Victorian Numbered Acts

FAMILY VIOLENCE PROTECTION AMENDMENT (INFORMATION SHARING) ACT 2017 (NO. 23 OF 2017) - SECT 10

After the heading to Division 3 of Part 13 of the Principal Act insert —

        " 210A     Information sharing regulation making power

    (1)     The Governor in Council may make regulations for or with respect to any matter or thing required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed or necessary to be prescribed to give effect to Part 5A.

    (2)     Without limiting subsection (1), the Governor in Council may make regulations for or with respect to—

        (a)     prescribing a person to be an information sharing entity; and

        (b)     prescribing a body to be an information sharing entity; and

        (c)     prescribing an information sharing entity as belonging to any of the following categories—

              (i)     a risk assessment entity;

              (ii)     a protection entity; and

        (d)     prescribing an information sharing entity as belonging to any category specified in the Regulations; and

        (e)     prohibiting or regulating the type of information that may be used, disclosed or generally handled by a specified category of information sharing entity; and

        (f)     prescribing the purposes for which a category of information sharing entity may use or disclose confidential information; and

        (g)     subject to subsection (5), prescribing specified persons employed by, or parts of, an information sharing entity to perform specified functions or exercise specified powers on behalf of an information sharing entity including by specifying any of the following to perform specified functions under Part 5A—

              (i)     the business unit, branch or area (however described) of an information sharing entity;

              (ii)     the business unit, branch or area (however described) of an information sharing entity operating at a specified geographical location;

              (iii)     the person's qualifications or experience;

              (iv)     the person's position description, classification or functions; and

        (h)     prohibiting or regulating the disclosure of confidential information between categories of information sharing entity; and

              (i)     prescribing a person to be the Central Information Point; and

        (j)         prescribing an information sharing entity to be a CIP data custodian; and

        (k)     prescribing the recording requirements to be observed by an information sharing entity or the Central Information Point generally for the purposes of section 144PB; and

        (l)     prescribing the information to be recorded by an information sharing entity or the Central Information Point for the purposes of section 144PB; and

        (m)     prescribing provisions of Acts for the purposes of section 144QC.

    (3)     Regulations made for the purposes of subsection (2)(a) may prescribe a person or class of person who is engaged in a role that requires the handling of confidential information, including any of the following persons—

        (a)     a nurse;

        (b)     a police officer;

        (c)     a registered medical practitioner;

        (d)     a psychologist within the meaning of the Health Practitioner National Law;

        (e)     a teacher.

    (4)     Regulations made for the purposes of subsection (2)(b) may prescribe a body or class of body that has a function that requires the handling of confidential information, including any of the following bodies—

        (a)     a community service organisation funded by the State government to provide services to individuals affected by family violence;

Example

Community service organisations that provide services to individuals affected by family violence include child and family services, drug and alcohol services, homelessness services, out of home care services, mental health services and sexual assault services.

        (b)     a public entity;

        (c)     a public service body;

        (d)     a health service provider within the meaning of section 3(1) of the Health Records Act 2001 ;

        (e)     an education and care service or children's service;

        (f)     a school (whether a Government school or a non-Government school).

    (5)     Regulations made for the purposes of subsection (2)(a), (b) or (g) may prescribe a person or body specified in section 144I if the prescription of that person or body is in respect of a function other than a judicial or quasi-judicial function involving the handling of confidential information performed by that person or body.".