Privacy Commissioner releases first assurance reports

Privacy Commissioner releases credit reporters first assurance reports

MEDIA RELEASE
27 November 2012

Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff today released the first compliance assurance reports submitted to her office by the national credit reporting companies.

Under a new requirement of the Credit Reporting Privacy Code, credit reporters are required to file assurance reports each year with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. The companies must involve an independent expert in the process of preparing their reports.

“The reports were all submitted on time and identify no significant compliance problems,” said Ms Shroff. “Each credit reporter shows how the vast amounts of credit information they accumulate on New Zealanders is accurate, secure, lawfully obtained and matched correctly.”

“The obligation on credit reporters to submit annual compliance reports is one of several new safeguards I’ve introduced to the credit reporting system this year. I’m making the reports public as a step towards holding the credit reporters accountable for handling the sensitive financial information of New Zealanders. We will be speaking with the credit reporters about their reports over the coming weeks.”

The reports can be viewed at www.privacy.org.nz.

ENDS

© Scoop Media