More Victorians caught up in privacy breach as documents removed from Parliament’s website

THE privacy of at least 20 Victorians was breached in a government document dump before the Parliament was forced to remove all the files from its website on Friday.

THE privacy of at least 20 Victorians was breached in a government document dump before the Parliament was forced to remove all the files from its website on Friday.

It is understood the documents, released by Daniel Andrews in a botched political hit on Opposition Leader Matthew Guy, will remain offline until at least next week as parliamentary staff try to rectify the massive bungle.

The Premier continued to dodge questions on Friday about how and why the information — including financial and medical details — was made public, but declared he was “certain” the state would not be exposed to legal action.

DAN ‘SORRY’ BUT STILL CAN’T EXPLAIN PRIVACY BREACH BUNGLE

PRIVATE DETAILS UNCOVERED IN DAN’S DOCUMENT DUMP

ANDREWS TO CENSURE GUY ON VENTNOR

It comes as the Herald Sun can reveal the documents also included:

THE resume of a property figure and correspondence on his suitability for a government board position;

THE personal details of residents concerned about the former government’s plans to build East West Link, along with internal emails discussing whether their details should be kept confidential on a departmental website;

DETAILED notes and emails on the legal procedures for terminating the employment of the VicRoads chief executive;

MOBILE numbers of current and former federal politicians including Greg Hunt and Andrew Robb.

Premier Daniel Andrews and MP James Merlino at Cowes primary school, Phillip Island. Picture: Nicole Garmston

The 80,000 pages were released to expose a $3.5 million taxpayer-funded settlement ordered by Mr Guy in 2013 to resolve a legal case sparked by his failed attempt to rezone farmland at Ventnor on Phillip Island in 2011.

Mr Guy said it was a “disgusting debacle” caused by a “sloppy, lazy, vengeful, nasty” government. “It’s the lowest form of politics and I think Victorians are sick of it,” he said.

Federal health minister Greg Hunt’s mobile phone number was in the documents.

Mr Andrews apologised for the “inadvertent inclusions in the documents”, adding he was confident Speaker Colin Brooks “has a process in place” to deal with the issue.

Asked if he was worried about legal action against the government, the Premier pointed to comments made by the Information Commissioner, who said the documents were tabled under parliamentary privilege which meant he could not investigate.

Premier Daniel Andrews at Cowes primary school, Phillip Island. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Mr Brooks removed all the documents from the Parliament’s website yesterday.

Victorian Bar president Matt Collins QC demanded an investigation into the breach, which also included the release of a barrister’s financial and medical details.

“The Victorian Bar calls on the State Government to investigate how this serious breach of privacy occurred, and to provide Victorians with an assurance that steps have been taken to ensure that it cannot happen again.”

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