Privacy law?

Whenever a business organization finds it to their advantage not to tell you something, they always tell you they are not allowed to disclose the information. This implies that their hands are tied; that they would like to help you, but they cannot; or that the Privacy Law in Australia makes it impossible for them the release the information. The bottomline is, they want to keep their mouth shut. If you want to give them a strong message, don't waste your time arguing with them. Just take your business elsewhere.

My car had an accident recently. The fault lies with the other party; hence I do not stand to lose my excess, but I just had to get my car to the workshop to have it repaired. I was asked to get a quote from a workshop and I was not even asked to get a competing quote from a second workshop. Later, when I asked the workshop what was the cost, I was told they are not allowed to tell me. Isn't this open to abuse? If the workshop is in cahoot with somebody in the insurance company, they can charge the sky for the repair and nobody is any wiser. Ultimately it is the public that stands to lose through paying a higher premium.