July 29, 2014 catherinetownsend

Background Checks Down Under

Australia has a lot of great things going for it: Untamed wilderness, Vegemite, Crocodile Dundee, and of course the (often shirtless) Hugh Jackman. But when it comes to doing background checks down under – as I had to do for a recent case involving a lawyer who had some questions about her new boyfriend – I found that criminal records in Australia are much more closely guarded than they are here in the U.S.

This wasn’t the first time that I had to tackle foreign red tape: I often take for granted the access that private investigators, journalists and all other citizens have to information in the United States via private databases, public record and the Freedom of Information Act.

It is possible to do a long-distance criminal records check – but it takes substantially longer. There is a procedure to request a police check, but you have to fill out forms and register for access.

Figuring out marital status is harder: The records are arranged by territory, and requests can be made over the counter, but only the people who got married (or those with their consent) can order certificates online. A number of commercial websites claiming to provide marriage records for a fee have sprung up, but the government warns that these are scams.

Bankruptcy was easier: The Australian Financial Security Authority has a National Personal Insolvency Index, and according to the website it provides the following information:

An ‘extract’ of the NPII shows name and other personal information that identifies a debtor, the type of insolvency proceeding, the date it started, the administration number and the name and contact details of the trustee or administrator of the proceeding, as well as:

  • creditors’ petitions
  • debt agreements
  • personal insolvency agreements
  • bankruptcies
  • insolvent deceased estates
  • control orders and authorities.

According to the website, personal information is also included, such as:

  • the name, date of birth (if known), residential address and occupation of the person as disclosed on documents accepted by the Official Receiver
  • the person’s previous names and aliases, if known
  • the type of proceeding, the date it started and the administration number
  • the name and contact details of the trustee or administrator of the proceeding
  • the current status of the person and/or the proceeding (eg whether a person is discharged from bankruptcy or whether a creditor’s petition for a person’s bankruptcy is in progress).

Information on a company including business names, financial status and audits can be found at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

Information on military records and many different types of historical documents are maintained in the National Archives – and if you can’t visit in person, they take requests via email and give price quotes related to the specific information provided.

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