Privacy Commissioner's Annual Report 2013 – A Year of Rapid Change

28 November 2013

“Events during the year have reinforced the need for tools to respond to the dynamic data environment that is developing across government and business,” said Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff when she released her Annual Report today.

“We continued discussions with Ministry of Justice officials as they worked through the Privacy Act review proposals and we now look forward to the Government’s response. Having adequate privacy and security protections will enable the aims of Better Public Services to be realised successfully.”

“A number of other high-profile data breaches and security failures, including the exposure of vulnerability in MSD’s publicly-facing kiosks in December 2012 and an EQC data breach involving many thousands of its Christchurch claimants, showed the weaknesses within many agency systems and processes.”

“The Government’s Bill to reform the Government Communications and Security Bureau (GCSB) took place against a background of heightened awareness and concern about government intrusion and surveillance of civilian life. Our submission on the Bill said that because of the complex and dynamic environment, we believed oversight of surveillance needed to be considered further.”

“The Information Sharing Bill became law in February and we received the first application for an approved information sharing agreement (AISA) a few months later. Government agencies are required to consult with us on each AISA and we will make our reports publicly available on our website to support transparency in government.”

ENDS

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