[Greens-Media] Government challenged on privacy law review delay

[Lee Rhiannon]

MEDIA RELEASE
2 May 2006

Government challenged on privacy law review delay 

When the NSW parliament resumes today Greens MP Lee Rhiannon will call
on the government to come clean on why it is 18 months behind on tabling
a report of its own review of NSW privacy legislation.

"The Attorney General has provided no good reason why he missed his
legislatively required deadline to table a review of the NSW Privacy Act
by 30 November 2004, despite a process of community consultation," Ms
Rhiannon said.

 "This long delay suggests that the NSW government has a political
agenda to further weaken privacy protection in this state.

"At a time when our privacy is being eroded the results of this
review are urgently needed.

 "The Greens suspect the government may be trying to use the exercise
as a backdoor route to abolishing Privacy NSW, as it tried but failed to
do in 2003.

"The potential for privacy breaches is increased by proposals for a
national ID card and electronic health records. Technological
advancements and ramped up police and terrorism powers also pose a
significant threat to privacy.
"NSW has very weak privacy legislation that is riddled by holes,
overseen by a privacy watchdog that has been gutted of staff, expertise
and resources.  

"Today it is three years since Chris Puplick resigned as NSW Privacy
Commissioner, yet a permanent appointment to fill his post has still not
been made.

"Privacy experts have described the Acting Commissioner, John Dickie,
as 'asleep at the wheel' and Privacy NSW as little more than an
answering phone.

"Mr Dickie has given the tick to various government initiatives that
ring alarm bells for privacy, like RTA's photo ID card and a trial of
electronic health records.

"The Acting Commissioner has taken down a raft of documents from his
website, like user guides and position papers, illustrating how bereft
of content and bite Privacy NSW has become.

"The government is slowly but surely killing Privacy NSW, just as it
did other independent agencies like the Community Services Commission,
Department of Women and Inspector-General of Prisons.

"The Greens call on Iemma to immediately release the review of
NSW's privacy laws and appoint a permanent NSW Privacy
Commissioner," Ms Rhiannon said.

More information:  9230 3551 or 0427 861 568