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Topic(s): Corporate information | Law enforcement and national security

Customs receives privacy award for Australia-EU airline agreement

12 November 2009

The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service was named tonight as the winner of the Symantec Government category of the Australian Privacy Awards 2009 for its Australian-European Union Passenger Name Record Agreement.

"This is a groundbreaking agreement that ensures that the sharing of passenger data accords with strict privacy standards," 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 agreement allows airlines that house their passenger name record data in the EU to share relevant data with Australian authorities to help prevent terrorism and other crimes.

"Privacy standards are the focus of the agreement, which provide the EU with an assurance that the Australian handling of the data conforms to the requirements of the Privacy Act," said Ms Curtis.

"The agreement is only one of three such agreements, the other two being between the EU and the US and Canada."

The Australian Privacy Awards aim to reward organisations for good privacy practices. Other finalists in the Symantec Government category were: CrimTrac, the Human Services Portfolio (Highly Commended), Mildura Rural City Council (Highly Commended), the Social Security Appeals Tribunal, and the Victorian Department of Justice (presented with the overall Grand Award).

The other category winners were: Australian Health Management (Large Business Award), Loyalty Pacific - FlyBuys (Small-Medium Business Award), and the Association of Market and Social Research Organisations (Community and NGO Award). 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).