This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Application for a RSE Licence'.










 
 
 
18 November 2021 
 
INTERNAL REVIEW DECISION 
Applicant: 
 
Phillip Sweeney 
Decision-maker: 
Evelyn Ong, an authorised officer of the Australian Prudential 
Regulation Authority (APRA) for the purposes of subsection 
  23(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).  
FOI reference: 
FOI 21-77 
Decision: 
Affirm the original decision to refuse access to the relevant 
documents.    
 
SUMMARY  

1. 
On 17 June 2021, you made the following FOI request: 
‘The documents I seek are copies of the application form and other documents lodged 
by Corporate Combined Superannuation Pty Ltd (or CCSL Ltd) to obtain Licence 
L0000758 from APRA.’ 
(the original FOI request
2. 
On 14 July 2021, APRA extended the decision date under section 15AA of the FOI Act 
until 16 August 2021. 
 
3. 
On 11 August 2021, APRA extended the decision date under section 15AA of the FOI 
Act until 15 September 2021. 
 
4. 
On 28 September 2021, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner extended 
the decision date under section 15AC of the FOI Act until 29 October 2021. 
 
5. 
On 28 October 2021, APRA made the decision to refuse access to 163 documents under 
section 38 and section 47F of the FOI Act (the original FOI decision).  
 
6. 
On 28 October 2021, APRA received your email request for internal review of the original 
FOI decision (the internal review application). 
 
MATERIAL TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT 

7. 
I relied on the following evidence and material in making my decision: 
a. 
the original FOI request dated 17 June 2021; 
b. 
acknowledgment of FOI request from FOI Officer to the Applicant dated 18 June 
2021; 


 
 
 
 
c. 
email correspondence between APRA staff between 30 June 2021 and 27 October 
2021; 
d. 
the original FOI decision; 
e. 
the internal review application; 
f. 
memorandum from FOI Officer dated 16 November 2021; 
g. 
relevant sections of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Act 1998 (Cth) 
(APRA Act); 
h. 
relevant sections of the FOI Act; and 
i. 
guidelines issued by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner to date 
(FOI Guidelines). 
 
DECISION
 
8. 
I have decided to affirm the original FOI decision to refuse access to the relevant 
documents. My reasons for the refusal are as follows: 
 
REASONS
 
9. 
I reproduce relevant paragraphs of the original FOI decision:   
'7. APRA has conducted all reasonable searches of its records and identified 163 
documents relevant to your FOI request (relevant documents).  
REASONS 
8. I have decided to refuse access to the relevant documents. My reasons for the 
refusal are as follows: 
a.  section 38: Documents 1-163 contain ‘protected information’ for the 
purposes of section 56 of the APRA Act; and 
b.  section 47F: Documents 8-10, 18-22, 44 and 69 contain information that if 
disclosed, would be an unreasonable disclosure of personal information. 
Secrecy provisions  
9. I have taken the following approach in applying section 38 of the FOI Act and 
section 56 of the APRA Act:  
i. 
under section 38 of the FOI Act, a document is exempt if disclosure is 
prohibited under a provision of an enactment and section 38 expressly 
applies to that provision;  
ii. 
subsection 56(11) of the APRA Act expressly applies section 38 of the FOI 
Act so that any document that is a ‘protected document’ or contains 
‘protected information’ within the meaning of subsection 56(1) of the 
APRA Act is also an exempt document under section 38 of the FOI Act;  
 
 
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY 



 
 
 
 
