Victorian Current Acts Victorian Current ActsS. 39(1) amended by No. 2/2019 s. 63(1).
(1) Subject to subsections (2), (2A) and (3), a person who—
(a) is duly served with a confidentiality notice by the Victorian Inspectorate under section 38(9), and if applicable, any order extending the confidentiality notice; or
(b) receives a copy of a confidentiality notice under subsection (3) or (4) and, if applicable, a copy of any order extending the confidentiality notice—
must not disclose a restricted matter specified in the confidentiality notice while it has effect.
Penalty: 120 penalty units or imprisonment for 12 months or both.
Note to s. 39(1) amended by No. 2/2019 s. 63(2).
Note
A person who is served with or receives a confidentiality notice may be subject to further confidentiality obligations under Part 7 of the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2012 .
(2) Despite subsection (1), a restricted matter specified in a confidentiality notice may be disclosed if the disclosure is made in any of the following circumstances—
(a) in accordance with a direction or authorisation given by the Victorian Inspectorate;
(b) to any person where necessary for the purposes of obtaining any information, document or other thing to comply with a witness summons, a confidentiality notice or an order extending a confidentiality notice under section 38, including if the person—
(i) does not have a sufficient knowledge of the English language to understand the nature of the witness summons, a confidentiality notice or an order extending a confidentiality notice under section 38, to an interpreter;
(ii) is a person under the age of 18 years, to a parent, guardian or independent person;
(iii) is a person who is illiterate or has a mental, physical or other impairment which prevents the person from understanding the witness summons, a confidentiality notice or an order extending a confidentiality notice under section 38 without assistance, to an independent person;
(c) subject to section 58(2) and (8), for the purposes of obtaining legal advice or representation in relation to—
(i) the witness summons, a confidentiality notice or an order extending a confidentiality notice under section 38;
S. 39(2)(c)(ii) substituted by No. 2/2019 s. 63(3)(a).
(ii) the person's rights, liabilities, obligations and privileges under this Act or a relevant Act;
(d) by an Australian legal practitioner who receives a disclosure in the circumstances specified in paragraph (c), for the purposes of complying with a legal duty of disclosure or a professional obligation arising from his or her professional relationship with his or her client;
S. 39(2)(e) substituted by No. 2/2019 s. 63(3)(b).
(e) to any of the following persons, unless the Victorian Inspectorate directs that the restricted matter must not be disclosed to that person—
(i) the spouse or domestic partner of the person served with the confidentiality notice;
(ii) the employer or manager of the person served with the confidentiality notice, or both;
S. 39(2)(f) inserted by No. 2/2019 s. 63(3)(b).
(f) in any of the following circumstances, unless the Victorian Inspectorate directs that the restricted matter must not be disclosed in that circumstance—
(i) to any of the following for the purpose of assisting the person to seek advice or support in relation to the investigation in respect of which the confidentiality notice has been issued—
(A) a registered health practitioner;
(B) a trade union, within the meaning of the Workplace Relations Act 1996 of the Commonwealth, of which the person is a member;
(C) an employee assistance program;
(ii) to the Victorian WorkCover Authority for the purpose of a workers' compensation claim;
(iii) to a prescribed service for a purpose prescribed for that service;
(iv) for the purpose of an application to the Fair Work Commission, including any related proceeding;
S. 39(2)(g) inserted by No. 2/2019 s. 63(3)(b).
(g) as is otherwise authorised or required to be made by or under this Act.
S. 39(2A) inserted by No. 2/2019 s. 63(4).
(2A) Despite subsection (1), a restricted matter specified in a confidentiality notice may be disclosed to Victoria Police if—
(a) the Victorian Inspectorate has disclosed information to the Chief Commissioner of Police under section 36A relating to actual or potential criminal conduct; and
(b) the restricted matter is relevant to an investigation by Victoria Police of the actual or potential criminal conduct.
S. 39(3) amended by Nos 2/2019 s. 63(5).
(3) Despite subsection (1), a restricted matter specified in a confidentiality notice may be disclosed if the disclosure made is of information that has been published by the Victorian Inspectorate, another investigating entity or the Integrity and Oversight Committee in a report or has otherwise been made public in accordance with this or any other Act.
(4) A person who makes a disclosure of information permitted by subsection (2) must when making the disclosure provide the person to whom the disclosure is made with a copy of the confidentiality notice and of any order extending the confidentiality notice under section 38, unless the person has a reasonable excuse for not doing so.
Penalty: 120 penalty units or imprisonment for 12 months or both.
(5) If in respect of a particular investigation a person who makes a disclosure of information permitted by subsection (2) receives a new confidentiality notice, a notice cancelling the confidentiality notice or an order extending the confidentiality notice under section 38, the person must as soon as reasonably practicable provide a copy of the new confidentiality notice, notice cancelling the confidentiality notice or order extending the confidentiality notice to each person to whom the disclosure has been made, unless the person has a reasonable excuse for not doing so.
Penalty: 120 penalty units or imprisonment for 12 months or both.
S. 39(6) inserted by No. 2/2019 s. 63(6).
(6) In this section—
"Fair Work Commission" means the body established under section 575 of the Fair Work Act 2009 of the Commonwealth;
"investigating entity" has the same meaning as in section 3 of the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2012 ;
"registered health practitioner" means a person registered under the Health Practitioner National Law to practise a health profession (other than as a student);
"relevant Act" means—
(a) the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2012 ; or
(b) the Ombudsman Act 1973 ; or
(c) the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Act 2011 ; or
(d) the Fair Work Act 2009 of the Commonwealth;
"Victorian WorkCover Authority" has the same meaning as in the Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013 .
Note to s. 39 inserted by No. 59/2014 s. 31(1).
Note
Section 97A applies to an offence against subsection (1), (4) or (5).
Pt 3 (Heading and s. 40) inserted by No. 28/2012 s. 32.
Part 3—Matters to be reported to the Victorian Inspectorate by the IBAC
S. 40 inserted by No. 28/2012 s. 32, amended by No. 82/2012 s. 36.