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ARTICLE · 01 FEBRUARY 2020

Australian Bushfire Declaration – your rights and obligations

McCullough Robertson
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Entities can collect, use and disclose personal information for purposes that directly relate to the bushfire emergency.

AustraliaPrivacy
Matthew McMillan
Matthew McMillan
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WHO SHOULD READ THIS

  • Entities assisting individuals that may be involved in the current Australian bushfire emergencies as well as affected individuals.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

  • Privacy (Australian Bushfires Disaster) Emergency Declaration (No 1) 2020 enlivens the provisions of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) which authorise entities to collect, use and disclose personal information about an individual for certain purposes that directly relate to the Commonwealth's response to the declared bushfire emergency. These purposes go beyond the collection, use and disclosure of personal information which would otherwise be permitted under the Australian Privacy Principles.

On 20 January, the Attorney-General made the Privacy (Australian Bushfires Disaster) Emergency Declaration (No 1) 2020 (Declaration) under s80J of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act) as a response to bushfires in Australia resulting in death, injury and/or property damage from August 2019

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