proceedings, inquiry or other matter pending or contemplated arising out of the investigation or examination; or
(e) a member of the police force of any jurisdiction if the Law Society or external intervener believes on reasonable grounds the information relates to an offence that may have been committed by the law practice concerned or by an associate of the law practice; or
(f) the law practice concerned or a principal of the law practice or, if the practice is an incorporated legal practice, a shareholder in the practice; or
(g) a client or former client of the law practice concerned if the information relates to the client or former client; or
(h) another external intervener appointed in relation to the law practice or any Australian legal practitioner or accountant employed by that other external intervener; or
(i) any other external examiner carrying out an external examination of the trust records of the law practice concerned.