Office of the Privacy Commissioner

To come with clean hands Charles Mabbett
29 September 2017 at 16:01

When we use the metaphor ‘to come with clean hands’, it means to have done nothing underhand or illegal. It’s a term that applies in the context of resolving privacy disputes. There’s a general expectation that if you make a complaint to our office, you did not bring the breach of privacy upon yourself through your actions.

complaints, Facebook, IPP11 - disclosure

A sincere apology is hard to beat Charles Mabbett
12 September 2017 at 09:52

It is said that a sincere apology should include the three Rs – regret, responsibility and remedy. Why apologise and how to do it properly is a subject we’ve discussed before. But we continue to see apologies that fail to convince a complainant. So it’s something we thought we’d revisit in this post because the quality of an apology is an important part of our efforts to resolve privacy complaints.

complaints, Human Rights Review Tribunal

Why you won't get a legal "opinion" from Enquiries Karin Carter
11 October 2016 at 12:04

Callers to our Enquiries service often start with “I need some legal advice”. If the caller means guidance on his or her Privacy Act rights or the obligations of an agency, then we can help. But if by “legal advice” he or she means a legal “opinion” about how the Privacy Act might apply, then this is something our Enquiries service can’t do.

complaints, enquiries

Tribunal dismisses $100,000 damages claim Charles Mabbett
18 September 2015 at 10:54

A complainant seeking $100,000 in damages for Westpac’s disclosure of a debit card statement to his employer has had his case dismissed by the Human Rights Review Tribunal.

complaints, Human Rights Review Tribunal, IPP5 - storage & security, IPP11 - disclosure

$18,000 damages for disclosing private letter Charles Mabbett
6 August 2015 at 14:24

The Human Rights Review Tribunal says a former Massey University extramural student society president suffered humiliation and significant injury to her feelings after a private letter addressed to her was leaked to a student magazine.

IPP11 - disclosure, Human Rights Review Tribunal, complaints

What we learned from Taylor v Orcon Inna Zadorozhnaya
2 June 2015 at 13:00

In the recent decision Taylor v Orcon Ltd, the Human Rights Review Tribunal ordered a telecommunications company, Orcon, to pay $25,000 in damages to Mr Taylor. This case sends a strong reminder to agencies to check the accuracy of personal information before using it.

IPP8 - accuracy, Human Rights Review Tribunal, Credit reporting, complaints

Putting children first Richard Stephen
15 April 2015 at 10:28

As a parent or guardian of a child under 16, you are entitled to request health information about your child as if it were your own information. For other personal information, the Privacy Act does not provide a right of access by a parent, but a parent or guardian can request information if the child is either too young to act on their own behalf, or where the child has consented.

complaints, children, health, Health Information Privacy Code

A breach, a complaint and how we helped John Edwards
9 March 2015 at 12:03

Late last year, one of my senior investigating officers came to me with a file she’d been working on for quite a while. She was convinced the facts supported a finding of an “interference with privacy”, that is, a breach of the privacy principles, that had caused harm to the complainant. She’d tried to reach a settlement, but the parties were too far apart.

complaints, breach

Viewing entries tagged with 'complaints'

To come with clean hands Charles Mabbett 29 September 2017 at 16:01

A sincere apology is hard to beat Charles Mabbett 12 September 2017 at 09:52

Why you won't get a legal "opinion" from Enquiries Karin Carter 11 October 2016 at 12:04

Tribunal dismisses $100,000 damages claim Charles Mabbett 18 September 2015 at 10:54

$18,000 damages for disclosing private letter Charles Mabbett 6 August 2015 at 14:24

What we learned from Taylor v Orcon Inna Zadorozhnaya 2 June 2015 at 13:00

Putting children first Richard Stephen 15 April 2015 at 10:28

A breach, a complaint and how we helped John Edwards 9 March 2015 at 12:03

To come with clean hands Charles Mabbett
29 September 2017 at 16:01

A sincere apology is hard to beat Charles Mabbett
12 September 2017 at 09:52

Why you won't get a legal "opinion" from Enquiries Karin Carter
11 October 2016 at 12:04

Tribunal dismisses $100,000 damages claim Charles Mabbett
18 September 2015 at 10:54

$18,000 damages for disclosing private letter Charles Mabbett
6 August 2015 at 14:24

What we learned from Taylor v Orcon Inna Zadorozhnaya
2 June 2015 at 13:00

Putting children first Richard Stephen
15 April 2015 at 10:28

A breach, a complaint and how we helped John Edwards
9 March 2015 at 12:03