4 March 2010

Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff welcomes the Law Commission's Issues Paper on the review of the Privacy Act, released yesterday.

'This has been a huge amount of work for the Law Commission and we thank them for the high quality paper they have produced. The Commission has looked extensively at privacy and we are looking forward to the discussions that will take place as a result,' says Ms Shroff.

'Since the Privacy Act was passed 17 years ago, the digital revolution has transformed our business and social environment', says Ms Shroff. 'New Zealand needs to keep pace with technological impacts on privacy. There are real challenges to data protection, and in our fast-paced digital world we need to be equipped with the right tools to do our job. The Law Commission's review will help to ensure we are able to deal with those new challenges.

'Our data protection law also needs to be recognised as stacking up internationally. Good privacy practices are directly linked to good business both locally and globally. The Privacy (Cross-border Information) Amendment Bill, introduced to Parliament last year, is part of the picture in helping to open up more trading opportunities with Europe. The review of the Act will help promote further developments for New Zealand in the international trading environment,' says Ms Shroff.

The Privacy Commissioner encourages the public as well as experts to comment on some of the interesting questions raised by the Law Commission. These include:

• should there be more privacy protection for young people; for genetic information and bodily samples; for information sent out of New Zealand; for information disclosed by the media?
• should government agencies have more power to share information about individuals; should government have to report publicly on any data mining activities?
• should business be subject to more controls such as mandatory audits of their holding and use of people's information?
• should businesses be required to correct unsatisfactory information handling practices?
• should direct marketing be more controlled; should there be a compulsory 'do not call register'?

The Law Commission's Issues Paper on the review of the Privacy Act is on www.lawcom.govt.nz and www.talklaw.co.nz

ENDS

For more information contact Cathy Henry on 021 509 735.