Digital privacy protection will be a core focus of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), according to its recently released Corporate Plan for 2019–20.
The OAIC’s Corporate Plan for 2019–20 sets out its vision for increasing public trust and confidence in the protection of personal information and access to government-held information.
Australian Information Commissioner and Privacy Commissioner Angelene Falk said the Corporate Plan signals a shift in the way the OAIC operates and responds to the significant change in the environment in which we regulate.
“At a time when many believe institutional trust is in decline, our work to promote and uphold privacy and information access rights is critical to restoring community confidence in information handling and management,“ Commissioner Falk said.
“We are pursuing these goals in a rapidly evolving environment as the value and volume of data held by business and government continues to grow and global information-handling practices become increasingly complex.”
The plan sets out four strategic priorities to help the OAIC achieve its vision:
- Advance online privacy protections for Australians
- Influence and uphold privacy and information access rights frameworks
- Encourage and support the proactive release of government-held information
- Contemporary approach to regulation.
- Key activities for the year ahead include developing a code of practice for digital platforms to provide stronger online protections, including for vulnerable people such as children.
Embedding and enforcing strong privacy safeguards in Australia’s new data portability regime, the Consumer Data Right, will be a significant focus for the OAIC.
