TELECOMMUNICATIONS (INTERCEPTION AND ACCESS) ACT 1979 - SECT 178A Authorisations for access to existing information or documents--locating missing persons
TELECOMMUNICATIONS (INTERCEPTION AND ACCESS) ACT 1979 - SECT 178A
Authorisations for access to existing information or documents--locating missing persons(1) Sections 276, 277 and 278 of the Telecommunications Act 1997 do not prevent a disclosure of information or a document if the information or document is covered by an authorisation in force under subsection (2).
(2) An authorised officer of the Australian Federal Police, or a Police Force of a State, may authorise the disclosure of specified information or specified documents that came into existence before the time the person from whom the disclosure is sought receives notification of the authorisation.
Note: Section 184 deals with notification of authorisations.
(3) The authorised officer must not make the authorisation
unless he or she is satisfied that the disclosure is reasonably necessary for
the purposes of finding a person who the Australian Federal Police, or a
Police Force of a State, has been notified is missing.