S 3C inserted by No 124 of 2013, s 3 and Sch 5 item 1, applicable to: (a) the 2013-14 income year and later income years; and (b) the 2013-2014 MRRT year and later MRRT years; and (c) the year of tax (within the meaning of the
Petroleum Resource Rent Tax Assessment Act 1987
) starting on 1 July 2013 and later years of tax.
Former s 3C repealed by No 145 of 2010, s 3 and Sch 2 item 110, effective 17 December 2010. S 3C formerly read:
SECTION 3C SECRECY
3C(1)
In this section,
"
officer
"
means a person:
(a)
who is or has been appointed or employed by the Commonwealth; or
(b)
to whom powers or functions have been delegated by the Commissioner;
and who, by reason of the appointment or employment or in the course of the employment, or by reason of, or in the course of the exercise of powers or the performance of functions under, the delegation, as the case may be, may acquire or has acquired information with respect to the affairs of any other person disclosed or obtained under or for the purposes of this Act.
3C(1AA)
(Repealed by No 82 of 1993)
History
S 3C(1AA) inserted by No 138 of 1987.
3C(1AB)
This section does not apply in relation to information disclosed or obtained under or for the purposes of Part
III
insofar as that Part applies in relation to the
Development Allowance Authority Act 1992
or the
Tax Agent Services Act 2009
.
History
S 3C(1AB) amended by No 114 of 2009, s 3 and Sch 1 item 16, by inserting
"
or the
Tax Agent Services Act 2009
"
, effective 1 March 2010.
S 3C(1AB) inserted by No 98 of 1992.
3C(1A)
For the purposes of this section, a person who, although not appointed or employed by the Commonwealth, performs services for the Commonwealth shall be taken to be employed by the Commonwealth.
History
S 3C(1A) inserted by No 123 of 1985.
3C(2)
Subject to subsection (4), a person who is or has been an officer shall not directly or indirectly:
(a)
make a record of any information with respect to the affairs of a second person; or
(b)
divulge or communicate to a second person any information with respect to the affairs of a third person;
being information disclosed or obtained under or for the purposes of this Act and acquired by the person by reason of the person
'
s appointment or employment by the Commonwealth or in the course of such employment, or by reason of the delegation to the person of powers or functions by the Commissioner, or in the course of the exercise of such powers or the performance of such functions, as the case may be.
Penalty: $10,000 or imprisonment for 2 years, or both.
Note:
It is not a breach of subsection (2) to record or disclose information in accordance with an obligation Australia has under an agreement with another country. See section
23
of the
International Tax Agreements Act 1953
.
History
S 3C(2) amended by
No 100 of 2006
, s 3 and Sch 2 item 2, by inserting the note at the end, applicable to requests for the exchange of information made after 14 September 2006.
S 3C(2) amended by No 146 of 2001, No 97 of 1988.
3C(2A)
Subsection (2) does not apply to the extent that the person makes a record of the information, or divulges or communicates the information:
(a)
for the purposes of this Act; or
(b)
in the performance of the person
'
s duties as an officer.
(c)
(Repealed by
No 100 of 2006
)
Note:
A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matters in this subsection, see subsection
13.3(3)
of the
Criminal Code
.
History
S 3C(2A) amended by
No 100 of 2006
, s 3 and Sch 2 item 3, by substituting para (b) for para (b) and (c), applicable to requests for the exchange of information made after 14 September 2006. Para (b) and (c) formerly read:
(b)
in the performance of the person
'
s duties as an officer; or
(c)
for the purposes of complying with an obligation Australia has under an agreement between Australia and another country.
S 3C(2A) substituted by No 10 of 2003, inserted by No 146 of 2001.
3C(3)
Except when it is necessary to do so for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of a taxation law, a person who is or has been an officer shall not be required:
(a)
to produce in court any document made or given under or for the purposes of this Act; or
(b)
to divulge or communicate to a court a matter or thing with respect to information disclosed or obtained under or for the purposes of this Act;
being a document or information acquired by the person by reason of the person
'
s appointment or employment by the Commonwealth or in the course of such employment, or by reason of the delegation to the person of powers or functions by the Commissioner, or in the course of the exercise of such powers or the performance of such functions, as the case may be.
3C(4)
Nothing in subsection (2) prohibits the Commissioner, a Second Commissioner, a Deputy Commissioner or a person authorised by the Commissioner, a Second Commissioner or a Deputy Commissioner from communicating any information to:
(a)
a person performing, as an officer, duties in relation to a taxation law, for the purpose of enabling the person to perform those duties; or
(b)
if the information relates to the non-compliance of a private ancillary fund or charity (or a trustee of a private ancillary fund or charity) with a law of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory
-
the Attorney-General of a State or Territory for the purposes of the administration of a law of the State or Territory governing trusts and charities.
History
S 3C(4) substituted by No 88 of 2009, s 3 and Sch 2 item 17, effective 1 October 2009. S 3C(4) formerly read:
3C(4)
Nothing in subsection (2) shall be taken to prohibit the Commissioner, a Second Commissioner, a Deputy Commissioner or a person authorized by the Commissioner, a Second Commissioner or a Deputy Commissioner from communicating any information to a person performing, as an officer, duties in relation to a taxation law, for the purpose of enabling the person to perform those duties.
3C(5)
For the purposes of subsection (2), an officer shall be deemed to have communicated information to another person in contravention of that subsection if:
(a)
the officer communicates that information to any Minister of State of the Commonwealth, any Minister of the Crown of a State or any Minister of the Northern Territory; and
(b)
the information was acquired by the officer otherwise than for the purposes of Part
II
.
History
S 3C(5) amended by No 123 of 1985.
3C(6)
An officer shall, if and when required by the Commissioner, a Second Commissioner or a Deputy Commissioner to do so, make an oath or declaration, in a manner and form specified by the Commissioner by instrument in writing, to maintain secrecy in conformity with the provisions of this section.
3C(7)
For the purposes of this section, information communicated to the Commissioner by a person performing a function, or exercising a power, under a law of a State or of an internal Territory relating to taxation shall be taken to have been acquired by the Commissioner for the purposes of this Act.
History
S 3C(7) inserted by No 123 of 1985.
3C(8)
A reference in this section to a document or information acquired by a person does not include a reference to a document or information acquired by the person under a provision of this Part (other than this section) that authorises the disclosure of information.
History
S 3C(8) inserted by No 107 of 1989.
3C(9)
In this section:
taxation law
(Repealed by No 54 of 2003)
History
Definition of
"
taxation law
"
repealed by No 54 of 2003. For transitional provisions, see note under definition of
"
Customs diesel fuel rebate provision
"
in s
2(1)
. The definition of
"
taxation law
"
formerly read:
taxation law
includes the
Diesel and Alternative Fuels Grants Scheme Act 1999
.
Definition of
"
taxation law
"
inserted by No 201 of 1999.
this Act
does not include Part
IVC
, and does not include Part 3-10, and Divisions 355 and 382, in Schedule 1.
History
Definition of
"
this Act
"
amended by No 88 of 2009, s 3 and Sch 5 item 250, by omitting
"
except insofar as it relates to Part IV
"
after
"
does not include Part IVC
"
, effective 18 September 2009.
Definition of
"
this Act
"
amended by
No 73 of 2006
, s 3 and Sch 5 item 160, by substituting
"
Part 3-10, and Divisions 355 and 382, in Schedule 1
"
for
"
Part VI
"
, effective 1 July 2006.
Definition of
"
this Act
"
amended by No 56 of 1999.
S 3C(9) inserted by No 216 of 1991.