Privacy Commissioner welcomes step towards nationally consistent privacy laws

25 June 10  The Australian Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis today welcomed the release of an exposure draft of new Australian Privacy Principles and their referral to a Senate Committee for inquiry and report.

Privacy Commissioner to advise DHS on service delivery reform

16 Dec 09 The Australian Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, has announced that her Office will be working with the Department of Human Services (DHS) to help ensure that its service delivery reform incorporates privacy safeguards.

Privacy Commissioner welcomes response to privacy inquiry

14 Oct 09 The Australian Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, has welcomed the Government's release today of its first stage response to the Australian Law Reform Commission’s review of privacy law.

Media Release: Reform of NSW privacy laws needed to promote national uniformity, says Privacy Commissioner

27 October 2008 The Australian Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, has welcomed the NSW Law Reform Commissions (NSWLRC) proposal to reform NSW privacy law to achieve national consistency. "It makes little sense for there to be overlapping privacy laws with differing privacy standards between jurisdictions," Ms...

Media Release: ALRC report - a valuable contribution to privacy law reform, says Privacy Commissioner

11 August 2008 The Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, has welcomed the release of the final report of the privacy law review undertaken by the Australian Law Reform Commission over the past two years. "The report is a valuable contribution to assist the Government develop its approach to the reform of Australias privacy reg...

Media Release: Privacy Commissioner endorses consistency in privacy law in Australia

21 December 2007 The Australian Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, has strongly endorsed making privacy laws in Australia consistent so that business, government and individuals can easily understand their rights and responsibilities. "It is time to address the complexity of privacy regulation in Australia," Ms Curtis said. "The cur...

Media Release: ALRC Review Paper is an important step, says Privacy Commissioner

12 September 2007 The Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, has welcomed the release today of the Australian Law Reform Commissions Discussion Paper as part of its review of privacy law in Australia. ''The ALRC review is an important process for ensuring that Australians continue to receive a high level of privacy protection in coming...

Media Release: Privacy Law Reform 'essentials'

31 August 2007 The Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, has today released a list of essentials for privacy law reform in Australia. They are drawn from submissions the Office has made to the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) review of privacy. "The ALRC will shortly be releasing a discussion paper and I look forward to continuing t...

Media Release: Reduce complexity in credit information regulation, says Privacy Commissioner

20 April 2007 The Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, has concluded that, while the credit reporting provisions of the Privacy Act have generally worked well, the regulation of personal credit information could be improved to reduce complexity while still maintaining strong privacy protections. "The protection of credit information...

Media Release: Merge privacy principles to enhance national consistency, says Privacy Commissioner

8 March 2007 The Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, has called for a merging of the two sets of privacy principles in the Privacy Act, to create a new single set of principles and has called for greater national consistency in privacy regulation. "The existing principles in the Privacy Act are generally operating well and principle-based...

Media Release: National consistency needed in health privacy law, says Privacy Commissioner

8 March 2007  The Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, has called for the Privacy Act to ''cover the field in regulating health service providers in the private sector.  "At present, private sector health service providers can have privacy obligations under both State and Federal laws, which can create significant confusion...

Media Release: Amend Privacy Act to address security breaches, biometrics and data-matching, says Privacy Commissioner

8 March 2007 While noting that the Privacy Act has generally worked well, the Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, has recommended to the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) that changes to the Privacy Act may be necessary to reflect technological developments. "New technologies can offer immense benefits but we need strong protections...

Media Release: Greater consistency required for telecommunications privacy, says Privacy Commissioner

8 March 2007 The Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, has called for changes to a number of laws to assist in clarifying privacy requirements in the telecommunications industry.  "Since the Privacy Act was enacted in 1988, Parliament has passed several different laws which include privacy protections in relation to telecommunica...

Media Announcement: Government's response to private sector review is a positive step for privacy, says Privacy Commissioner

30/11/06 The Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, today welcomed the Governments response to her report, "Getting in on the Act: The Review of the Private Sector Provisions of the Privacy Act 1988". "In its response, the Government has either accepted, noted or referred to the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) for further discussion,...

Media Release: Privacy Commissioner welcomes ALRC review into the Privacy Act

31 January 2006 Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, has welcomed the Attorney Generals announcement that the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) will conduct a review of the Privacy Act. "The Attorney-Generals announcement is a further positive step towards ensuring that Australias privacy laws deliver to Australians the most ap...

