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Australian Privacy
      
Date Article Title Publication Author Synopsis
6/25/2010 Healthcare identifier legislation passes ZDNET Australia Josh Taylor Australia Health Minister Nicola Roxon has announced the passage of legislation authorizing Medicare Australia to start issuing patients with individual 16-digit identifier numbers beginning July 1. 
6/25/2010 Feds launch online privacy inquiry itNews Liz Tay The Senate Standing Committee on Environment, Communications and the Arts yesterday began an inquiry into online privacy following increasing concern about how companies are handling personal data online.
6/24/2010 Senate inquiry into online privacy debacles The Age Ari Sharp & Asher Moses The senate will soon begin an inquiry into the adequacy of privacy laws at the request of Green Sen. Scott Ludlam. Sparked by recent online privacy controversies, the inquiry will examine privacy protections and data collection on social networking sites and the data collection activities of private companies and government agencies.
6/22/2010 Google Wi-Fi snooping not so bad: privacy commissioner Sydney Morning Herald Asher Moses Australian Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis shares preliminary comments on Google's collection of data from unsecured wireless networks, rejecting the idea that banking transactions could have been captured because financial institutions use secure Internet connections.
6/21/2010 Ludlam questions govt over data retention ZDNET Australia Renai LeMay Greens communications spokesperson Scott Ludlam questioned Senator Penny Wong today about federal government plans to require Internet service providers to retain Australians' Web browsing, e-mail and telephone activity for the purpose of fighting crime and terrorism.
6/17/2010 Web snooping policy shrouded in secrecy Sydney Morning Herald Asher Moses Australia's Attorney-General's Department is considering a plan to require ISPs to store users' Internet activity--whether or not they are suspected of crimes--and that is spurring criticism from advocates and industry experts.
6/14/2010 Govt denies it wants web history records ZDNET Australia Renai LeMay A spokesman for Australia Attorney-General Robert McLelland has denied that a controversial data retention policy being considered by his office could result in Web browsing histories being tracked by ISPs.
6/11/2010 Govt wants ISPs to record browsing history ZDNET Australia Ben Grubb The Australia Attorney General's Department has confirmed it is looking to the European Directive on Data Retention in considering whether ISPs should be required to log and retain customers' Web browsing histories to provide for law enforcement access as needed.
6/7/2010 Privacy Commissioner welcomes National Cyber Security Awareness Week Office of the Privacy Commissioner   Australia Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis is hailing the government initiative as an opportunity for government organizations, industry and community groups to work together to promote smart online practices. 
6/6/2010 Australia Opens a Privacy Case Against Google New York Times Associated Press Australian authorities are launching a criminal investigation into Google's collection of data from wireless networks.
6/3/2010 Fed Govt amends Healthcare Identifiers Bill Computerworld Chloe Herrick The federal government has amended its Healthcare Identifiers Bill to address privacy and data security concerns.
6/1/2010 No strong safeguards in HI Bill, says Australian Privacy Foundation Australian IT Karen Dearne The Australian Privacy Foundation (APF) says the nation's Healthcare Identifiers Bill lacks the safeguards necessary to protect patient privacy.
5/13/2010 Please explain: why Google wants your Wi-Fi data Sydney Morning Herald Louisa Hearn Two privacy groups will send a letter to Google today asking the company to explain why its Street View cars are collecting Wi-Fi information and how the data will be used.
5/3/2010 Privacy Commissioner urges all Australians: Take privacy into your own hands Office of the Privacy Commissioner   Australian Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis is kicking off Privacy Awareness Week by calling on Australians to take practical steps to protect their privacy. 
3/22/2010 Security fears may delay e-health reforms until after election Sydney Morning Herald Mark Metherell The electronic patient identifier system may be delayed until after the election due to concerns over security and privacy.
3/17/2010 Health identifier bill delayed Australian IT Karen Dearne Following a week of testimony and a report recommending its adoption by the Senate Community Affairs Committee, the full Senate's consideration of the government's proposed Healthcare Identifiers Bill is not scheduled to take place until budget day on May 11
3/16/2010 Heath identifier function creep threatens data privacy says Coalition Australian IT Karen Dearne Despite lingering concerns over its privacy implications, the Senate Community Affairs Committee has recommended passage of the Healthcare Identifiers Bill.
3/8/2010 Police get access to tax data for trials Australian IT Natasha Bita New legislation would allow government agencies, including police and prosecutors, access to Australians' tax returns to "prevent or lessen" a serious threat to public health or safety. 
3/1/2010 Senate to examine eHealth ID number IT Wire James Riley A bill to assign unique ID numbers to all Australians was sent to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs on February 26 for examination, giving members of the public wishing to offer comment until March 5 to do so.
2/10/2010 E-health legislation faces parliament ZDNET Australia Jacquelin Holt The introduction of a new national e-health identifier for all Australians is expected to assist with healthcare privacy issues.
1/24/2010 Teachers face fines, pay docked over student privacy Courier Mail.com Peter Rolfe Teachers in Queensland, Australia will face fines or a pay suspension if they interfere with a new Web site intended to provide access to student learning results.
1/12/2010 Charity 'breached' privacy Theage.com.au Erik Jensen The Australia Privacy Foundation has accused the St. Vincent de Paul Society of betraying donor trust by allowing a data broker to help develop a survey mailed to donors over the Christmas season, and then sharing the information with the company.
