Vic: Criminals exploiting name change laws: Police Association

AAP General News (Australia)
02-16-2004
Vic: Criminals exploiting name change laws: Police Association

MELBOURNE, Feb 16 AAP - Criminals in Victoria are shedding their records and evading
police by changing their identities, the Police Association warned today.

The association is worried that the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry is not notifying
police of name changes, allowing criminals to build new identities and wipe their criminal
records.

Police Association Victorian secretary Paul Mullett today said there was "no doubt"

criminals were exploiting the system to evade police.

"It strikes at the core of policing," he said.

"Criminals can get a new passport, a new credit card, a new birth certificate - it's
a ticket to freedom," he said.

Senior Sergeant Mullett said the registry had cited privacy legislation as the reason
for withholding information from the police.

"We are calling on the government to review the protocol so police are notified," he said.

But a spokeswoman for Victorian Communities Minister John Thwaites said police could
get access to name change information in cases where it was deemed necessary.

She said police had never had unfettered access to name change details.

Births Deaths and Marriages registrar Helen Trihas said in a statement that under the
law the registry was required to protect the privacy of people undergoing name changes.

But she said law enforcement agencies could be granted access to aid investigations
and prosecutions.

She said the registry had a good working relationship with the police and worked to
clear guidelines.

"The registry has been working with the Victoria Police in recent years to identify
improvements that can be made to information sharing that balance security and privacy
issues," Ms Trihas said.

AAP apw/gfr/tma/de

KEYWORD: IDENTITY

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