The Social Security (Australia) Order (Northern Ireland) 1992

Part VII Administration

ARTICLE 22 Administrative Arrangements

The competent authorities of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Secretary to the Department of Social Security for the Government of Australia shall make whatever administrative arrangements are necessary from time to time in order to implement this Agreement.

ARTICLE 23 Disclosure of Information

(1) The competent authorities may supply to each other such information as is necessary for the operation of this Agreement or of the legislation of each territory to which this Agreement applies as if the matter involved the application of their own legislation.

(2) Any information received by a competent authority pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be protected in the same manner as information obtained under the legislation of that territory and shall be disclosed only to persons or authorities (including courts and administrative bodies) concerned with matters, including the determination of appeals, arising under the provisions of this Agreement and of the legislation to which this Agreement applies and shall be used only for those purposes.

(3) In no case shall the provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2) be construed so as to impose on the competent authority of either Party the obligation:

(a) to carry out administrative measures which are at variance with the laws or the administrative practice of either Party; or

(b) to supply particulars which are not obtainable under the laws or in the normal course of the administration of either Party.

(4) The competent authorities shall notify each other of legislation that supersedes, amends, supplements or replaces the legislation within the scope of this Agreement in relation to their respective Parties, promptly after the first-mentioned legislation is enacted.

(5) The appropriate competent authority shall also provide copies of the relevant legislation and of related explanatory material and any further amplification or clarification that the other competent authority may request.