12/16/2009 Doctors can tell patients' relatives of genetic disorder Sydney Morning Herald Mark Metherell Federal health and privacy authorities announced new guidelines that will let doctors share certain health information with a patient's blood relatives.
12/14/2009 Security for e-health data The Australian   Under draft legislation, employers and insurance companies who use Australia's new electronic medical identification number for any purpose other than providing healthcare benefits may face two years in jail.
12/14/2009 Symantec helps govt on data breach laws ZDNET Australia Jacquelin Holt While the Australian government works to create draft legislation for a national data breach notification law, security technology concern Symantec revealed recently it has been advising the Australian Law Reform Commission and the Office of Prime Minister and Cabinet on technology-related aspects of the law.
12/11/2009 Consumers may be told of identity theft Sydney Morning Herald Kim Christian Australia's federal privacy commissioner has launched an investigation into a government-funded Web site on depression.
12/9/2009 OPI called in as police files storm intensifies Theage.com.au Paul Austin The Office of Police Integrity has joined an investigation into a government decision to share information from confidential police files with public project managers.
12/8/2009 COAG commits to health IDs in 2010 ZDNET Australia Suzanne Tindal A report that the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) will submit legislation for the purpose of implementing healthcare identification within the next year.
12/1/2009 Victorian privacy rights compromised Government News Angela Dorizas The Victorian Auditor-General tabled a report in Parliament this week highlighting data protection deficiencies in at least three government departments.
11/25/2009 NSW Health to review privacy policy for insurers' lawyers Sydney Morning Herald Joel Gibson The NSW Health department is expected to review its privacy policies based on complaints it has received about requests for medical records.
11/24/2009 ID scans can be held for up to a year goldcoast.com.au Stephanie Bedo More Australian pubs are considering the use of security technology that collects biometric data from patrons.
11/17/2009 Greens object to underbaked network interception bill iTnews Brett Winterford A Greens Senator, among others, wants more privacy provisions in the federal government's Telecommunications Interception and Access Bill.
11/16/2009 2009 Privacy Awards reward excellence psnews.com.au   The Victorian Department of Justice received the 2009 Grand Award for privacy at the Australian Privacy Awards. 
11/13/2009 Steps taken to safeguard health IDs Australian IT Karen Dearne Federal and state health ministers have committed to restrictions on the use of national health identity numbers.
11/11/2009 Australia: Privacy Law Reforms And Privacy Regulation Simplification Mondaq Jamie Nettleton Jamie Nettleton of Addisons details government plans to overhaul Australia's privacy laws in this report. 
10/20/2009 Facebook tools nail privacy fears Australian IT Karen Dearne A Facebook adviser told privacy pros at the International Association of Privacy Professionals Australia-New Zealand conference that users are taking a more active role in managing their privacy.
10/20/2009 Privacy charges put data at mercy of scams Australian IT Karen Dearne A report on the government response to privacy reform proposals set out by the Australian Law Reform Commission. 
10/15/2009 New credit reporting laws could help SMEs Smart Company Patrick Stafford Changes to Australia's Privacy Act could offer benefits to small and medium-sized businesses.
10/14/2009 Government to re-write Privacy Act Australian IT Karen Dearne Special Minister of State Senator Joe Ludwig outlined the government's stage-one response to Australian Law Reform Commission privacy law recommendations during a speech to privacy professionals in Melbourne. 
10/13/2009 Governments change direction on health e-records Australian IT Karen Dearne The Australian government has abandoned its plan to create a single electronic health information network in favor of networks hosted by private companies and managed by users.
10/12/2009 Privacy finalists in public view psnews.com.au   The list of contenders for the Australian Privacy Awards is down to the finalists, and in the government category such agencies as the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, CrimTrac, Human Services Portfolio, Mildura Rural City Council, Social Security Appeals Tribunal and Victorian Department of Justice have all made the final cut. 
10/11/2009 Welfare cash tracking raises privacy fears ABC News   A plan by the Australian government to track how Welfare recipients spend their relief money is being questioned by the Welfare Rights Centre which believes the plan would be an invasion of privacy for those enrolled in the program.
10/11/2009 Bank Customer's Privacy Anger AdelaideNow.com.au David Nankervis An ANZ bank customer wants the branch manager who snuck a peek at her account to be sacked.
9/26/2009 Second blow for Bolton as company is banned Sydney Morning Herald Mark Hawthorne The Supreme Court of Victoria upheld the ruling of an Internet regulator that banned a company from selling or administering domain names after it experienced a security breach and failed to notify federal regulators.
9/20/2009 Library 'vigilantes' track down 'lost' books Sunday Telegraph Staff Five Sydney councils want to implant microchips into books and media items to deter theft.
9/9/2009 E-health submissions to be made public Australian IT Karen Dearne The government will release the comments of those who weighed in during a public consultation on its plans for a national healthcare identity scheme.
9/8/2009 Fire alert mobiles spark privacy row The Australian Rick Wallace A propose disaster warning system begs strong privacy regulations, according to the president of an Australian civil liberties group. 
8/25/2009 No escape from identity scheme for Medicare Australian IT Karen Dearne Federal Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis says new legislation is needed before the Health Ministry moves forward with plans for a national healthcare identity scheme.
8/11/2009 Two in three Australian companies leak data SC Magazine Brett Winterford A Ponemon Institute survey released this week reveals that two in three Australian organisations experienced a "serious data breach" in the last 12 months.
8/9/2009 All your details at click of a mouse Herald Sun Ellen Whinnett The Herald Sun reports that, as a result of many individual laws, 190 third-party organizations--including government agencies and medical research organizations--are now free to gather and share information on Australian citizens. 
