Office of the Privacy Commissioner

Friday frivolity John Edwards
19 June 2015 at 10:49

Privacy is a serious business, but like all serious topics, it can also provide a rich vein of humour. As Peter Ustinov famously said, comedy is simply a funny way of being serious. In this spirit, we’ve done a little mining for your Friday diversion.

social media

New Zealand's Privacy Good Research Fund Blair Stewart
18 June 2015 at 10:56

The Privacy Commissioner has just announced the launch of the Privacy Good Research Fund which makes $75,000 available to support privacy research.

research

Notes from the Identity Conference Charles Mabbett
5 June 2015 at 10:59

The 2015 Identity Conference began with Deputy Prime Minister Bill English calling for more permissive privacy settings in information sharing across the public sector. It ended 36 hours later with applause and a call for beers.

information sharing, IPP8 - accuracy

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

Managing disclosure when faced with closure Charles Mabbett
29 May 2015 at 13:24

What happens to personal information when an organisation closes down? One thing is certain. Don’t follow the example of a doctor who, when closing his surgery to retire, attempted to bury his patient notes on a beach. The tides and the wind had other plans and scattered the files along the beach for all to see.

IPP5 - storage & security, IPP6 - access, Health Information Privacy Code, health

Fined for not handing over a file Charles Mabbett
19 May 2015 at 14:02

A lawyer has been fined $7500 for failing to release a file to a client’s new lawyer. The case, reported in the Law Society magazine Law Talk, is relevant to an issue that we’ve blogged about before because clients’ rights to access information held by their lawyers is also covered by the Privacy Act.

complaints, IPP6 - access

High Court backs Tribunal decision Katrine Evans
7 May 2015 at 10:27

In an earlier post, we discussed the Human Rights Review Tribunal decision in the case of Andrews v Commissioner of Police. The Police had successfully defended a Privacy Act case that Mr Andrews brought against them. They applied for $7,500 to $10,000 costs, but the Tribunal declined to award any costs at all.

Human Rights Review Tribunal, law enforcement

Guest post: Taking personal information seriously Russell Burnard - Government Chief Privacy Officer
20 April 2015 at 16:30

Every day New Zealanders hand over their personal information to government departments in exchange for a range of services, from benefits to drivers’ licences. From the citizen’s perspective, these transactions are based on trust that their information will be handled safely and securely.

Privacy Week

Friday frivolity John Edwards 19 June 2015 at 10:49

New Zealand's Privacy Good Research Fund Blair Stewart 18 June 2015 at 10:56

Notes from the Identity Conference Charles Mabbett 5 June 2015 at 10:59

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

Managing disclosure when faced with closure Charles Mabbett 29 May 2015 at 13:24

Fined for not handing over a file Charles Mabbett 19 May 2015 at 14:02

High Court backs Tribunal decision Katrine Evans 7 May 2015 at 10:27

Guest post: Taking personal information seriously Russell Burnard - Government Chief Privacy Officer 20 April 2015 at 16:30

Friday frivolity John Edwards
19 June 2015 at 10:49

New Zealand's Privacy Good Research Fund Blair Stewart
18 June 2015 at 10:56

Notes from the Identity Conference Charles Mabbett
5 June 2015 at 10:59

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

Managing disclosure when faced with closure Charles Mabbett
29 May 2015 at 13:24

Fined for not handing over a file Charles Mabbett
19 May 2015 at 14:02

High Court backs Tribunal decision Katrine Evans
7 May 2015 at 10:27

Guest post: Taking personal information seriously Russell Burnard - Government Chief Privacy Officer
20 April 2015 at 16:30