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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 272 asked in the Legislative Council on 19 March 2020 by Hon Peter Collier

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

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.