Privacy Act Review
Parliament has recently announced a review of the Privacy Act with changes on the horizon. The proposed changes include:
- Strengthening individual’s privacy rights by strengthening consent requirements and introducing a person’s right to erasure;
- Creating a direct cause of action or statutory right for breaches of privacy laws;
- Introducing specific codes for certain industries, such as Online Privacy Code for social media platforms, and other distinct industries;
- Increasing maximum penalties which are significantly out of step with international jurisdictions.
The review will also consider scrapping the small business exemption (for businesses with under than $3m turnover per annum).
It is recommended that all businesses – regardless of the size of your turnover – make it a priority to review how you are handling personal information, review and refresh your privacy policy, or implement a privacy policy now. Penalties for privacy breaches can be substantial.
If you need help with this, please contact me to discuss how I may be able to assist. You can get in touch via the contact form or by email megan@mmchr.com.au