Australian Bureau of Statistics
Celebrating the International Year of Statistics 2013

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SUBDIVISION 161 DEFAMATION, LIBEL AND PRIVACY OFFENCES

Actions intended to invade the privacy of, or to injure the reputation or good name of, an individual or company.

This subdivision is further disaggregated on the basis of whether the offence involves defamation or libel, or an invasion of privacy.

Offences in this subdivision are classified into the following groups:

1611 Defamation and libel
1612 Offences against privacy

1611 Defamation and libel

Actions that are intended to injure the reputation or good name of an individual or company.

Inclusions:
Defamation
Libel
Unlawful publishing of defamatory matter

Exclusions:
Direct (face-to-face) threats where it is believed that the threat could be enacted. This constitutes assault and is coded to the relevant groups within Subdivision 021, Assault.
Extortion and/or blackmail. These are coded to Group 0621, Blackmail and extortion.
Threats of any other kind. These are coded to Group 0532, Threatening behaviour.

1612 Offences against privacy

Actions that are intended to invade the privacy of an individual or company.

Inclusions:
Computer hacking not involving theft of intellectual property, fraud, property damage or breach of government security
Open mail
Phone tapping (other than phone tapping for espionage purposes)

Exclusions:
Obtain benefit by deception. These are coded to Group 0911, Obtain benefit by deception.
Phone tapping for espionage purposes. These are coded to Group 1559, Offences against government security, nec.