8/4/2009 Secret report reveals e-health ID findings Australian IT Karen Dearne A Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) conducted by the firm Galexia in 2006 warned government officials that Australians would view individual healthcare identifiers (IHIs) as a national identity "product." 
7/31/2009 McAfee keeps leaked details to itself itnews.com.au Ben Grubb Details on employees of some of Australia's largest companies were leaked in an e-mail.
7/23/2009 Facebook Could Be Breaching Australian Privacy Laws Sydney Morning Herald Asher Moses Responding to the findings of the Canadian Privacy Commissioner's investigation into Facebook's privacy practices, Australian Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis commented that the findings may also constitute privacy violations in Australia. 
7/14/2009 Student ID Plan Under Fire theage.com.au Farrah Tomazin Parents and others concerned about the privacy of schoolchildren are calling for strict controls to be placed on a student identifier program that will launch. 
7/13/2009 Privacy fight shaping for eHealth iTWire James Riley Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon and state counterparts announced a series of national consultations on the privacy and security of the nation's electronic health system, which is set to launch next year. 
7/9/2009 Australia: Privacy Failures Costs Employers Mondaq Murray Procter A Murray Procter article outlines two recent Australian Industrial Relations Commission decisions that underline the importance of handling workplace privacy considerations appropriately. 
7/1/2009 Privacy Commissioner's Reign Extended Australian IT Karen Dearne Karen Curtis will continue in her role for another year in order to assist in the transition to the new Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC). 
6/27/2009 Right to privacy warning on Newcastle pub scanners The Herald Tess Campbell Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis wants pubs that scan incoming patrons' IDs to be mindful of Australia's privacy laws.
6/10/2009 AusCheck expansion prompts privacy concerns Australian IT Karen Dearne A plan to expand the collection of biometric information for national security purposes has raised privacy concerns.
6/8/2009 Privacy groups fear 'Medishare' card scheme Courier Mail.com Renee Viellaris A Medicare card will house the health information of Australians beginning in mid-2010.
5/28/2009 Commonwealth Bank blunder leaks customer account details Courier Mail.com Anna Caldwell The nation's largest bank released private details on customers.
5/21/2009 Australia lagging in data security compliance: PCI Security Standards Council CIO Tim Lohman Australia is on the radar of the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Security Standards Council.
5/21/2009 Commissioner to probe potential privacy breaches Australian IT Karen Dearne Federal privacy commissioner Karen Curtis is making enquiries into certain practices related to patient privacy.
5/20/2009 Business advised to be vigilant with privacy Queensland Business Review   Businesses must take data protection seriously. 
5/19/2009 Grab for patient records Australian IT Karen Dearne A medical market research firm wants doctors' prescribing data and will offer free software to incent physicians to provide it.
5/8/2009 Govt agencies losing portable data: Privacy Commissioner Tech World Rodney Gedda Australian's Privacy Commissioner has expressed concern about research findings on government agencies' use of portable storage devices (PSDs).
5/1/2009 Privacy fears over freedom of information laws reform The Australian Chris Merritt The New South Wales Law Reform Commission is warning the government that certain proposed freedom of information (FOI) law reforms could "weaken the protection of individual privacy." 
4/30/2009 Exposure drafts of the Queensland Right to Information and Information Privacy Bills Office of the Privacy Commissioner   The Queensland Government has released an exposure draft of the Information Privacy Bill 2009. 
4/23/2009 E-commerce laws to be upgraded Australian IT News Karen Dearne The attorneys-general agreed that a SCAG working group would develop "voluntary guidelines" to assist employers and workers on workplace privacy issues, such as surveillance and email, and internet monitoring.
4/23/2009 ATO has culture of privacy violation: report Business Spectator   The results of a confidential investigation support claims that the Australian Tax Office (ATO) may have inappropriately disclosed citizens' tax information to law enforcement.
4/20/2009 Privacy vs protection: Police and the right to hack  ZDNet Asia Liam Tung Australia's state police have been upping the ante on criminals who use technology to protect their activities, but is it the right way to go?
4/17/2009 Privacy legislation put in the too-hard basket Quantcast
The Australian
Michael Pelly The push to introduce a statutory cause of action for privacy in Victoria has received a cool response from the Government.
4/17/2009 Digging up dirt: Facebook spies for hire  Sydney Morning Herald Asher Moses Large companies and government departments are employing a new Sydney-based company to dig up dirt on staff by spying on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and YouTube posts.
4/15/2009 Rudd Govt to abolish patient privacy ZDNet Suzanne Tindal The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has slammed draft legislation brought forward by the Federal Government, which will allow it the right to access individual patients' records.
4/15/2009 New Legislation Will Destroy Medical Confidentiality  iTWire David Heath The current Labor Government has started the same  'sneaky legislation' methods pioneered by the previous  Liberal Government.  This time, they're about to pass legislation to remove ALL privacy of medical records.
4/15/2009 Patients' privacy at risk; doctors Sydney Morning Herald Melissa Jenkins Australian doctors are concerned that proposed legislation could violate patient privacy and drive a wedge in the physician-patient relationship.
4/15/2009 Call for national DNA bank to expand criminal profiles  The Canberra Times Louis Andrews The man overseeing the national DNA database wants to expand the bank of criminal profiles, after the eight-year quest to link all jurisdictions finally ended.
