Unauthorized Disclosure of Official Information Act
Imagine a company where workers are trusted with confidential records, trade secrets, and customer data. If a worker leaks those files without permission, or if someone else receives a leaked file and posts it online, they can be punished. This law works the same way for government operations, making it illegal to leak or pass along sensitive government documents without authorization.
This law creates strict rules and penalties against leaking official government information without authority. It prohibits sharing sensitive details in key areas:
- National security and intelligence services
- Military defence plans, equipment, weapons, and operations
- Confidential foreign relations and information shared by international bodies
- Law enforcement details that could hamper crime prevention or help prisoners escape
- Cabinet discussions, private corporate trade secrets, public health records, and internal policy advice
This law applies mainly to public officers and government workers who handle official files. It also applies to members of the public who knowingly receive and leak protected government documents that were passed to them without permission.
Someone accused of leaking information can defend themselves if they can prove:
- They did not know or have reason to believe the document was protected or damaging
- They reasonably believed they had official permission to share it
Breaking this law carries stiff financial and prison penalties:
- Minor document handling offences carry a fine up to $10,000, up to 3 months in prison, or both.
- General unauthorized disclosure offences carry a fine up to $20,000 or up to 6 months in prison for minor cases, and a fine up to $100,000 or up to 2 years in prison for major cases.
The law was signed on December 5, 2023, but will officially come into force on a date announced by the Minister in the official Gazette.
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