WELLINGTON - Breaching a woman's privacy by disclosing details of her high income to her partner's former wife has cost the Inland Revenue Department $5000 in damages.
The woman complained after the former wife made several abusive telephone calls, said a Complaints Review Tribunal decision.
Her income was disclosed in a review officer's decision that reduced the amount her partner had to pay to his former wife and two children.
The man had earlier agreed to pay a higher rate, but when he told his former wife his new partner was pregnant he said the amount would be reduced when the baby was born.
His former wife then applied to the Child Support Agency for an assessment under the Child Support Act, and the amount he was assessed to pay was lower than the amount he had been paying voluntarily.
The review officer spoke to the former wife after she applied for a review of that decision, and also spoke to the man's partner, who did not realise the officer had information about her income.
- NZPA
Breach of privacy costs IRD $5000
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