Public Sector Integrity

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (15:16): I seek leave to provide a brief explanation before asking a question of the Attorney-General about the Public Sector (Data Sharing) Act.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Section 4(a) of the Public Sector (Data Sharing) Act 2016 reads as follows:

If data to be shared and used contains personal information, the personal information must be de-identified unless—

(i) the person to whom the personal information relates has consented to the sharing and use; or

(ii) the sharing and use of the personal information is reasonably related to the original purpose for which it was collected and there is no reason to think that the person to whom the information relates would object to the sharing and use;

As we know, last week it was revealed that a private and confidential job application and CV that was sent to the Attorney's office was distributed to the media. My question to the Attorney is: will he guarantee that he and his staff adhered to the principles outlined in the Public Sector (Data Sharing) Act?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:18): I thank the honourable member for her question. It is most curious on two fronts that the honourable member asks this question: first, the Leader of the Opposition herself has already asked questions about this. There is clearly no strategy or no discussion. I can understand the Hon. Michelle Lensink would be quite annoyed that she does not get to ask these questions and has been usurped by the dominant conservative faction of the Legislative Council. But, be that as it may, the second curious aspect—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: —of the asking of this question is the Hon. Michelle Lensink's complete failure to explain her possession of an email in previous weeks. That is something we might hear more about, but I have already answered the substance of this question in reply to the Leader of the Opposition.