3/30/2009 Victorian Law Reform Commission investigates surveillance cameras Herald Sun   The Victorian Law Reform Commission (VLRC) has taken up the issue of surveillance cameras in public places.
3/29/2009 Sullivan Nicolaides has 254 patient profiles on net Courier Mail.com Anna Caldwell Hundreds of patients have been affected by a breach at pathology provider Sullivan Nicolaides.
3/18/2009 Data breach exposes 5900 Shell customers The Tech Herald Steve Ragan A breach of a contractor's Web site has resulted in the sensitive information exposure of 5900 Shell Oil customers in Australia and New Zealand.
3/12/2009 Doctors 'prepared to go to jail' to protect patient privacy ABC News Sabra Lane Government officials want access to more physicians' records but doctors say they'd rather go to jail than give them up.
3/8/2009 Warning on mobile phone tracking Fairfax Digital   Victoria's Privacy Commissioner has expressed concern about the popularity of GPS-based tracking devices and services.
3/6/2009 Health identifier still privacy minefield ZDNet Suzanne Tindal Health ministers are calling for more privacy consultations before the implementation of national individual health records proceeds.
2/2/2009 Spying on workers comes with a cost news.com.au Jenny Dillon A Sydney lawyer says businesses need to shore up on workplace privacy laws before implementing employee surveillance.
1/19/2009 Privacy concerns over money laundering rules Sydney Morning Herald Stephanie Peatling Privacy advocates are wary of proposed new rules aimed at cracking down on money laundering and terrorism financing.
1/6/2009 EMX reaches $10,000 SMS spam settlement ACMA iTNews   The Sydney firm EMX will pay $10,000 to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for violating the Spam Act.
11/21/2008 Confidential customer details exposed on Qantas Site PC World Amanda Conroy A woman attempting to access her online flight check-in information was surprised to be presented with the personal details of two other Qantas passengers.
11/20/2008 Australians support biometrics to protect identities SC Magazine Staff Eight of 10 Australians are concerned about the security of their personal information.
11/15/2008 The cost of losing yourself Sydney Morning Herald   Recent data breaches and the results of a survey showing that 79 percent of businesses have lost sensitive data in the past have fueled the debate on whether Australia should create a mandatory data breach notification law.
11/6/2008 Medical records on show to Medicare Bureaucrats AdelaideNow.com.au Sue Dunlevy The private health information of patients will be exposed to Medicare officials in a new anti-fraud initiative.
11/2/2008 Credit card details found in city park Sydney Morning Herald Eamonn Duff The credit card numbers, expiry dates and signatures of certain Chemist Warehouse customers have been knocking about Sydney's Mascot Oval.
10/30/2008 Watchdog warns against high-tech privacy risks theage.com.au Paul Austin In her report to State Parliament, Victoria's Privacy Commissioner Helen Versey urged the government and private companies to resist the temptation to collect and store people's personal information.
10/28/2008 Security concerns limit cloud for business Australian IT Karen Dearne Full-scale adoption of cloud computing will be delayed by concerns about data security.
10/28/2008 Do-not-export register wanted for data transfer Australian IT Karen Dearne At an event this week, experts shared differing perspectives on the issue of accountability-based data protection law. 
10/22/2008 Dodo pays penalty for calling numbers on the Do Not Call Register ACMA Media   Telecommunications provider Dodo Australia violated the Do Not Call Register Act of 2006, says the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). 
10/21/2008 Data breaches caused by human error, hardware theft iTnews.com Kathryn Small A survey of 156 Australian IT managers and executives revealed that human error and hardware thefts are among the greatest causes of data breaches
10/17/2008 Aussie under investigation over possible privacy breach Sydney Morning Herald AAP The personal information of dozens of Aussie Home Loans customers has been exposed.
10/14/2008 Australia:  Ilectronic Health Information Systems Mondaq Christina Crotty Christina Crotty of Minter Ellison discusses the privacy implications of a national movement towards shared electronic health records (SEHR). 
10/14/2008 See-through scanners an 'invasion of privacy' ABC News Adrian Raschella Australian civil liberties advocates say the full body scanners being tested in Australian airports go "way too far." 
10/14/2008 Info deluge raises need for legal rebuild Australian IT Karen Dearne At a symposium to incite feedback on recent privacy law revision recommendations, stakeholders told the Australian Law Reform Commission that its suggestions won't do enough to protect citizens' privacy
10/7/2008 Canberra plans unified privacy principles Australian IT Karen Dearne New technological developments have diluted our ability to choose privacy, said Special Minister of State John Faulkner at a Cyberspace Law and Policy Centre symposium last week. 
10/6/2008 Australia, Government & Public Sector, Privacy Commissioner Issues New Guides Mondaq Iris Thompson Australian Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis recently released three guides to help business leaders understand their obligations under the Privacy Act and navigate privacy issues within diverse organizations. 
10/1/2008 Body scanner trial for Adelaide airport ABC News   Adelaide airport will trial body scanner technology beginning mid-month. The scanner is one of a few technologies being considered by the Federal Transport Department to improve airport security. 
9/4/2008 Cloud hangs over Privacy Awareness Week Computerworld Stephen Bell Auckland Cloud computing is raising new online privacy concerns and some say a communal approach to managing the technological shift is best.
8/26/2008 Data thieves seeking out insiders Australian IT Karen Dearne As nations tighten privacy protections to avoid information breaches, data thieves have turned their attention to places with seemingly lax security standards.
