Complaint Filed With Canadian Privacy Commissioner Over Court Data Breach

A formal complaint has been lodged with Canada's privacy commissioner after a transcription contractor exposed litigant data from at least 146 Australian court matters. The Federal Court also extended the contractor's agreement by $5.3 million despite the breach and the firm's administration status.

The revelation was made during Senate estimates hearings. Officials said the contractor, responsible for transcription services across multiple Australian courts and tribunals, had subcontracted work offshore without notifying the courts.

The Federal Court extended the contract by $5.3 million even though the agreement was set to expire on June 30 and the company had entered administration on March 16. Court representatives described the late listing of the amendment on the Australian Tenders website as an administrative oversight.

A separate $451,000 contract for program management support was listed shortly before the estimates hearing. Senators questioned the timing and transparency of both listings.

The CEO of the Federal Circuit and Family Court told the hearing that the contractor had provided inconsistent figures on the number of affected files. He said the company had not supplied detailed reports despite multiple requests. No affected family court litigants have been notified.

Officials cited concerns that disclosure could cause distress. The working relationship with the Canadian arm of the contractor had broken down, and the company had issued a public statement about unauthorized access without informing the courts, the CEO added.

The Attorney-General's department contacted the Australian Cyber Security Centre after learning of the breach.