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Topic(s): Corporate information

Market research industry recognised for privacy code

12 November 2009

The Association of Market and Social Research Organisations was named tonight as the winner of the Community and NGO category of the Australian Privacy Awards 2009 for its industry privacy code.

"AMSRO's privacy code has been effective at protecting Australians' personal information and allowing small research businesses that are otherwise not subject to the Privacy Act to conform with industry best practice," said Karen Curtis, the Australian Privacy Commissioner.

The Award was presented at a gala dinner held in Sydney in the presence of Senator the Hon Joe Ludwig, Cabinet Secretary and Special Minister of State.

Ms Curtis said that the Code, introduced following public consultation in 2003, takes the Privacy Act's principles and tailors them specifically to the research sector. Guidelines have also been developed in industry-specific language that explain the Privacy Code in a research context.

The launch of the Code was accompanied by training seminars and there are ongoing information bulletins, and articles in the industry's magazine. A Privacy Compliance Committee has also been formed to examine any complaints, promote privacy awareness, and to look at the creation of a privacy component in industry quality audits.

The Australian Privacy Awards aim to reward organisations for good privacy practices. Other finalists in the Community and NGO category were: the Biometrics Institute, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (awarded a Highly Commended certificate), and Windermere Child and Family Services.

The other category winners were: the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (Symantec Government Award), Australian Health Management (Large Business Award), and Loyalty Pacific - FlyBuys (Small-Medium Business Award). The Victorian Department of Justice won the overall Grand Award, and privacy advocate Dr Roger Clarke was named as the recipient of the Australian Privacy Medal 2009.

The Awards are sponsored by Symantec (Major Sponsor), Clayton Utz (Executive Sponsor), Google (Executive Sponsor), Microsoft (Sponsor), and the Child Support Agency (Sponsor).