iii. 
under subsection 56(2) of the APRA Act it is an offence to directly or 
indirectly disclose protected documents and/or protected information 
unless a specified exemption applies. This offence provision is binding on 
me as an APRA staff member. The offence is punishable by up to two 
years imprisonment;  
iv. 
a “protected document” is defined in subsection 56(1) of the APRA Act to 
include documents given or produced under or for the purposes of a 
prudential regulation framework law, and containing information relating 
to the affairs of a financial sector entity. The Superannuation Industry 
(Supervision) Act 1993
 (Cth) is a prudential regulation framework law. The 
relevant documents were given or produced and disclosed or obtained 
under, or for the purposes of, this prudential regulation framework law. 
Therefore, the documents are protected documents unless otherwise 
publicly available;  
v. 
“protected information” is defined in subsection 56(1) of the APRA Act to 
include information disclosed or obtained under or for the purposes of a 
prudential regulation framework law, and relating to the affairs of a 
financial sector entities. For the same reasons set out in paragraph (iv) 
above, information contained in the documents is protected, unless 
otherwise publicly available; and  
vi. 
the information and the documents are not otherwise publicly available. 
10. I am satisfied that the relevant documents are protected documents, and/or 
contain protected information as defined in subsection 56(1) of the APRA Act and 
that Documents 1-153 consequently exempt under section 38 of the FOI Act. 
11. An extract of section 38 of the FOI Act and section 56 of the APRA Act are 
attached to these reasons. 
Personal privacy 
12. Subsection 47F(1) of the FOI Act provides that a document is conditionally 
exempt if its disclosure wold involve the unreasonable disclosure of personal 
information.  
13. “Personal information” has the same meaning as in the Privacy Act 1998 (Cth). 
Personal information includes information or an opinion, whether true or not, and 
whether recorded in material form or not, about an individual whose identity is 
apparent or can be reasonably ascertained from the information or opinion.  
14. Paragraph 6.157 of the FOI Guidelines provides that disclosure of a document 
that includes information about an individual’s disposition or private 
characteristics, is likely to be unreasonable. This is distinguishable from a 
document that includes an individual’s personal information because it relates to 
their usual duties or responsibilities, which would not be unreasonable to have 
such information released.  
15. The disclosure of the Documents 8-10, 18-22, 44 and 69 would be 
unreasonable for the following reasons: 
a.  the documents contain personal information;  
 
 
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY 



 
 
 
 
b.  the information is not available from publicly accessible resources; and 
c.  it would unreasonably infringe the individuals’ right to personal privacy.  
Application of the public interest test  
16. I have reviewed the FOI Act and FOI Guidelines and consider the following 
factors favouring the disclosure of the documents would apply, as disclosure would 
or could reasonably be expected to: 
a)  promote the objects of the FOI Act; and 
b)  enhance the public’s knowledge of a particular superannuation trustee.  
17. I have also considered the following factors against the disclosure of the 
documents would apply, as disclosure would or could reasonably be expected to: 
a)  prejudice APRA’s ability to obtain confidential information; 
b)  prejudice APRA’s ability to protect the right to privacy; and 
c)  unreasonably infringe individuals’ right to personal privacy. 
18. I have not taken any of the irrelevant factors listed in subsection 11B(4) of the 
FOI Act into account in determining whether access to the document would, on 
balance, be contrary to the public interest.  
19. I have determined that, on balance, the public interest factors against 
disclosure outweigh the public interest factors in favour of disclosure of the 
documents as disclosure would unreasonably infringe individuals’ right to personal 
privacy.’ 
10.  The following statements were made in support of the internal review application: 
a)  ‘APRA has released documents related to the application for registration of a 
superannuation fund administered by this particular corporate trustee so there 
should be no reason not to release documents associated with the application for a 
RSE Licence by the same trustee. 
Any personal information can be redacted.’ 
11.  I have considered your statement and reviewed all relevant documentation. 
12.  Subsection 56(11) of the APRA Act provides that a protected document is an exempt 
document for the purposes of section 38 of the FOI Act. The relevant documents were 
provided or produced for the purposes of a prudential regulation framework law, namely 
the  Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (Cth).  The relevant documents 
contain information relating to CCSL Limited, which is a ‘financial sector entity’ under 
subsection 56(1) of the APRA Act as defined by the Financial Sector (Collection of Data) 
Act 2001
 (Cth). CCSL Limited is ‘financial sector entity’ that is regulated by APRA as the 
trustee of a superannuation entity.  
13.  The relevant documents are not otherwise publicly available. The relevant documents 
are protected documents and are therefore exempt under section 38 of the FOI Act. I 
affirm the original FOI decision to refuse access to the relevant documents. 
 
