Commonwealth Counsel rate application form
A Commonwealth agency that proposes to brief a counsel who does not have an approved rate for performing Commonwealth legal work, is to use this form to seek approval for an initial rate.
Commonwealth Counsel Rate Application Privacy Collection Notice
This document explains how the Attorney-General’s Department (the department) will collect, store, use and disclose all personal information collected in the Commonwealth Counsel Rate Application form when you apply for a Commonwealth rate under Appendix D of the Legal Services Directions 2017 (Directions).
The department is bound by the provisions of the Privacy Act 1988, including the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). Your personal information will be handled in accordance with the department’s obligations under this Act.
How your personal information will be collected
The department collects personal information (including sensitive information) directly from you when you complete the Commonwealth Counsel Rate Application form, or directly from the person you have authorised to provide this information on your behalf. This may include a law clerk, solicitor or officer at an Australian Commonwealth agency who submit an application form for a Commonwealth approved rate on your behalf.
Why is your personal information being collected and how will it be used?
Your personal information is being collected for the purpose of sharing with Australian Government agencies to support the engagement of more diverse counsel and/or counsel who hold a relevant security clearance. This involves the department’s disclosure of your personal information to staff within Australian Government agencies that have a business need to access this information (i.e., for the purpose of engaging counsel).
The department requires agencies to restrict any further sharing of this information to only staff within that agency that have a business need to access it. The department also requires agencies to not share this information with any person or body outside of that agency. All Australian Government agencies are required to comply with the Privacy Act 1988, including the APPs.
The department may also de-identify your information to inform statistics for internal reporting processes or for inclusion in the Legal Services Expenditure Report (LSER), which the department publishes annually on its website. The purpose of the LSER is to provide an overview of legal services expenditure across the Australian Government and identify and report on trends, patterns and changes in legal services expenditure. Any personal information identifiable to you will not be disclosed to any person or entity outside of the Australian Government.
If we don’t collect this information
Providing your personal information is completely voluntary. However, if you do not wish to provide your information, it may affect the Commonwealth’s ability to effectively engage more diverse counsel and/or counsel with a relevant security clearance.
Further information
The department’s Privacy Policy explains how we handle and protect the personal information you provide to us. Our Privacy Policy also explains how you can request access to, or correct, the personal information we hold about you, and who to contact if you have a privacy enquiry or complaint. If you have any questions about the department’s Privacy Policy, please contact our Privacy Officers by emailing: privacy@ag.gov.au.
You can seek clarification, correction or removal of the personal information about you held by OLSC by emailing: OLSC@ag.gov.au.