Media Release: Release of the report into the review of the private sector provisions of the Privacy Act

18 May 2005 Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, today welcomed the release, by the Attorney General, the Hon Philip Ruddock, MP, of her report into the operation of the private sector provisions of the Privacy Act''Getting in on the Act: The Review of the Private Sector Provisions of the Privacy Act 1988. ''This review is the first major ex...

Media Release: Commissioner seeks views about the private sector provisions of the Privacy Act

27 October 2004 Federal Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, is asking organisations and individuals to give their views about the operation of the private sector provisions of the Privacy Act, that came into effect on 21 December 2001. To assist interested parties in making comments about the provisions, the Commissioner today released an...

Media Release: Privacy Commissioner outlines consultation process for review of the Private Sector Provisions of the Privacy Act

20/8/04 The Federal Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis has today released details of the consultation process for the recently announced review of the private sector provisions of the Privacy Act. This will involve the release of an issues paper and a two month period of consultation including the opportunity for people to make submissions...

Media Release: Privacy Commissioner to review the operation of the private sector provisions

13/8/04 The Attorney General has asked the Privacy Commissioner to review the operation of the private sector provisions of the Privacy Act 1998. The provisions apply to the handling of personal information by many private sector organisations. The Commissioner has been asked to report by 31 March 2005. "I welcome the opportunity to...

Media Release: Privacy Commissioner welcomes release of employee privacy discussion paper

18/02/04 "The release of the governments discussion paper on information privacy and employee records is a welcome development in this area," said Federal Privacy Commissioner, Malcolm Crompton. "There needs to be discussion and debate about privacy protection for employee records. The Privacy Act does not currently cover employee r...

Announcement: Privacy Act and Employee Records Exemption

21 May 2002 The Privacy Act contains an exemption for some employee records, on the grounds that such matters are covered by workplace relations law and practice. However, this exemption is limited to acts and practices directly related to current and former employment relationships. It is not clear that the mooted confidentiality c...

Review Issues Paper

pdf (744.23 KB)

The Issues Paper The Office of the Privacy Commissioner has prepared this paper to assist individuals and organisations to prepare submissions to the review of the private sector provisions of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (the Privacy Act). The Office can make this Issues Paper available in a range of formats on request. It is available on t...

Synopsis of Government Response to ALRC Report 108 - Health Services and Research

pdf (93.11 KB)

Synopsis of Government Response to ALRC Report 108 – Credit Reporting

pdf (572.7 KB)

Putting the Privacy into Service Delivery Reform

pdf (640.22 KB)

Speech by Karen Curtis, Privacy Commissioner, to Human Services Delivery and Payment Reform Summit, 29 June 2010

Good privacy is good business the path to excellence

pdf (677.64 KB)

Speech by Karen Curtis, Privacy Commissioner, 2010 Government Business Conference, Sydney, 6 May 2010  

Privacy Proofing Your Organisation for NOW and the Future

pdf (266.43 KB)

Speech by Karen Curtis, Privacy Commissioner, at the iappANZ Conference, Melbourne, 14 October 2009

Privacy and Law Reform

pdf (385.14 KB)

Speech by Karen Curtis, Privacy Commissioner, to the AIAL Administrative Law Forum, Hotel Realm, Canberra, 7 August 2009

Privacy Law in Evolution: Across the Pacific

pdf (315.12 KB)

Speech by Karen Curtis, Privacy Commissioner, at the Australasian Banking and Financial Services Law Association Annual Conference, Gold Coast, 31 July 2009

Privacy and Law Reform

pdf (534.68 KB)

Speech by Karen Curtis, Privacy Commissioner, to the University of Melbourne Law School, Melbourne, 19 May 2009

Meeting Privacy Challenges - the ALRC and NSWLRC Privacy Reviews

pdf (307.98 KB)

Presentation by Karen Curtis, Privacy Commissioner, to the Interpreting Privacy Principles Project Symposium, University of New South Wales, Sydney, 2 October 2008.

The ABC of privacy - Everything you need to know about privacy

pdf (253.77 KB)

Speech by Karen Curtis, Privacy Commissioner, to the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Canberra, 8 July 2008.