 
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY 



 
 
 
 
RIGHTS OF REVIEW 
14.  Under section 54L of the FOI Act, you have the right to apply to the OAIC for a review 
of my decision. The application for review by the OAIC must be made in writing within 
60 days of the date of this letter, and be lodged in one of the following ways: 
Online 
Complete and lodge the online review form at:  
https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/reviews-
and-complaints/information-commissioner-review/ 
Post 
GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 2001 
Email 
xxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx 
Facsimile 
(02) 9284 9666 
Delivered in person 
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner 
Level 3, 175 Pitt Street 
Sydney NSW 2000 
 
15.  More information about your review rights under the FOI Act is available here: 
https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/foi-guidelines/part-10-review-by-the-
information-commissioner/ 
 
 
 
Evelyn Ong 
FOI Officer  
Australian Prudential Regulation Authority 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY 



 
 
 
 
Document Schedule 
 
Document  Description Exemption(s) 
Access 
No.  

Exempt document 
Section 38 
Refused 

Exempt document 
Section 38 
Refused 

Exempt document 
Section 38 
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Exempt document 
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Section 47F 

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10 
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11 
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AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY 



 
 
 
 
41 
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AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY 



 
 
 
 
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AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY 



 
 
 
 
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AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY 



 
 
 
 
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 1982 
11B  Public interest exemptions—factors 
Scope 
             (1)  This section applies for the purposes of working out whether access to a 
conditionally exempt document would, on balance, be contrary to the public 
interest under subsection 11A(5). 
             (2)  This section does not limit subsection 11A(5). 
Factors favouring access 
             (3)  Factors favouring access to the document in the public interest include whether 
access to the document would do any of the following: 
                     (a)  promote the objects of this Act (including all the matters set out in 
sections 3 and 3A); 
                     (b)  inform debate on a matter of public importance; 
                     (c)  promote effective oversight of public expenditure; 
                     (d)  allow a person to access his or her own personal information. 
Irrelevant factors 
             (4)  The following factors must not be taken into account in deciding whether access 
to the document would, on balance, be contrary to the public interest: 
                     (a)  access to the document could result in embarrassment to the 
Commonwealth Government, or cause a loss of confidence in the 
Commonwealth Government; 
                     (b)  access to the document could result in any person misinterpreting or 
misunderstanding the document; 
                     (c)  the author of the document was (or is) of high seniority in the agency to 
which the request for access to the document was made; 
                     (d)  access to the document could result in confusion or unnecessary debate. 
Guidelines 
             (5)  In working out whether access to the document would, on balance, be contrary 
to the public interest, an agency or Minister must have regard to any guidelines 
issued by the Information Commissioner for the purposes of this subsection 
under section 93A. 
47F  Public interest conditional exemptions—personal privacy 
General rule 
 
 
(1)  A document is conditionally exempt if its disclosure under this Act would involve 
the unreasonable disclosure of personal information about any person (including 
a deceased person). 
 
(2)  In determining whether the disclosure of the document would involve the 
unreasonable disclosure of personal information, an agency or Minister must 
have regard to the following matters: 
 
(a)  the extent to which the information is well known; 
 
 
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY 
10 


 
 
 
 
 
(b)  whether the person to whom the information relates is known to be (or to 
have been) associated with the matters dealt with in the document; 
 
(c)  the availability of the information from publicly accessible sources; 
 
(d)  any other matters that the agency or Minister considers relevant. 
 
(3)  Subject to subsection (5), subsection (1) does not have effect in relation to a 
request by a person for access to a document by reason only of the inclusion in 
the document of matter relating to that person. 
Access given to qualified person instead 
 
(4)  Subsection (5) applies if: 
 
(a)  a request is made to an agency or Minister for access to a document of the 
agency, or an official document of the Minister, that contains information 
concerning the applicant, being information that was provided by a qualified 
person acting in his or her capacity as a qualified person; and 
 
(b)  it appears to the principal officer of the agency or to the Minister (as the 
case may be) that the disclosure of the information to the applicant might 
be detrimental to the applicant’s physical or mental health, or well-being. 
 
(5)  The principal officer or Minister may, if access to the document would otherwise 
be given to the applicant, direct that access to the document, so far as it contains 
that information, is not to be given to the applicant but is to be given instead to a 
qualified person who: 
 
(a)  carries on the same occupation, of a kind mentioned in the definition of 
qualified person in subsection (7), as the first-mentioned qualified person; 
and 
 
(b)  is to be nominated by the applicant. 
 
(6)  The powers and functions of the principal officer of an agency under this section 
may be exercised by an officer of the agency acting within his or her scope of 
authority in accordance with arrangements referred to in section 23. 
 
