Public Health Act 2016 (WA) #
Section 299(2) states that if a public health official or officer of an enforcement agency, in good faith and in accordance with the guidelines relating to information sharing issued by the chief health officer, discloses relevant information:
- to another public health official;
- to another officer of an enforcement agency (other than the chief health officer); or
- to an officer of an information sharing agency,
they are not liable for any civil or criminal liability in respect of the disclosure. In addition, the disclosure is not to be regarded as a breach of any duty of confidentiality or secrecy imposed by law, or a breach of professional ethics or standards or any applicable principles of conduct. An information sharing agency means:
- a public authority, department or agency of the government of the Commonwealth, another state, a territory or another country;
- a body (corporate or unincorporate), established or continued for a public purpose under law; or
- the World Health Organization.
Section 302 states that a person who, without lawful authority, directly or indirectly, uses or discloses confidential information obtained by reason of any function that the person has, or at any time had, in the administration of the Act or pt XI of the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1911 (WA) commits an offence carrying a fine of $20,000.
