Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Commissioner welcomes Select Committee’s Privacy Bill report

Commissioner welcomes Select Committee’s Privacy Bill report [13/5/19]

Privacy Commissioner John Edwards today [13 May] welcomed the Justice Select Committee’s report on the Privacy Bill.

“The Committee has listened to submitters and the reported back Bill contains measures to ensure the law addresses some of the most pressing aspects of the modern digital economy.

The law will now explicitly set out when agencies that collect, process and use New Zealanders’ personal information will have to comply with New Zealand law – regardless of whether these agencies have a brick-and-mortar presence on our islands

While the Bill doesn’t include all the things we were seeking, we are grateful for the diligent work of the Select Committee and look forward to making the most of the changes for the benefit of all New Zealanders.”

The Bill now clarifies the extent to which the Privacy Act will apply to overseas agencies or overseas activities:

• For a New Zealand agency, the Act will apply to any action taken and all personal information collected or held by it, both inside and outside New Zealand.

• For an overseas agency, the Privacy Act will apply if the agency is carrying on business in New Zealand. The Act will apply to any action and all personal information collected or held by the agency (regardless of where that may be) in the course of carrying on business in New Zealand.

Other key changes made during the select committee process include:

• raising the notification threshold for privacy breaches so that notification is only required where the breach has caused, or is likely to cause, serious harm to affected people. Criteria are given for assessing whether or not serious harm has, or is likely, to occur.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

• amending the news media exemption to ensure it covers all forms of media, including "new" media such as bloggers

• limiting the news media exemption to those media that are subject to the oversight of an appropriate regulatory body (currently the Broadcasting Standards Authority or the New Zealand Media Council, with ability to add other appropriate oversight bodies by regulation)

• extending the news media exemption to include TVNZ and RNZ when they undertake "news activities"

• expressly providing that agencies may not require a person’s identifying information unless it is necessary for the lawful purpose for which the information is collected

• removing the public register privacy principles on the understanding that they are now outdated and unnecessary.

When enacted the new Privacy Act will:

• empower the Privacy Commissioner to issue a compliance notice in the event of a breach of the Act

• empower the Privacy Commissioner to issue a determination when a person has requested access to personal information and has been refused

• introduce of mandatory reporting of harmful privacy breaches - bringing New Zealand into line with international best practice

• regulate the movement of personal information out of the jurisdiction with a new cross border disclosure principle.

Mr Edwards says he will continue to make the case for more civil enforcement powers and other modernising reforms to ensure that New Zealand’s privacy framework is robust, fit-for-purpose and comparable to those of its trading partners.

ENDS

Notes for editors

The Privacy Bill will repeal and replace the Privacy Act 1993. Its key purpose is to promote New Zealanders’ confidence that their personal information is secure and managed properly.


© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.