(7)  In this section: 
qualified person means a person who carries on, and is entitled to carry on, an 
occupation that involves the provision of care for the physical or mental health of 
people or for their well-being, and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, 
includes any of the following: 
 
(a)  a medical practitioner; 
 (b) 

psychiatrist; 
 (c) 

psychologist; 
 (d) 

counsellor; 
 
(e)  a social worker. 
Note: 
Access must generally be given to a conditionally exempt document unless it 
would be contrary to the public interest (see section 11A). 
38  Documents to which secrecy provisions of enactments apply 
 
(1)  Subject to subsection (1A), a document is an exempt document if: 
 
(a)  disclosure of the document, or information contained in the document, is 
prohibited under a provision of an enactment; and 
 (b) 
either: 
 
 
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY 
11 


 
 
 
 
 
(i)  that provision is specified in Schedule 3; or 
 
(ii)  this section is expressly applied to the document, or information, by 
that provision, or by another provision of that or any other enactment. 
 
(1A)  A person’s right of access to a document under section 11 or 22 is not affected 
merely because the document is an exempt document under subsection (1) of 
this section if disclosure of the document, or information contained in the 
document, to that person is not prohibited by the enactment concerned or any 
other enactment. 
 
(2)  Subject to subsection (3), if a person requests access to a document, this 
section does not apply in relation to the document so far as it contains personal 
information about the person. 
 
(3)  This section applies in relation to a document so far as it contains personal 
information about a person if: 
 
(a)  the person requests access to the document; and 
 
(b)  disclosure of the document, or information contained in the document, is 
prohibited under section 503A of the Migration Act 1958 as affected by 
section 503D of that Act. 
 
(4)  In this section: 
enactment includes a Norfolk Island enactment. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY 
12 


 
 
 
 
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY ACT 1998 
56  Secrecy—general obligations  
 
(1)  In this section: 
body regulated by APRA includes a body that has at any time been a body 
regulated by APRA. 
court includes a tribunal, authority or person having the power to require the 
production of documents or the answering of questions. 
financial sector entity has the same meaning as in the Financial Sector 
(Collection of Data) Act 2001

officer means: 
 
(a)  an APRA member; or 
 
(b)  an APRA staff member; or 
 
(c)  any other person who, because of his or her employment, or in the course 
of that employment: 
 
(i)  has acquired protected information; or 
 
(ii)  has had access to protected documents; 
 
  other than an employee of the body to which the information or document 
relates. 
personal information has the same meaning as in the Privacy Act 1988
produce includes permit access to. 
protected document means a document given or produced (whether before or 
after the commencement of this section) under, or for the purposes of, a 
prudential regulation framework law and containing information relating to the 
affairs of: 
 
(a)  a financial sector entity; or 
 
(b)  a body corporate (including a body corporate that has ceased to exist) that 
has at any time been, or is, related (within the meaning of the Corporations 
Act 2001
) to a body regulated by APRA or to a registered entity; or 
 
(c)  a person who has been, is, or proposes to be, a customer of a body 
regulated by APRA or of a registered entity; or 
 
(ca)  a person in relation to whom information is, or was, required to be given 
under a reporting standard made in accordance with subsection 13(4A) of 
the Financial Sector (Collection of Data) Act 2001; 
other than: 
 
(d)  a document containing information that has already been lawfully made 
available to the public from other sources; or 
 
(e)  a document given or produced under, or for the purposes of, a provision of 
the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993
 
(i)  administered by the Commissioner of Taxation; or 
 
(ii)  being applied for the purposes of the administration of a provision 
administered by the Commissioner of Taxation. 
It also includes a document that is given to APRA under Part 7.5A of the 
Corporations Act 2001, other than a document containing information that has 
already been lawfully made available to the public from other sources. 
 
