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There’s a rarely used part of the Privacy Act which agencies can apply to use, if they want to use personal information to tell affected individuals of an entitlement or to redress a wrong.

Once upon a time, we didn’t collect data about people because we didn’t have the technical means to do so. Computers weren’t fast enough, sensors weren’t small enough, and storage wasn’t cheap enough. As technology has continually improved, it has enabled a superabundance of data – more data being collected means more data is being stored and transmitted, which means more data is being used.

Knowledge is power – a cliché, sure, but for a reason. As an agency, the more you know about your clients, the more effective your service can be. It makes sense to gather as much information as possible about the people you interact with. So why wouldn’t you?

Many people in New Zealand - such as students and the elderly - use a concession that gives them a free or subsidised fare on public transport. In order to assess whether someone is eligible for these concession cards, the transport provider collects personal information. This information includes things like student ID cards, tertiary student ID cards or other photo ID.