CORRUPTION AND CRIME
COMMISSION — PUBLIC TRANSPORT AUTHORITY —ANDREW FORRESTER
272. Hon PETER COLLIER to
the minister representing the Minister for Police:
I ask this question on behalf of Hon
Michael Mischin, who is away on urgent parliamentary business.
I refer to the minister's
answer to my question without notice of 11 March 2020 and the answers of the
Minister for Transport of 10, 17 and 18 March
concerning Andrew Forrester's unauthorised acquisition and disclosure
to the Australian Rail, Tram and Bus Union of confidential personal
information of some 1 750 employees of the Public Transport Authority.
(1) Given that the union has not received a referral
to do so, what needs to be done to have the Western Australia Police
Force or any other proper authority investigate the potentially criminal misuse
of personal data with a view to possible prosecution?
(2) What steps
will the minister take to facilitate that course, or is this widespread
unauthorised and wrongful, and potentially criminal, breach of confidentiality
not of sufficient concern to the government?
(3) Does the fact
that the wrongfully acquired personal information was supplied to and used by a
union explain why the government is reluctant to have the case investigated
with a view to possible prosecution?
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON
replied:
I thank Hon Michael Mischin for some
notice of this question. The following answer has been provided to me by the
Minister for Police.
(1)–(3) As the honourable member has been previously
advised, the Public Transport Authority liaised with the Western Australia
Police Force and the Corruption and Crime Commission in relation to this
matter. The CCC undertook an investigation and a report was tabled in
state Parliament in October 2018. The WA Police Force acts independently of the
minister in determining which matters it chooses to investigate.