 
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY 
13 


 
 
 
 
protected information means information disclosed or obtained (whether before 
or after the commencement of this section) under, or for the purposes of, a 
prudential regulation framework law and relating to the affairs of: 
 
(a)  a financial sector entity; or 
 
(b)  a body corporate (including a body corporate that has ceased to exist) that 
has at any time been, or is, related (within the meaning of the Corporations 
Act 2001
) to a body regulated by APRA or to a registered entity; or 
 
(c)  a person who has been, is, or proposes to be, a customer of a body 
regulated by APRA or of a registered entity; or 
 
(ca)  a person in relation to whom information is, or was, required to be given 
under a reporting standard made in accordance with subsection 13(4A) of 
the Financial Sector (Collection of Data) Act 2001
other than: 
 
(d)  information that has already been lawfully made available to the public from 
other sources; or 
 
(e)  information given or produced under, or for the purposes of, a provision of 
the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993
 
(i)  administered by the Commissioner of Taxation; or 
 
(ii)   being applied for the purposes of the administration of a provision 
administered by the Commissioner of Taxation. 
It also includes information that is given to APRA under Part 7.5A of the 
Corporations Act 2001, other than information that has already been lawfully 
made available to the public from other sources. 
registered entity means a corporation that is, or has at any time been, a 
registered entity within the meaning of the Financial Sector (Collection of Data) 
Act 2001

 
(2)  A person who is or has been an officer is guilty of an offence if: 
 
(a)  the person directly or indirectly: 
 
(i)  discloses information acquired in the course of his or her duties as an 
officer to any person or to a court; or 
 
(ii)  produces a document to any person or to a court; and 
 
(b)  the information is protected information, or the document is a protected 
document; and 
 
(c)  the disclosure or production is not in accordance with subsection (3), (4), 
(5), (5AA), (5A), (5B), (5C), (6), (7), (7A), (7B) or (7C). 
Penalty: Imprisonment for 2 years. 
Note: 
Chapter 2 of the Criminal Code sets out the general principles of 
criminal responsibility. 
 
(3)  It is not an offence if the disclosure of protected information or the production of 
a protected document by a person is for the purposes of a prudential regulation 
framework law. 
Note: 
A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matters in 
subsection (3) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code). 
 
(4)  It is not an offence if the disclosure of protected information or the production of 
a protected document by a person: 
 
(a)  is by an employee of the person to whose affairs the information or 
document relates; or 
 
 
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY 
14 


 
 
 
 
 
(b)  occurs after the person to whose affairs the information or document relates 
has agreed in writing to the disclosure or production. 
Note: 
A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matters in 
subsection (4) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code). 
 
(5)  It is not an offence if the disclosure of protected information or the production of 
a protected document by a person: 
 
(a)  occurs when the person is satisfied that the disclosure of the information, or 
the production of the document, will assist a financial sector supervisory 
agency, or any other agency (including foreign agencies) specified in the 
regulations, to perform its functions or exercise its powers and the 
disclosure or production is to that agency; or 
 
(b)  is to another person and is approved by APRA by instrument in writing. 
Note: 
A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matters in 
subsection (5) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code). 
 
(5AA)  It is not an offence if the disclosure of protected information or the production of 
a protected document is made: 
 
(a)  by an officer of an agency to which the information or document has been 
disclosed or produced under paragraph (5)(a); and 
 
(b)  for the same purpose as the information or document was so disclosed or 
produced to that agency. 
Note: 
A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matters in 
subsection (5AA) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code). 
 
(5A)  It is not an offence if the production by a person of a document that was given to 
APRA under section 9 or 13 of the Financial Sector (Collection of Data) Act 2001 
is to the Australian Statistician for the purposes of the Census and Statistics Act 
1905

Note: 
A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to matters in 
subsection (5A) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code). 
 
(5B)  It is not an offence if the production by a person of a document that was given to 
APRA under section 9 or 13 of the Financial Sector (Collection of Data) Act 2001 
is to: 
 
(a)  the Reserve Bank of Australia; or 
 
(b)  another prescribed authority. 
Note: 
A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to matters in 
subsection (5B) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code). 
 (5C) 
If: 
 
(a)  a document is a reporting document given to APRA under section 13 of the 
Financial Sector (Collection of Data) Act 2001; and 
 (b) 
either: 
 
(i)  a determination has been made under section 57 that the document 
does not, or documents of that kind do not, contain confidential 
information; or 
 
(ii)  a determination has been made under section 57 that a specified part 
of the document, or of documents of that kind, does not contain 
confidential information; 
it is not an offence to disclose the document or that part of the document, or any 
information contained in the document or that part of the document, to any 
 
 
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY 
15 


 
 
 
 
person (including by making the document, the part of the document or the 
information available on APRA’s website). 
 
