[LINK] Tax Office selling ABN details

[Karl Schaffarczyk]

>Linkers,
>
>IT news today (via an AAP report) carried confirmation, from a Senates 
>estimate hearing that the Tax Office is selling ABN information to private 
>companies, namely a Dun & Bradstreet/Commonwealth Bank joint venture at 
>www.abnsearch.com.au.

[snip]

Hi Stewart, Linkers,
                    I am currently wondering what the big deal is...

my thoughts:

a) none of this information relates directly to individuals. Privacy in 
this country has only ever dealt with individuals.

b) what information will be made available that won't already be 
available via a lookup of your ACN, ARBN or Business Name rego via ASIC 
or an organisation advertised on ASIC.

c) why are people getting upset about this? For example, Once I establish 
what someone's address is, I can then go and look it up at the local 
council, and find out who is the official owner, obtain plans for the 
house, boundary maps, a list of who has ever owned it, when it changed 
hands how much it changed hands for, what inspections have been made for 
noxious weeds, what inspections have been made for structural soundness, 
and if the house has a dwelling certificate. And that's just your house - 
none of that is private, and a house is a reasonably personal item.

          now your business.... what can people find out about your 
business from your ABN? your address? apparently not... what suburb or 
town you are in... likely, but who cares?  your bank account? i sincerely 
doubt it... your credit status? possibly, but not via the tax office.... 
your business name? now, why would you want to hide that? 




If anyone would like to tell me why i should be afraid of or concerned 
about the gov't selling my details, I would be most appreciative.

Karl
=8)


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