Department of Communities and Justice

The Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) is an Australian government agency headquartered in Australia. It is responsible for overseeing the New South Wales Online Registry, a digital platform that provides access to a range of court documents and legal records. Through this registry, the department facilitates the retrieval of sensitive legal materials such as apprehended violence orders, affidavits, and other judicial filings for authorised users. The agency’s mandate includes supporting community safety and justice administration within the state of New South Wales. Its operations are centred on maintaining the integrity and accessibility of online court services for the public and legal professionals.

In March 2025, the department’s oversight of the NSW Online Registry was highlighted by a significant data breach in which approximately nine thousand sensitive court files were downloaded without authorisation. The exposed documents included apprehended violence orders and affidavits, raising concerns about the safety of domestic violence survivors and the credibility of the court system. In response, cybercrime detectives from Strike Force Pardey launched an investigation, working alongside the department and Cyber Security NSW to contain the breach and assess its full impact. Authorities advised anyone potentially affected to report the incident via the ReportCyber platform, while experts warned that the leak could undermine public confidence in judicial processes and endanger vulnerable individuals. The incident underscored the department’s role in safeguarding confidential legal information and the challenges associated with securing government digital services.