8/25/2008 Privacy Commissioner releases data breach guide SC Magazine Staff Writer Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis has released a guide to help organisations prevent and respond to data breach incidents. 
8/22/2008 No such thing as privacy - top Aussie judge Stuff.co.nz Jonathan Pearlman Australia's top judge admitted yesterday to being perplexed on the matter of personal privacy.
8/20/2008 Privacy law reprieve The Manly Daily Sue Hoban Those concerned about the Australian Law Reform Commission's (ALRC) recommendation that small businesses begin complying with the nation's privacy laws have several months before the government even begins considering the recommendation.
8/15/2008 Privacy needs more protection The Sydney Morning Herald David Weisbrot and Les McCrimmon Two members of the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) describe what led the commission to recommend a statutory right to sue for serious invasions of privacy in its recent report to the government on updating the nation's privacy laws.
8/13/2008 Privacy laws to address the human side of IT Computerworld Andrew Hendry A Computerworld report outlines some of the major recommendations included in the Australian Law Reform Commission's (ALRC) report on revising the nation's 20-year-old Privacy Act.
8/12/2008 Ticketek bungle prompt internet privacy debate ABC News   The concert marketing group, Ticketek, accidentally sent the private email addresses of thousands of its customers to other customers.
8/12/2008 Power to sue under privacy laws shake-up The Sydney Morning Herald Tim Dick Media organisations are criticising one of the recommendations made by the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) in its report on updating the nation's privacy laws, released yesterday. 
8/12/2008 Personal data of 380,000 welfare recipients stolen Irish Times Carl O'Brien The Department of Social and Family Affairs has revealed that a laptop computer stolen last year contained the personal details of 380,000 social welfare recipients.
8/11/2008 Concern over privacy report's credit check recommendations ABC News   The Australian Privacy Foundation has concerns about one of the key recommendations in the Australian Law Reform Commission's report on updating privacy laws
8/11/2008 Pubs, clubs warned over scanning details illawaramercury.com Brett Cox An increase in the use of driver's license scanning devices by Australian nightclubs and bars has Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis reminding establishments of their responsibility to protect the information they collect.
8/11/2008 Privacy laws need major overhaul The Sydney Morning Herald AAP In a 2,700 page, three-volume report, the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) has called for a "major overhaul" of the nation's privacy laws. 
8/5/2008 Privacy Advocates say Google's gone too far The Australian Andrew Colley Despite approval from teachers and tourism officials, and "cautious" support from the federal privacy commissioner, some privacy advocates are still uncomfortable with Street View, the Google application that, once launched, will provide a 360-degree view of thousands of kilometers of Australian roads and cities, including people. 
8/1/2008 Twisted privacy laws to be opened up, says commission The Australian   The New South Wales (NSW) Law Reform Commission has proposed amending privacy laws in order to reduce confusion, which, officials say, is undermining the laws' effectiveness. 
7/8/2008 Australia, Litigation and Arbitration, Through the Looking Glass:  Notes on Privacy Mondaq John Kell In an article recently published on Mondaq, Hunt & Hunt's John Kell summarizes a number of recent Australian court cases with interesting privacy implications. 
7/8/2008 Australia, Litigation and Arbitration, Through the Looking Glass:  Notes on Privacy Mondaq John Kell In an article recently published on Mondaq, Hunt & Hunt's John Kell summarizes a number of recent Australian court cases with interesting privacy implications. 
6/24/2008 Concerns personal data held by clubs could be misued couriermail.com.au Michael Wray As more and more of the nations' pubs collect patrons' images and driver's licence details upon entrance, there is growing concern about the protection of that data.
6/24/2008 Concerns personal data held by clubs could be misued couriermail.com.au Michael Wray As more and more of the nations' pubs collect patrons' images and driver's licence details upon entrance, there is growing concern about the protection of that data.
6/16/2008 Education database raises privacy fears Sydney Morning Herald AAP A student database set to launch in December has raised privacy concerns, says the Sydney Morning Herald. The photographs and personal details of Queensland's 480,000 primary and secondary school students will be compiled onto the state government's intranet database, OneSchool. 
6/16/2008 Education database raises privacy fears Sydney Morning Herald AAP A student database set to launch in December has raised privacy concerns, says the Sydney Morning Herald. The photographs and personal details of Queensland's 480,000 primary and secondary school students will be compiled onto the state government's intranet database, OneSchool. 
5/29/2008 Privacy tort a blow to free speech The Australian Business Chris Merritt A proposed new statutory tort of privacy has some concerned that the adverse affect such a law would have on the media outweighs any merits gained for personal privacy. 
5/29/2008 Privacy tort a blow to free speech The Australian Business Chris Merritt A proposed new statutory tort of privacy has some concerned that the adverse affect such a law would have on the media outweighs any merits gained for personal privacy. 
5/22/2008 Privacy rules for a Web 2.0 world ZDNET Australia Brett Winterford If governments want to attract citizens to use their online services, they should give users control of their own information, according to former privacy commissioner and IAPP board member Malcolm Crompton, who spoke to attendees at the CeBIT conference in Sydney yesterday. 
5/22/2008 Privacy rules for a Web 2.0 world ZDNET Australia Brett Winterford If governments want to attract citizens to use their online services, they should give users control of their own information, according to former privacy commissioner and IAPP board member Malcolm Crompton, who spoke to attendees at the CeBIT conference in Sydney yesterday. 