Privacy Law Reform - Consistency, Simplicity, Clarity

pdf (131.46 KB)

Speech by Karen Curtis, Privacy Commissioner, to the Melbourne Law School on Privacy Law Reform - Consistency, Simplicity, Clarity, Melbourne, 5 March 2008.

Securitypoint 2008 Seminar Series

pdf (158.83 KB)

Speech by Andrew Hayne, Director (A/g), Policy, Canberra, 11 February 2008, Sydney, 13 February 2008, and Clare Vinecombe, Deputy Director (A/g), Compliance, Melbourne, 12 February 2008, Brisbane, 14 February 2008 to the Securitypoint 2008 Seminar Series, Privacy - Today and Tomorrow.

Privacy Law Reform

pdf (99.74 KB)

Speech by Karen Curtis, Privacy Commissioner, to the Clayton Utz Breakfast Seminar, Canberra, 8 November 2007.

Reducing overlap, duplication and inconsistency

pdf (80.75 KB)

Speech by Karen Curtis, Privacy Commissioner, to the Australian Regulatory Reform Evolution 2006, 24 October 2006

Good privacy is good business

pdf (207.94 KB)

Speech by Karen Curtis, Privacy Commissioner, Office of the Privacy Commissioner. Delivered to New Zealand Privacy Issues Forum, 30 March 2006.

Privacy Laws and Business Roundtable

pdf (76.6 KB)

A speech delivered by Karen Curtis, Privacy Commissioner, Suisse-Majestic Hotel, Montreux, Switzerland, 13 September 2005.

Review of the private sector provisions of the Privacy Act

pdf (113.69 KB)

A speech by Robin McKenzie, Director, Corporate and Public Affairs, for the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Workshop, Tuesday 14 June.

Privacy in Practice

pdf (52.18 KB)

A speech delivered by Karen Curtis, Privacy Commissioner, at the Centre for Continuing Legal Education University of NSW, 9 March 2005.

The Review of the Private Sector Provisions of the Commonwealth Privacy Act (1988)

pdf (945.68 KB)

An introductory speech delivered by the Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, during consultations about the Privacy Act, November ? December 2004

Privacy - Legislation Report Card

pdf (431.62 KB)

Speech delivered by Privacy Commissioner, Malcolm Crompton, to IEC (Insurance Enquiries and Complaints Limited)7th Annual Conference, Melbourne, 11 November 2003.

Green Paper on National Credit Reform; Submission to the Department of the Treasury (September 2010)

pdf (548.27 KB)

Consultation Paper 1, Family Violence - Improving Legal Frameworks; Submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission (June 2010)

pdf (610.35 KB)

Submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs; Healthcare Identifiers Bill 2010 and Healthcare Identifiers (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2010 (March 2010)

pdf (473.18 KB)

Submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs in relation to the Healthcare Identifiers Bill 2010 and Healthcare Identifiers (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2010 (March 2010)

Exposure Draft of the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment Bill 2009 - Network Protection; Submission to the Attorney-General’s Department (August 2009)

pdf (264.75 KB)

Australian Law Reform Commission’s Review of Secrecy Laws - Discussion Paper 74; Submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission (August 2009)

pdf (259.66 KB)

The Office's submission to the ALRC on its review of secrecy laws

Consumer Voices: Sustaining advocacy and research in Australias new consumer policy framework issues paper; Submission to Treasury (June 2009)

pdf (255.54 KB)

Office's submission to the Treasury's 'Consumer Voices: Sustaining advocacy and research in Australia's new consumer policy framework' issues paper

Exposure Drafts of the Queensland Right to Information and Information Privacy Bills; Submission to the Queensland Government (April 2009)

pdf (173.85 KB)

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner's submission to the Queensland Government on the Exposure Drafts of the Queensland Right to Information and Information Privacy Bills

Australian Law Reform Commission’s Review of Secrecy Laws- Issues Paper 34; Submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission (February 2009)

pdf (371.29 KB)

February 2009 Key recommendations 1. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner (the Office) welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) on its Review of Secrecy Laws - Issues Paper 34. 2. The Office makes the following recommendations: Secrecy provisions should...

