How your information is used and protected

When applying to the National Redress Scheme, your personal information will be required to progress your application. The Australian Government Department of Social Services (the department) administers the National Redress Scheme, assisted by Services Australia. The information you provide us in your application (and in any attachments, related verbal or written statements, or documents) is protected by law, including the Privacy Act 1988(Opens in a new tab/window) (Privacy Act) and the strict confidentiality provisions of the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Act 2018(Opens in a new tab/window) (the Redress Act).

The Redress Act and Privacy Act set out how your information can be collected, stored, accessed, used and disclosed.

Privacy is important to us, and the information collected must be directly related to, or reasonably necessary for, one or more of our functions under the Redress Act. At times, your information may be shared with other people and organisations (third parties) who may need to view it in order to manage or respond to your application, or for other authorised purposes. Examples of these third parties can be found in our Privacy Notice. People who use or share your information without the authority to do so, can be fined or gaoled.

If you do not agree to us collecting, using and disclosing information that is relevant to your application, or after making your application you no longer agree to us using or disclosing your information, we may not be able to progress your application, or our ability to progress your application may be restricted.

More information about how we handle your personal information is set out in our Privacy Policy. Our Privacy Policy contains information on how you can access your personal information that we hold, and how to seek correction of that personal information. It also contains information about how to make a complaint about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles, as set out in the Privacy Act 1988.

Read the Privacy Policy and Notices to understand about how your information is collected, stored and used

Internal investigations and disciplinary procedures by institutions

• Institutions can use information received from the Scheme to undertake internal investigation and disciplinary procedures.
• The Scheme may contact an applicant, on behalf of an institution, to see if the applicant wants to participate in an internal investigation and disciplinary procedure.
• Where an applicant indicates to the Scheme that they do not wish to participate in an internal investigation or disciplinary procedure, being undertaken by an institution, the Scheme expects that an institution will respect the applicant’s wishes.
• Institutions must not try to contact an applicant separately to the Scheme.

Reporting abuse to keep children safe

• Under the law, the Scheme and participating institutions must report risks of ongoing abuse, based upon the information in your application, to the Police and child protection authorities.
• The Scheme may need to contact you to discuss the matter further before making a report. Anonymous reports can be made to the police if you do not wish to be identified.
• Where institutions are made aware of risks of ongoing abuse or past abuse, they may have an obligation to advise relevant authorities. Where the Scheme knows a person does not want to be identified in a report made to authorities, the Scheme will advise an institution. In some circumstances, institutions may be obligated by law to disclose an applicant’s name in order for authorities to undertake an investigation.
• Applicants should discuss with the Scheme what these reporting obligations may mean for them.