5/20/2008 Secret athlete drug probe 'illegal', says Government Solicitor The Australian   Sean Parnell The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) has been forced to scrap a secret pilot program aimed at identifying whether or not Olympic-bound athletes were using banned substances because the program breached the Information Privacy Principles of the Privacy Act. 
5/20/2008 Secret athlete drug probe 'illegal', says Government Solicitor The Australian   Sean Parnell The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) has been forced to scrap a secret pilot program aimed at identifying whether or not Olympic-bound athletes were using banned substances because the program breached the Information Privacy Principles of the Privacy Act. 
5/15/2008 A bumper year for ID fraud Sydney Morning Herald Katie Cincotta The Sydney Morning Herald reports that, with 200,000 Australians now using social networking sites such as Facebook, Bebo, and MySpace, security experts and consumer groups are predicting the numbers of ID fraud will grow this year.
5/15/2008 A bumper year for ID fraud Sydney Morning Herald Katie Cincotta The Sydney Morning Herald reports that, with 200,000 Australians now using social networking sites such as Facebook, Bebo, and MySpace, security experts and consumer groups are predicting the numbers of ID fraud will grow this year.
5/9/2008 Law Reform Commission readies information privacy dossier idg.no   After 250 meetings and review of nearly 600 written comments, the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) will submit a report and recommendations on changes to the country's information privacy laws to the Attorney General later this month.
5/9/2008 Law Reform Commission readies information privacy dossier idg.no   After 250 meetings and review of nearly 600 written comments, the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) will submit a report and recommendations on changes to the country's information privacy laws to the Attorney General later this month.
5/7/2008 International Privacy Initiative - What do students think about privacy? eGov Monitor Office of Privacy Commissioner Australia An international competition sponsored by the Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities (APPA) aims to get secondary school students thinking about privacy.
5/7/2008 International Privacy Initiative - What do students think about privacy? eGov Monitor Office of Privacy Commissioner Australia An international competition sponsored by the Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities (APPA) aims to get secondary school students thinking about privacy.
5/5/2008 Gym 'breached member privacy' Theage.com.au Matthew Murphy The Beach House Health and Fitness franchise has come under scrutiny by the Australian Privacy Commissioner under concerns that the outfit sold the personal information of certain club members to another health club.
5/5/2008 Gym 'breached member privacy' Theage.com.au Matthew Murphy The Beach House Health and Fitness franchise has come under scrutiny by the Australian Privacy Commissioner under concerns that the outfit sold the personal information of certain club members to another health club.
4/23/2008 Australia hat-tips NZ on mandatory breach reporting Computerworld Sandra Rossi Sydney Australia's privacy commissioner, Karen Curtis, is seeking input from the business community on a proposed new law that would make data breach notification mandatory in the country. 
4/23/2008 Australia hat-tips NZ on mandatory breach reporting Computerworld Sandra Rossi Sydney Australia's privacy commissioner, Karen Curtis, is seeking input from the business community on a proposed new law that would make data breach notification mandatory in the country. 
4/20/2008 Health privacy 'at risk' Herald Sun Peter Rolfe A two-year overdue patient medical records system for Brumby's public hospitals may leave patient data vulnerable.
4/20/2008 Health privacy 'at risk' Herald Sun Peter Rolfe A two-year overdue patient medical records system for Brumby's public hospitals may leave patient data vulnerable.
4/14/2008 Tracking device on bins ensures residents chip in Sydney Morning Herald Jano Gibson As the world mulls the benefits and potential privacy concerns associated with using radio frequency identification (RFID), one Australian city has replaced all of its 78,000 trash and recycling bins with new units outfitted with RFID devices.
4/14/2008 Draft guidelines issued for reporting data breaches The Industry Standard Sandra Rossi Australia's privacy commissioner has issued a draft set of voluntary guidelines for businesses to follow after a data breach and is seeking public comment to help further refine the guidelines. 
4/14/2008 Tracking device on bins ensures residents chip in Sydney Morning Herald Jano Gibson As the world mulls the benefits and potential privacy concerns associated with using radio frequency identification (RFID), one Australian city has replaced all of its 78,000 trash and recycling bins with new units outfitted with RFID devices.
4/14/2008 Draft guidelines issued for reporting data breaches The Industry Standard Sandra Rossi Australia's privacy commissioner has issued a draft set of voluntary guidelines for businesses to follow after a data breach and is seeking public comment to help further refine the guidelines. 
4/9/2008 Privacy Connections Breakfast - Launch of Inaugural Australian Privacy Awards smos.gov.au Senator The Hon John Faulkner  At a breakfast event sponsored by the Privacy Commissioner last week, Australia's Special Minister of State, The Honorable John Faulkner, delivered his first public talk on privacy. He emphasized the Australian governments' strong commitment to chairing the work of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation's (APEC) Data Privacy Sub-Group, which deals with cross-border data flows of personal information throughout the region.
4/9/2008 Privacy Connections Breakfast - Launch of Inaugural Australian Privacy Awards smos.gov.au Senator The Hon John Faulkner  At a breakfast event sponsored by the Privacy Commissioner last week, Australia's Special Minister of State, The Honorable John Faulkner, delivered his first public talk on privacy. He emphasized the Australian governments' strong commitment to chairing the work of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation's (APEC) Data Privacy Sub-Group, which deals with cross-border data flows of personal information throughout the region.
