Scanlan and Secretary, Department of Social Services (Social services second review)

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) considered a request for a confidentiality order by the applicant in proceedings against the Secretary, Department of Social Services. The applicant sought to suppress her name and certain financial accounts relevant to her eligibility for social security benefits.

The primary legal issue before the Tribunal was whether to grant a confidentiality order, requiring the court to determine if there was sufficient evidence to justify suppressing the applicant's identity and financial information. This involved assessing whether the applicant had demonstrated a real possibility of suffering serious disadvantage if her name and the relevant financial documents were disclosed.

The Tribunal reasoned that the applicant had failed to provide cogent reasons to support her request for a confidentiality order. It found no evidence that disclosure of her name or the financial accounts, which were central to the assessment of her social security entitlement, would result in any serious disadvantage. Accordingly, the Tribunal declined to make the requested confidentiality order.