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From 12 March 2013 content is no longer being added to, or amended, on this site, consequently some information may be out of date.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): Corporate information

Australian privacy efforts acknowledged internationally

In recent weeks both the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and leading privacy lawmaker Michael Kirby have been acknowledged internationally for their work.

Former High Court judge Michael Kirby AC CMG has been awarded the Electronic Privacy Information Center's 2010 International Privacy Champion Award for his contributions to developing the 1980 OECD Guidelines on the Protection of Privacy and Transborder Flows of Personal Data.

"I can think of no other person more worthy of such an award," said Karen Curtis, the Australian Privacy Commissioner.

"Mr Kirby's long and illustrious career in the law has seen him make outstanding contributions on a large range of issues, not least among which has been privacy.

"The OECD Guidelines have become the basis for privacy laws in Australia and across the world and Mr Kirby's significant role in their development cannot be overstated.

"Mr Kirby was the recipient of my Office's inaugural Australian Privacy Medal in 2008, and I am delighted that his contribution has now been acknowledged at an international level."

The Office was also recently shortlisted for PublicAffairsAsia magazine's international Gold Standard Awards 2009 for its Australian Privacy Awards and Medal programs.

The Awards recognise excellence by business, government agencies, political groups and NGOs in the field of government relations, public affairs, CSR and corporate communications. The Office's nomination was one of only three shortlisted in the "Stakeholder engagement category", which acknowledges excellence in a communications campaign.

"The Australian Privacy Awards and Medal are a world first," said Ms Curtis.

"It is the first time that a country's privacy regulator has hosted such programs to reward good privacy initiatives in the corporate, not for profit and public sectors, as well as acknowledging the work of an individual in the privacy sphere.

"The 2008 and 2009 programs were an outstanding success, with a bevy of outstanding nominees and winners, and a high level of interest received from across the community."