The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has concluded its preliminary investigation into transcription services provider VIQ Solutions, finding that three employees of an India-based subcontractor accessed a limited number of sensitive Australian court recordings and transcripts between September 2025 and February 2026.
The access was reported after concerns emerged that VIQ Solutions had allowed sensitive audio and transcripts to be accessed offshore without notifying relevant Commonwealth agencies before entering voluntary administration in March 2026.
The OAIC found the extent of access was limited by its duration, the number of transcripts involved, and the employees who could access the material.
Its inquiries also established that the contractual arrangements put in place by the courts included privacy protections, but access granted to the three subcontractor employees fell outside those arrangements.
Earlier this year, a Senate Estimates committee was told that almost 150 court matters were believed to have been accessed.
The commissioner said the affected courts had taken steps to preserve privacy through their contractual arrangements and in response to the incident. With VIQ Solutions now in liquidation, the OAIC determined that further regulatory action would not be a proportionate use of its resources.
Australian Information Commissioner Elizabeth Tydd said publishing the findings would help promote transparency and improve privacy practices.
“The arrangements put in place by Courts in dealing with this sensitive information is an important privacy-preserving measure,” she said.
“The publication of this outcome serves to promote compliance by raising awareness of privacy-preserving practices. These published outcomes help to promote transparency and support improved privacy practices.”
VIQ Solutions remains in operation in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
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