Privacy concerns about Victorian Coroner's files

Bill O'Shea, a past President of the Law Institute of Victoria, drew attention in The Age yesterday to the passage of legislation in Victoria that, in his view allows public access to coronial files, without appropriate privacy protections.

It's hard to know what to make of the outcome - O'Shea suggests it is contrary to Law Reform Commission recommendations - and the Victorian Privacy Commissioner, who usually doesn't miss much, has nothing on the web about the issue.

It's also unclear whether the law is in step or out of step with what happens elsewhere around the country.