How should I respond if I receive an urgent request?

If an individual asks you to provide them with their personal information, then you are generally required to provide them with a decision (letting them know whether you will be providing the information or not), as soon as practicable, but in any case, within 20 working days.

However, individuals can ask that you respond to their information request urgently. To do this, they will need to provide you with some explanation as to why they need the information urgently.

If you receive an urgent information request, you should assess the request, including any information the individual has provided explaining why they need the information urgently. It’s up to you to decide whether you’re satisfied that there is a real need for urgency in the case and, if you think there is, you should provide the information as soon as is possible.

If there was a good reason for the person to request the information urgently, and you fail to provide it as quickly as possible, this could be considered an undue delay in making the information available, which may mean you have breached the Privacy Act.

(Updated November 2020)