How can I dispose of information and documents safely?

Agencies must not keep personal information for longer than they need it. If your agency is finished with personal information, you must dispose of it securely. Note, however, that you cannot destroy information that has been requested by the individual concerned and to which they are entitled (and it is an offence to do so).

Note also that public sector agencies have obligations to preserve records under the Public Records Act. For more information, contact Archives NZ.

You can read more about preventing breaches, including how to dispose of personal information and examples of where things have gone wrong, here.