Your privacy

The Australian Privacy Principles outline how government agencies, private sector and not-for-profit organisations are to handle, use, store, manage and destroy personal information. The principles are set out in Schedule 1 of the Privacy Act 1998.

When doing checks for working with children, the Screening Unit also abides by certain obligations under the Council of Australian Governments' Intergovernmental Agreement on National Exchange of Criminal History Information for People Working with Children. Sharing criminal history information between Australian states and territories is an important part of helping to create safer communities and protecting children from harm.

All information received as part of an assessment is stored securely in the Screening Unit.

Relevant assessable information from your national criminal history record may be seen by:

staff in the Screening Unit who assess applications
a third party organisation, but only when required by law or with your consent.

Any information you give the Screening Unit is confidential. It is not used in any way other than as explained in the ‘informed consent’ section of the application form without your consent, unless required by law.

The Department of Human Services also has policies for the privacy and security of your personal information online.