Insurance companies will be able to access personal data held on the motor vehicle registry before quoting a price to a potential customer for a Green Slip, under NSW government changes.

But the NSW Civil Liberties Council president Stephen Blanks said giving insurance companies access to a government registry through a regulation change "shows the dangers of creating databanks and function creep".

This occurs where a database of personal information is created for one purpose, but over time is used for more and more purposes.

"This can be done without any real public scrutiny at an agency level," Mr Blanks said.

Article: Insurers to check on car history before quoting premiums

Source: Sydney Morning Herald, 2/11/2014