11 June 2013

Child, Youth and Family won’t be blackmailed over privacy breach

Child, Youth and Family Head, Bernadine Mackenzie, says the agency has taken legal action in relation to a Family Court document to protect the privacy of a young person following a privacy breach.

“A mistake occurred and I’m sorry that our actions have seen a family’s private information passed to a third party. It should never have happened and we’ve apologised to the family for this. The family has been amazingly understanding of the mistake and I thank them for that.

“Unfortunately the woman who has this short document is refusing to return or destroy the information. She is demanding that we return one of her children to her care in exchange for the document.

“We have now served this woman with an order from the Family Court prohibiting the publication of the information.

“New Zealanders have a right to expect the information they provide is used for the purpose for which they supplied it.

“We have an obligation to protect each person’s information and take every effort to be careful and professional with that information.

“With millions of interactions each day covering a huge proportion of the population mistakes will happen despite the best of rules and processes.

“We can’t stop mistakes occurring but we are committed to fixing them, owning them and learning from them.

“Any institution that holds private information needs to be accountable when there is a breach. However, there is also a responsibility that extends to the person who receives private information in error.

“Complain to the agency, work with them to prevent it happening again, and lodge it with the Privacy Commissioner if you are dissatisfied.

“This woman needs to do the right thing and think about the family whose information she is trying to hold to ransom,” said Bernadine Mackenzie.

ENDS

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