HD and Department of Families, Youth and Community Care

Application number:
1995 S0003
Decision date:
Friday, Dec 19, 1997

HD and Department of Families, Youth and Community Care
(1995 S0003, 19 December 1997) 

HD and Queensland Police Service
(1995 S0020, 19 December 1997) 

In the context of s.44(1), the Information Commissioner weighed public interest considerations for and against disclosure of information obtained in the course of an investigation of suspected child abuse by a person, which investigation prompted the suspension of the certificate of approval of his wife as a care provider under the Child Care Act 1991 Qld.

The person was never charged with an offence, and a considerable amount of information had already been provided by both agencies to the person and his wife.  The matter remaining in issue was sensitive personal information concerning the child and her family, and the Information Commissioner did not consider that its disclosure would assist the wife in complaining about, or seeking redress for, her suspension.  Stressing the substantial weight of the privacy interest in protecting information of this nature, the Information Commissioner decided that disclosure of the matter in issue would not, on balance, be in the public interest.