4/2/2008 RFID-tracked cars coming to Australia & NZ? Cnet News.com Suzanne Tindal Authorities in Australia and New Zealand are discussing how best to deploy RFID technology in automobiles to make roads and administration more efficient. Among the ideas being considered are the issuance of RFID-tagged registration stickers that could be used to pay tolls and parking, as well as aid law enforcement and reduce congestion in Sydney's central business district. 
4/2/2008 RFID-tracked cars coming to Australia & NZ? Cnet News.com Suzanne Tindal Authorities in Australia and New Zealand are discussing how best to deploy RFID technology in automobiles to make roads and administration more efficient. Among the ideas being considered are the issuance of RFID-tagged registration stickers that could be used to pay tolls and parking, as well as aid law enforcement and reduce congestion in Sydney's central business district. 
3/20/2008 Australia, Intellectual Property, Recent Decisions Of and Latest News From The Office of the Privacy Commissioner Mondaq Claire Bothwell Australia's Office of the Privacy Commissioner ruled on three recent privacy cases involving retail, healthcare and telecommunications. In the cases: The Commission found that a ticket agency's receipt, which included some personal and credit card data, did not constitute a privacy violation. 
3/20/2008 Australia, Intellectual Property, Recent Decisions Of and Latest News From The Office of the Privacy Commissioner Mondaq Claire Bothwell Australia's Office of the Privacy Commissioner ruled on three recent privacy cases involving retail, healthcare and telecommunications. In the cases: The Commission found that a ticket agency's receipt, which included some personal and credit card data, did not constitute a privacy violation. 
3/7/2008 Hospital IDs focus of privacy debate ComputerWorld Stephen Bell Wellington Government officials in New Zealand and Australia are questioning whether a patient tracking system developed by an Australian company is compliant with privacy law in the two countries. Melbourne-based TrakHealth developed the system for use in Brazil where those familiar with the system say it has worked well.
3/6/2008 Law Commission questions RFID 'privacy' ComputerWorld Stephen Bell Wellington New Zealand's Law Commission is looking into the potential privacy implications of widespread use of radio frequency identification technology.
3/4/2008 Shopper tracking face privacy concerns Australian IT Ben Woodhead Efforts are underway within both the public and private sectors to effect extensive monitoring of consumer habits in order to increase productivity and marketing efficacy. Monitoring devices deployed in the effort include cameras, RFID chips and other sensors which will collect and analyze data in retail and industrial settings.
2/19/2008 Biometrics A Political Challenge In Australia Sydney Morning Herald   A biometric smart card proposed to unify identification for access to government services in Australia was scrapped at the eleventh hour over cost and privacy concerns when a new government was elected last year, setting back plans to transform security and ID management.
2/19/2008 Biometrics A Political Challenge In Australia Sydney Morning Herald   A biometric smart card proposed to unify identification for access to government services in Australia was scrapped at the eleventh hour over cost and privacy concerns when a new government was elected last year, setting back plans to transform security and ID management.
2/15/2008 Firewall A Useless Relic, Expert Says itnews Negar Salek Data security, identity management and access control will be the face of IT security in the not so distant future as threats move further away from targeting the infrastructure, an EMC global security expert has claimed.
2/15/2008 Firewall A Useless Relic, Expert Says itnews Negar Salek Data security, identity management and access control will be the face of IT security in the not so distant future as threats move further away from targeting the infrastructure, an EMC global security expert has claimed.
2/14/2008 Australian businesses may be forced to publicly admit data breaches itworldcanada.com Darren Pauli Proposed changes to Australia's Privacy Act would require organizations to notify in the event of a data breach involving personal information of individuals, and would give the privacy commissioner enforcement powers under the Act and the ability to make amendments based on technology-based changes.
2/14/2008 Aussie Privacy Commissioner Offers Breach Notice Guidelines SC Magazine Negar Salek In advance of a potential update to the country's privacy law, Australia's Office of the Privacy Commissioner this week announced guidelines for conditions requiring organizations to notify consumers in the event of a security breach.
2/14/2008 Australian businesses may be forced to publicly admit data breaches itworldcanada.com Darren Pauli Proposed changes to Australia's Privacy Act would require organizations to notify in the event of a data breach involving personal information of individuals, and would give the privacy commissioner enforcement powers under the Act and the ability to make amendments based on technology-based changes.
2/14/2008 Aussie Privacy Commissioner Offers Breach Notice Guidelines SC Magazine Negar Salek In advance of a potential update to the country's privacy law, Australia's Office of the Privacy Commissioner this week announced guidelines for conditions requiring organizations to notify consumers in the event of a security breach.
1/30/2008 New Push For Aussie Data Breach Law  Computer World Australia Sandra Rossi Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis is pushing for Australia to draft and pass a data breach law. 
1/30/2008 New Push For Aussie Data Breach Law  Computer World Australia Sandra Rossi Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis is pushing for Australia to draft and pass a data breach law. 
11/13/2007 CSA Calling For Measures To Protect Shareholder Information The Sydney Morning Herald Associated Press Chartered Secretaries Australia (CSA), the organization representing corporate governance professionals, is pushing for the government to back measures that would prevent third parties from accessing company share registers. 
11/13/2007 CSA Calling For Measures To Protect Shareholder Information The Sydney Morning Herald Associated Press Chartered Secretaries Australia (CSA), the organization representing corporate governance professionals, is pushing for the government to back measures that would prevent third parties from accessing company share registers. 
11/7/2007 Salesforce.com Suffers Security Breach After Successful Phishing Attempt eweek.com Lisa Vaas An employee of Salesforce.com fell for a phishing scam by revealing his or her password, leading to the compromise of customer information, including last names, company names, email addresses and telephone numbers, and "administrative data belonging to salesforce.com," according to information on the company's Web site. 