Australian Government Electoral Reform Green Paper- Donations, Funding and Expenditure; Submission to the Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet (February 2009)

pdf (200.45 KB)

February 2009 KEY RECOMMENDATIONS The Office of the Privacy Commissioner makes the following recommendations: The Office suggests lessening the amount of personal information available online about individual donors, for example, by ensuring that an individual donors street address is not accessible on the A...

Inquiry into whistleblowing protections within the Australian Government public sector; joint submission by the Australian Public Service Commission, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and the National Archives of Australia to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs (August 2008)

pdf (501.76 KB)

Review of the Legislative Instruments Act (2003); Submission to Legislative Instruments Act Review Committee (May 2008)

pdf (82.86 KB)

May 2008 Office of the Privacy Commissioner 1. The Office is an independent statutory body whose purpose it is to promote and protect privacy in Australia. The Office has responsibility for the protection of individuals personal information that is handled by Australian and ACT Government agencies, and personal information held by all lar...

Submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission's Review of Privacy - Discussion Paper 72 (December 2007)

pdf (2.83 MB)

Consultation Paper 1 - Invasion of Privacy; Submission to the NSW Law Reform Commission (September 2007)

pdf (75.32 KB)

Submission to the NSW Law Reform Commission September 2007 Background The Office of the Privacy Commissioner (''the Office'') is an independent statutory body whose purpose it is to promote and protect privacy in Australia. The Office has responsibility for the protection of individuals personal information that is handled by Austr...

Discussion Paper: Options for Reform of the Structure of ACT Tribunals; Submission to the ACT Department of Justice and Community Safety (September 2007)

pdf (96.11 KB)

Our Ref:  2004-06 Mr Peter Quinton Director, General Law Group Dear Mr Quinton Re: Office of the Privacy Commissioners Comments on the ACT Tribunal Review Discussion Paper The ACT Department of Justice and Community Safety (the Department) has requested comment on its discussion paper entitled ''Options for R...

Issues Paper 33 - Legal Professional Privilege and Commonwealth Investigatory Bodies; Submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission (June 2007)

pdf (61.86 KB)

Submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission June 2007 Office of the Privacy Commissioner The Office of the Privacy Commissioner (the Office) is an independent statutory body whose purpose is to promote and protect privacy in Australia.  The Office, established under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (the Privacy Act), has responsibilitie...

Submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission's Review of Privacy - Issues Paper 32 Credit Reporting Provisions (April 2007)

pdf (767.18 KB)

April 2007 Mr Alan Kirkland Executive Director Australian Law Reform Commission GPO BOX 3708 SYDNEY NSW 2001 Dear Mr Kirkland, I refer to your request of 12 December 2006 for submissions to the A...

Submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission's Review of Privacy - Issues Paper 31 (February 2007)

pdf (1.4 MB)

February 2007 Office of the Privacy Commissioner Background General comments Structure of this submission Submission summary Chapter 1: Introduction to the Inquiry Chapter 2: Overview of Privacy Regulation in Australia Chapter 3: The Privacy Act 1988 (Ct...

Queensland Law Reform Commission Guardianship Review Stage 1, Confidentiality in the Guardianship System: Public Justice, Private Lives; Submission to the Queensland Law Reform Commission (November 2006)

pdf (103.83 KB)

Submission to the Queensland Law Reform Commission October 2006 Submission to the Queensland Law Reform Commission The Privacy Act 1988 Queensland Privacy Scheme The Guardianship and Administration Act 2000 (Qld) Tribunal decisions published on AustLII Review of the Privacy Act Endnotes Comments provi...

Submission on Australian Crime Commission Establishment Bill 2002: Joint Committee on the National Crime Authority (November 2002)

pdf (19.82 KB)

Submission on Australian Crime Commission Establishment Bill 2002 to Joint Committee on the National Crime Authority

Submission: ALRC/AHEC Joint Inquiry: Protection of Human Genetic Information (March 2002)

pdf (311.9 KB)

Submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission/Australian Health Ethics Committee - Joint Inquiry into the Protection of Human Genetic Information (March 2002)

Submission: Provisions of the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Bill 2000 (September 2000)

pdf (58.32 KB)

Submission: Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Bill Inquiry (May 2000)

pdf (64.3 KB)