Site Changes

On 1 November 2010 the Office of the Privacy Commissioner was integrated into the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and a new website established at www.oaic.gov.au.

Note 1: Major changes to the Privacy Act 1988 will come into effect in March 2014. Agencies, businesses and not for profits need to start preparing for these changes. For more information go to our privacy law reform page at www.oaic.gov.au
Note 2: From 12 March 2013 content is no longer being added to, or amended, on this site, consequently some information may be out of date. For new privacy content visit the www.oaic.gov.au website.

Types

Topic(s): Law reform

Privacy Commissioner welcomes response to privacy inquiry

14 October 2009

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.

“Our privacy laws have served Australia well and, with the proposed reforms I believe they will continue to offer a high level of protection for our personal information,” said Ms Curtis.

Ms Curtis said that she is pleased to see the vast majority of the ALRC's recommendations on the privacy principles, the powers of her Office and health and credit information, are being taken up by the Government. She particularly welcomed the Government's agreement to a single set of privacy principles for the public and private sectors:

“This is the first step in moving towards full national consistency in privacy regulation and brings that goal much closer to realisation. I believe it is now critical for all jurisdictions to engage constructively through the foreshadowed COAG process to achieve national consistency in privacy regulation across all jurisdictions.”

Ms Curtis also noted other key recommendations that will clarify and enhance the powers of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.

“These changes will allow more flexibility in dealing with complaints. They will also provide my Office with more tools to assist in educating organisations and agencies in appropriate information handling practices and, as a last resort for very serious or repeated interference with privacy, being able to seek civil penalties” Ms Curtis said.

The Australian Government now intends to develop exposure draft legislation in relation to this first stage response.

“I look forward to working with the Government in making sure the revised Privacy Act realises the intention of my Office, the ALRC and the Government to update and simplify the Privacy Act so that it can be easily understood and followed and so that, overall, it significantly enhances the protection of personal information handling in Australia” Ms Curtis said.

Information about the Government's response can be found at: www.pmc.gov.au/privacy/alrc.cfm