XN000022-1973-07-04 — Page 19

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Wednesday, July 4, 1973

UNAUTHORISED DISCLOSURES COULD BE CRIMINAL OFFENCE

*

All possible steps are taken to guard against unauthorised

disclosure of confidential matters which might be contrary to the public's

interest, the Secretary for Home Affairs, the Hon. Jack Cater, said today.

The government regarded this problem very seriously, he said,

and civil servants were liable to disciplinary action if they leaked

out restricted information.

Mr. Cater was speaking in the Legislative Council in answer to

a question by the Hon. Joyce Symons who wanted to know whether the government

would take effective steps to prevent the disclosure to the press of

confidential matters under discussion.

He said government officers and those who had access to classified

information were subject to the Official Secrets Act under which unauthorised

disclosure of confidential matters could constitute a criminal offence.

Ir. Cater stressed, however, that this in no way affected the

government's attitude towards the "proper free flow of information of

public interest to the community through the media."

He noted that relations between government departments and the

media had continued to improve through more direct contact which he personally

advocated and regarded as being of "great value"

·

Mr. Cater assured Mrs. Symons that a thorough investigation would

be made into any case she might know of in which breaches of regulations

might have occurred.

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