The Office of the Privacy Commissioner today released its submission to the Senate Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts References and Legislation Committee Inquiry into the provisions of the Do Not Call Register Bill 2006.

"I welcome the Australian Government''s introduction of a National Do Not Call Register, which is a step towards implementing one of the recommendations I made in my review of the Private Sector Provisions of the Privacy Act," said Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis.

"The establishment of a national Do Not Call Register is an important mechanism to help address community concerns over the intrusiveness of some direct marketing methods. This move to assist individuals to ''opt out'' of unwanted telephone contact will also be welcomed by many in the community who have expressed their concerns to the Office.

"The provisions of the Do Not Call Register Bill set in place the foundations of a national scheme to protect Australians from intrusive telephone calls.

"In our submission, my Office has recommended that:

• telephone numbers remain on the register until such time as the individual chooses to de-register the telephone number, or the telephone number moves to a different subscriber
• public awareness raising, including a Government or business driven educational campaign, be undertaken
• individuals who register their telephone numbers on the Do Not Call Register be provided with clear notice about the details of the handling of their information
• the three-year review of the Bill should look particularly at whether the exemptions from the Bill have had an adverse impact on the effectiveness of the Register and
• consideration be given to preventing ''bundled consents'' applying to telemarketing calls to telephone numbers on the Register."

The submission is available on the Office's website at http://www.privacy.gov.au/materials#sub

Further information regarding the inquiry is available from the Australian Parliament House website at www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/ecita_ctte/do_not_call_register/index.htm