BONNIE L said
So does anyone know if a phone call, a note in the mailbox or an approach outside the building are in breach of privacy? Or a doorknock? Or friendly note under door, any of that ok?
I don’t know how many times I have written this but there is no statutory absolute right to privacy under Australian law. Anybody who tells you that sending an email or making a phone call or even photographing someone in their own home is a breach of privacy doesn’t know what they are talking about (and probably has something they are trying to hide).
Now, that’s not to say that no one is entitled to privacy but the above scenarios are covered by other laws such as trespass or misuse of a “carriage service” – that’s if any offence has even been committed in the first place.
There are different rules for companies and corporations, but if, for instance, calling someone on their phone number was an invasion of privacy with legal ramifications, cold calls from call centres would stop overnight.
On the other hand, members of a corporation have the right to communicate with other members, provided they do so in a way that is not itself illegal. We can even criticise each other – provided it’s done in good faith and there is no malicious intent.
So forget privacy. It’s not an issue.