Hearing over media access to car registration database begins in Hong Kong

The government’s revamped policy on journalists’ access to a vehicle registration database is inconsistent with a ruling by Hong Kong’s top court, a press union has argued at the start of a judicial review hearing over the revised rules.

Senior Counsel Nigel Kat, representing the Hong Kong Journalists Association, told the High Court on Tuesday that the current policy on reporters accessing the database was “contrary to the needs of journalistic professionals”, noting the rights of the press were enshrined in law.

But Senior Counsel Benjamin Yu Yuk-hoi said his client, the commissioner for transport, had a duty to act as a “gatekeeper” for the personal data held in the registry and journalists were not entitled to access private information.

The association said no reporters had succeeded in obtaining the information of vehicle owners since the policy was changed in January requiring a written application for access.

Instant access is only allowed for people whose purpose for the request falls into one of seven categories, including insurance claims, the sale and purchase of vehicles or related legal proceedings.