26/8/03

The world's leading privacy experts will gather in Sydney, on 10-12 September 2003 for the 25th International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners. Hosted by Australia's Federal Privacy Commissioner, Malcolm Crompton, this is the premier international privacy event for 2003 and it is being held in Australia for the first time in over a decade.

'Practical privacy for people, government and business' is the theme for this year's conference which promises to deliver real world privacy solutions in a global environment where new technologies and anti-terrorism measures are challenging our concepts of individual privacy daily. Australia will be in the international spotlight as these important global issues are debated.

"The Conference is a first class event, which will generate genuine learning from regulators, business and consumer representatives. This conference will open up the issue of privacy for vigorous debate, those who participate will not be able to walk away and maintain their current view of privacy," said Mr Crompton.

"As host, the challenge was to create a forum that connected privacy regulators and privacy practitioners, both in business and government, to the communities with whose personal information they have been entrusted.

"It is clear that rapidly developing technologies now allow for a personal data gathering frenzy as governments and businesses push for more data collection for reasons of increased national security or enhanced business outcomes.

"Questions that arise in a global environment such as this include how does a democratic society achieve the right balance between security, safety and civil liberties such as privacy, freedom of choice, how individuals manage to keep control over their personal information and whether more data gathering leads to safer societies or does it simply lead to an erosion of civil liberties?"

The 45 speakers at the Conference were selected because of their ground breaking work in privacy related fields. No doubt for example, Ms Nuala O'Connor Kelly, Chief Privacy Officer, USA Department of Homeland Security, will give a unique insight into the US view of privacy in a safe and open society as will the Commonwealth Attorney General Mr Daryl Williams from the Australian perspective.

Professor Fiona Stanley, Australian of the Year for 2003, will officially open the Conference with her challenging views regarding the sharing of health research information and will set the tone for the debate that will take place during the Conference. Sub themes interwoven through the Conference program include identity management, building community trust and regulating privacy.

Other prominent speakers at the Conference include:

• Mr Orson Swindle and Mr Mozelle Thompson, both Commissioners with the Federal Trade Commission of the United States of America.
• Professor Allan Fels AO, former Chairman, Australian Competition and Consumer Commissioner, Australia.
• Mr Peter Cullen, Chief Privacy Officer for Microsoft International formerly Chief Privacy Officer for the Royal Bank of Canada.
• Professor Dennis Pearce, former Chief Chairman , Press Council of Australia.
• Ms Florence Audubert, Attachée Juridique with Interpol, France.
• Prof. David Weisbrot, President, Australian Law Reform Commission, Australia.
• Mr Cédric Laurant, Privacy Counsel, Electronic Privacy Information Centre (EPIC), USA.
• Dr Hyu-Bong Chung, Secretary General, Personal Information Dispute Mediation Committee, Korea information Security Agency.
• Mr Cameron Murphy, NSW Council for Civil Liberties.

In what is quickly becoming dubbed 'Privacy Week', Australia's privacy will be in the international spotlight beginning on September 7, 2003 with the special event: Privacy Goes to the Movies-a Sydney screening of two privacy related films.

The International Conference has received tremendous support from the privacy community, who have organised a calendar of related events, during 7-13 September, including a biometrics conference in Melbourne; a conference at University of NSW, Surveillance and Privacy 2003: Terrorists and Watchdogs; privacy workshops, and technological summits.

For more information on the International Conference and related events visit www.privacyconference2003.org