Privacy Bill helps trade in global economic climate.

Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff today welcomed the first reading of the Privacy (Cross-border Information) Amendment Bill, saying it would have benefits for New Zealand's trading opportunities in the digital age and would enhance personal rights.

'New Zealand business is operating in a global data processing economy and our data protection law needs to be recognised as stacking up internationally,' said Ms Shroff. 'Our privacy law must keep pace so that New Zealand businesses can take advantage of opportunities in the digital age.'

'This is especially important in the current global economic climate. The changes in this Bill should help to secure a finding from the European Union that New Zealand law offers an adequate standard of data protection, thus opening up trading opportunities with Europe.'

The Bill will have two main impacts: first, it will help ensure New Zealand law meets the expectations of our trading partners and second, it will remove an anomaly so that people living overseas can access their personal information held in New Zealand.

The Bill will also give the Privacy Commissioner the ability to cooperate with overseas privacy authorities when dealing with, or transferring, privacy complaints. This reflects a priority area in the privacy work of both APEC and OECD.

'I see these measures as important and necessary steps to update the Privacy Act and improve access to personal information. We have been waiting for this change for a long time. I expect this Bill to be the first part of a more extensive modernisation of the Privacy Act. It is complementary to the thorough privacy review currently being carried out by the Law Commission,' said Ms Shroff.

2 April 2009
ENDS
For more information see www.privacy.org.nz or contact:
Annabel Fordham tel 04 494 7081 or 021 509 735 or enquiries@privacy.org.nz