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Notice of Proposed Data-Matching Activity for Renewing Assessment Notices 2010/11

 

Why is data being matched?

The Working with Children Check Unit (WWC Check Unit) has a responsibility under the Information Privacy Act 2000 (IP Act) to take reasonable steps to make sure that personal information it collects, uses or discloses is up-to-date.

It is necessary to use the most up-to-date contact details to assist in the proper administration of the Working with Children Act 2005 (the Act). In particular, the WWC Check Unit needs to be aware of a person’s current residential address because it may need to send the person important notices by post. These notices may arise out of:

• consideration of an application for a Working with Children Check
• re-assessments of a person’s eligibility to hold an Assessment Notice (AN)
• renewal of a Working with Children Check for a further five years. 

The WWC Check Unit is authorised under the Act to send these notices to the last known residential or business address of a person.

Data-matching is an efficient and powerful administrative tool that helps to ensure that the last-known residential address that the WWC Check Unit uses is up-to-date.

Data-matching involves comparing personal information about an individual from two or more records to gauge the accuracy of that information in each of the records, and to improve the accuracy of the personal information in all of the records.

The purpose of this data-matching activity is to ensure that the personal information the WWC Check Unit holds is current, to enable the WWC Check Unit to send renewal notices to existing AN holders whose ANs are soon to expire (referred to as ‘relevant persons’). These renewal notices will enable relevant persons to re-apply for a Working with Children Check in a streamlined and efficient manner.

 

What kind of information will be disclosed in the data-matching activity?

The personal information the WWC Check Unit will disclose in the data-matching activity will be the minimum amount of information necessary to identify relevant persons and their most up-to-date addresses. The WWC Check Unit may disclose the names and the residential addresses that relevant persons have provided. It may provide other personal information (such as telephone numbers, former names or addresses or dates of birth) to assist in ensuring the correct information is being matched.

 

To whom will my information be disclosed?

For the purposes of this data-matching activity, the WWC Check Unit will disclose relevant persons’ information to a selected data-matching service provider.

 

How will my personal information be used?

The WWC Check Unit will use personal information collected from the data-matching activity to communicate with relevant persons, including by sending correspondence and other notices via post. It may also use information collected to update our records and otherwise disclose that information where required, authorised or permitted by law.

The consequences of not collecting all or part of the personal information may be that a relevant person will not receive a renewal form or other correspondence from the WWC Check Unit.

 

Contacting the Working with Children Check Unit

Should you wish to discuss this activity, you can contact the WWC Check Unit by post or by telephone:

Working with Children Check Unit
Department of Justice
GPO Box 1915
Melbourne VIC 3001

Information Line: 1300 652 879
Hours of operation are 8:30am - 5pm weekdays (excluding public holidays)

Accessing your personal information

It is the Department of Justice’s policy that where appropriate, an individual may ask for access to their personal or health information informally, without having to make a formal request under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).

In some situations informal access will not be appropriate, and an individual will have to make a formal Freedom of Information request (for example, if a third party’s privacy is involved). Formal requests for access to personal information are managed in accordance with the FOI Act.

To request access to personal or health information, you may contact the Department’s privacy officer by phoning 8684 0071 or by sending a letter detailing the information you seek, with proof of identity, to the address below or contact the Department’s Freedom of Information unit on 8684 0063 to discuss making a Freedom of Information request.