Access to Personal Information

People have a right to access the personal information you hold about them. You should keep personal information in a way that is easily retrievable so you can:

1.     confirm that you hold a person’s information if they ask

2.     give them access to it.

If someone asks for access to their personal information, you must respond within 20 working days of receiving the request. Your response should include a decision about whether you will be providing the requested information. It doesn’t necessarily have to include the information, but you should provide it as soon as possible afterwards.

It’s best provide the information promptly unless there’s a reason you can withhold it under the Privacy Act.

You may be able to withhold information if:

·         it isn’t readily retrievable

·         releasing it could negatively affect the requestor’s mental health

·         releasing it could put somebody else in danger

·         releasing it would breach somebody else’s privacy

·         it was provided in confidence

·         you don’t have it

·         the request is trivial

·         the request is vexatious

Part 4 of the Privacy Act has a full list of the good reasons for refusing access to personal information.

To see the full article, click here