(6)  It is not an offence if the disclosure of protected information or the production of 
a protected document is to: 
 
(a)  an APRA member; or 
 
(b)  an APRA staff member; 
for the purposes of the performance of APRA’s functions, or the exercise of 
APRA’s powers, under a law of the Commonwealth or of a State or a Territory. 
Note: 
A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matters in 
subsection (6) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code). 
 
(6A)  It is not an offence if the disclosure of protected information or the production of 
a protected document is to: 
 
(a)  an auditor who has provided, or is providing, professional services to a 
general insurer, authorised NOHC or a subsidiary of a general insurer or 
authorised NOHC; or 
 
(b)  an actuary who has provided, or is providing, professional services to a 
general insurer, authorised NOHC or a subsidiary of a general insurer or 
authorised NOHC; 
and the disclosure is for the purposes of the performance of APRA’s functions, or 
the exercise of APRA’s powers, under a law of the Commonwealth or of a State 
or Territory. 
 
(7)  It is not an offence if the information, or the information contained in the 
document, as the case may be, is in the form of a summary or collection of 
information that is prepared so that information relating to any particular person 
cannot be found out from it. 
Note: 
A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matters in 
subsection (7) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code). 
 
(7A)  It is not an offence if the information, or the information contained in the 
document, as the case may be, is all or any of the following: 
 
(a)  the names of bodies that are regulated by APRA; 
 
(b)  the addresses at which bodies referred to in paragraph (a) conduct 
business; 
 
(c)  any other information that is reasonably necessary to enable members of 
the public to contact persons who perform functions in relation to bodies 
referred to in paragraph (a). 
Note: 
A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matters in 
subsection (7A) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code). 
 
(7B)  It is not an offence if the information, or the information contained in the 
document, as the case may be, is: 
 
(a)  a statement of APRA’s opinion as to whether or not a body regulated by 
APRA is complying, or was complying at a particular time, with a particular 
provision of a prudential regulation framework law; or 
 
(b)  a description of: 
 
(i)  court proceedings in relation to a breach or suspected breach by a 
person of a provision of a prudential regulation framework law; or 
 
(ii)  activity engaged in, or proposed to be engaged in, by APRA in relation 
to such a breach or suspected breach; or 
 
 
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY 
16 


 
 
 
 
 
(c)  a description of action under a prudential regulation framework law that 
APRA has taken or is proposing to take in relation to: 
 
(i)  a body regulated by APRA; or 
 
(ii)  an individual who holds or has held a position with or in relation to such 
a body. 
Note: 
A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matters in 
subsection (7B) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code). 
 
(7C)  If information referred to in subsection (7A) or paragraph (7B)(a) that relates to a 
body that is, or has at any time been, regulated by APRA under the 
Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 is disclosed to the Registrar of 
the Australian Business Register established under section 24 of the A New Tax 
System (Australian Business Number) Act 1999
, the Registrar may enter the 
information in that Register. 
Note: 
A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matters in 
subsection (7C) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code). 
 
(8)  A person who is, or has been, an officer cannot be required to disclose to a court 
any protected information, or to produce in a court a protected document, except 
when it is necessary to do so for the purposes of a prudential regulation 
framework law. 
 
(9)  If a person discloses information or produces a document under this section to 
another person, the first person may, at the time of the disclosure, impose 
conditions to be complied with in relation to the information disclosed or the 
document produced. 
 
(10)  A person is guilty of an offence if the person fails to comply with a condition 
imposed under subsection (9). 
Penalty: Imprisonment for 2 years. 
Note: 
Chapter 2 of the Criminal Code sets out the general principles of 
criminal responsibility. 
 
(11)  A document that: 
 
(a)  is a protected document; or 
 
(b)  contains protected information; 
is an exempt document for the purposes of section 38 of the Freedom of 
Information Act 1982

Note: 
For additional rules about personal information, see the Privacy Act 
1988

 
(12)  A disclosure of personal information is taken to be authorised by this Act for the 
purposes of paragraph 6.2(b) of Australian Privacy Principle 6 if: 
 
(a)  the information is protected information and the disclosure is made in 
accordance with any of subsections (4), (5), (5AA), (6), (7A), (7B) and (7C); 
or 
 
(b) 
the information is contained in a protected document and the disclosure is 
made by the production of the document in accordance with any of those subsections. 
 
 
 
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY 
17