checks, what balance?

submitted to SMH

I didn't bother putting fingers to keyboard earlier in the week as I thought there would be a flood of letters over the "revelation" that some centrelink staff have been caught pulling up files that they dont have any business accessing ("Centrelink staff sacked over breaches" August 22, 2006).

If 19 employees were terminated, and 92 resigned when faced with "accusations of inappropriate breaches of privacy", why were only 5 cases referred to the AFP for possible prosecution?

I checked the letters pages since this was reported and there was not one letter published about this huge breach of public trust.

While I am happy to admit that the results of this "electronic survey" indicates an overwhelming majority of staff are doing the right thing, these breaches are all Federal offences, and surely the Federal Police are the ones who should be making the determination as to whether prosecution should occur. If staff are to be internally fined, surely that would merit independent (judicial) review.

I would also be interested to learn if the clients whose privacy has been breached, have been made aware.