Vic: Bracks backs monitor after file bungle

AAP General News (Australia)
08-09-2005
Vic: Bracks backs monitor after file bungle

Victorian Premier STEVE BRACKS has defended the state's Office of Police Integrity
after it inadvertently sent hundreds of sensitive police files to a private citizen.

Mr BRACKS agrees it was a major major error.

But he's told Southern Cross radio that state ombudsman GEORGE BROUWER, who also heads
the OPI, has handled the matter appropriately.

Confidential files on more than 400 people were sent by the OPI to a woman in country
Victoria in May, after she complained that a policewoman had breached her privacy by accessing
her files.

Mr BROUWER has blamed the debacle on a mail clerk, and initially said the watchdog
could investigate the matter itself.

But yesterday he bowed to mounting pressure, and called in the privacy commissioner
PAUL CHADWICK to examine the circumstances around the error.

AAP RTV nl/mh/wz/rt

KEYWORD: FILES (MELBOURNE)

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