Section 98C — Privacy Act 1988: Treatment of trusts

(1) If, apart from this subsection, this Act would impose an obligation on a trust, the obligation is imposed instead on each trustee of the trust but may be discharged by any of the trustees. (2) If, apart from this subsection, an offence against this Act would be committed by a trust, the offence is taken to have been committed by each trustee of the trust. (3) If, apart from this subsection, a trust would contravene a civil penalty provision, the contravention is taken to have been committed by each trustee of the trust. (4) A trustee of a trust does not commit an offence against this Act because of subsection (2), or contravene a civil penalty provision because of subsection (3), if the trustee: (a) does not know of the circumstances that constitute the contravention of the provision concerned; or (b) knows of those circumstances but takes all reasonable steps to correct the contravention as soon as possible after the trustee becomes aware of those circumstances. Note: In criminal proceedings, a defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matters in subsection (4) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code).