General Information for an Australian National Police History Check

GENERAL INFORMATION

Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) is collecting your personal information in this form in order to conduct a National Police History Check (NPHC) on you. Approved Agencies in New Zealand, named in section one, use the personal information collected on this form and the resulting NPHC as part of the assessment process to determine suitability for the position/entitlement/benefit which you are applying for.

Unless statutory obligations require otherwise, the information provided on this form will not be used without your prior consent for any purpose other than in relation to the assessment of your suitability or to maintain the records of ACIC, Australian Police Agencies¹, or NZ Police.

You will be required to complete another consent form for any future NPHC checks.

¹Australian Federal Police, ACT Policing, The New South Wales Police Force, Queensland Police Service, South Australia Police, Victoria Police, Western Australia Police, Northern Territory Police Force, Tasmania Police Service

NATIONAL POLICE HISTORY CHECK (NPHC)

A NPHC is an integral part of the assessment of your suitability. Information on this form will be used by ACIC, and Australian Police Agencies for checking action; it will also be used to update records held about you by ACIC, Australian Police Agencies and NZ Police.

Information released may include outstanding charges, warrant information and criminal convictions/findings/pleas of guilt recorded against you that may be disclosed according to the laws of the relevant jurisdiction and, in the absence of any laws governing the release of that information, according to the relevant jurisdiction information release policy.

LIMITATIONS ON ACCURACY AND USE OF POLICE HISTORY INFORMATION

While every care has been taken by ACIC to conduct a search of information held by Australian Police Agencies that relate to the applicant, the accuracy and quality of this NPHC depends on accurate identification of the Applicant (including aliases) according to the information provided in the Request and Consent Form and the comprehensiveness of police records. If the applicant does not complete the information requirements in this form the success and validity of the NPHC will be compromised.

If for any reason you do not agree with the results of your NPHC, please notify the Approved Agency that you submitted the check through in the first instance, so that the NPHC dispute process can be initiated.

The release of information by Australian Police Agencies is subject to relevant Spent Convictions, non-disclosure legislation or information release policies.

SPENT CONVICTIONS SCHEMES

The aim of Spent Convictions legislation² is to prevent discrimination on the basis of certain previous convictions. Spent Convictions legislation limits the use and disclosure of older, less serious convictions and findings of guilt. Each Australian Police Agency will apply the relevant Spent Convictions legislation/information release policy prior to disclosure.

The following links may be helpful in sourcing information on Spent Convictions in the Australian States & Territories but may not be relied upon.

If further information or clarification is required please contact the individual Australian Police Agencies directly for further information about their release policies and any legislation that affects them.

Commonwealth www.comlaw.gov.au
New South Wales www.legislation.nsw.gov.au
Queensland www.legislation.qld.gov.au
South Australia www.legislation.sa.gov.au
Victoria Police www.police.vic.gov.au
Western Australia www.slp.wa.gov.au
Northern Territory www.nt.gov.au/dcm/legislation/current.html
Australian Capital Territory www.legislation.act.gov.au
Tasmania www.thelaw.tas.gov.au

² Applicable Spent Conviction legislation, as amended from time to time

PROVISION OF INCOMPLETE, FALSE OR MISLEADING INFORMATION

An Approved Agency or Applicant must take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information collected, or disclosed is accurate, complete and up to date.

You are asked to certify that the personal information you have provided on this form is correct. If it is subsequently discovered,for example as a result of a check of police records, that you have provided incomplete, false or misleading information, you may be assessed as unsuitable.

It is a serious offence to provide false or misleading information in Australia.

Information Last Updated: 03/05/2019