11/7/2007 Salesforce.com Suffers Security Breach After Successful Phishing Attempt eweek.com Lisa Vaas An employee of Salesforce.com fell for a phishing scam by revealing his or her password, leading to the compromise of customer information, including last names, company names, email addresses and telephone numbers, and "administrative data belonging to salesforce.com," according to information on the company's Web site. 
11/1/2007 Video Interview: Keep Security In-House ZDNET Australia Munir Kotadia and Alex Serpo Cesare Tizi, ZDNet Australia CIO of the Year 2007, offers his views of why organizations should not outsource their security. During the interview, Cesare warns that allowing outsiders to access sensitive company data, including credit card numbers, poses a high risk. 
11/1/2007 Video Interview: Keep Security In-House ZDNET Australia Munir Kotadia and Alex Serpo Cesare Tizi, ZDNet Australia CIO of the Year 2007, offers his views of why organizations should not outsource their security. During the interview, Cesare warns that allowing outsiders to access sensitive company data, including credit card numbers, poses a high risk. 
10/25/2007 IT managers fear job loss after data breach SC Magazine Negar Salek A recent study of 159 IT managers revealed that more than half believe that a leak of confidential data could cost them their job.
9/28/2007 Google plugs Gmail security hole ZDNET Australia   Earlier this week, "ethical hacker" Petko Petkov said he had discovered a cross-site scripting vulnerability in Gmail that could expose users' privacy. 
9/26/2007 Staff sacked after widespread privacy breaches at Centrelink ZDNET Australia Liam Tung Twenty-four staff members have resigned and two were fired following a Centrelink audit of staff access to client records. Additional staff members have been given written warnings, fined or reprimanded. 
9/17/2007 Hackers target online florist ABC News Simon Lauder Experts are saying that the recent Web site security breach at an online florist underscores the urgent need for companies to adopt the next generation of security protections to thwart criminals.
9/12/2007 Australia 'must overhaul data disclosure mess' ZDNET Australia Liam Tung The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) has released Discussion Paper 72, Review of Australian Privacy Law, which contains 301 recommendations for overhauling Australia's "complex and costly privacy laws and practices."
9/12/2007 Credit firms may get more details Theage.com.au Marc Moncrief The ALRC has recommended 301 changes as part of its proposed overhaul of privacy laws after an extensive review of the Privacy Act. Under one proposal, banks, credit card companies and other lenders would have broader access to consumers' personal information to assure that they extend an appropriate amount of credit vis-à-vis their ability to repay.
9/5/2007 Name-and-Shame' disclosure could backfire ComputerWorld Julian Bajkowski Federal Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis has doubts about whether an effort to reform the private-sector requirements under the Privacy Act should move toward a U.S.-style mandatory breach disclosure requirement.
8/30/2007 Pubs warned over ID privacy issues Sydney Morning Herald APP In recent months, Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis has received complaints from bar patrons concerned about club staff scanning their IDs at the door. Curtis warned that the practice must comply with the Privacy Act. 
8/30/2007 Kiwis 'are too relaxed' over privacy New Zeland News on Stuff JO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN As part of Privacy Awareness Week, Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff spoke this week to the Computer Society. Shroff warned that New Zealanders could take more proactive steps to protect their privacy. 
8/30/2007 Appropriate week to double check your online privacy The Southland Times Jillian Allison-Aitken Writer Jillian Allison-Aitken devotes an article during Privacy Awareness Week to informing users what steps they and their families can take to protect their online privacy. 
8/28/2007 One in 10 Aussies victims of ID theft Sydney Morning Herald Asher Moses Nine percent of Australians say they have been a victim of ID theft and 17 percent say they know someone who has been a victim, according to a report released this week by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis told The Sydney Morning Herald that privacy laws have served Australians well, but a review is needed with the aim of reducing their complexity.
8/16/2007 Personal data leaks 'worse in Australia than other regions' itnews Negar Salek Rich Mogull, Research VP at Gartner, said consumers in Australia have no way of knowing whether their personal information is at risk because of breaches, which are shielded from public disclosure. 
8/9/2007 Data disclosure laws a sure thing: Gartner Analyst ZDNET Australia Brett Winterford Australia does not currently require organizations to notify customers or regulators about security breaches. However, the Australian Law Reform Commission is considering amendments to the Privacy Act of 1988 that would impose a security breach disclosure requirement.
8/6/2007 Privacy review supports data disclosure laws in Australia ComputerWorld   A discussion paper expected next month reportedly will contain a recommendation that Australia adopt security breach disclosure laws that would require organizations to report breaches.
7/31/2007 Bill to push personal security Australian IT Karen Dearne Senator Stott Despoja next week is expected to file an amendment to the Privacy Act that would require businesses and government agencies to notify those people affected by a security breach. 
7/30/2007 Telstra may face police probe over GPS Theage.com.au   Victorian Workplace Rights Advocate Tony Lawrence is calling for a police investigation of Telstra, claiming that it violated the Surveillance Device Act by installing GPS tracking devices in employee work vehicles without workers' consent. 
7/24/2007 Westpac accepts no blame in security breach ZDNET Australia Liam Tung Westpac, Australia's fourth-largest bank, was forced to cancel 1,400 credit cards after a security breach it described as a "high risk compromise" in a letter to cardholders. 
 
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