Privacy (Information Sharing) Bill referred to select committee

The Privacy (Information Sharing) Bill passed its first reading in Parliament on Thursday (8/2/2012).  This bill amends the Privacy Act 1993.

Justice Minister Judith Collins said the bill will improve the rules around the collection, storage, and use of personal information while ensuring there are safeguards in place to protect an individual’s right to privacy.

“The Government wants to ensure public service providers can share personal information when it is needed to address ‘serious’ threats to public health or safety, or when the life or health of individuals, including children, is threatened. Currently, the threat must also be ‘imminent’ for the information to be shared.

“This change will allow medical professionals, social workers, Police, civil defence and many other key service providers to share information to help protect the lives and wellbeing of vulnerable people.

“Agencies are already able to share personal information under the Privacy Act, however, the Act itself is unclear and can be misunderstood around when and how personal information can be shared.

“By providing agencies with more certainty, they can share information in better and smarter ways.  Improved information sharing has major benefits in allowing agencies to see a complete picture of an individual’s situation,” Ms Collins said.

The bill:

• inserts a new mechanism into the Privacy Act to allow for the approval of agreements for the sharing of information between agencies, and
• creates a process for drawing up information-sharing agreements in consultation with the Privacy Commissioner, which would be approved by Order in Council.  The bill specifies the criteria for approval and the matters that need to be covered in the agreements and general rules for the operation of such agreements, including appropriate safeguards and suitable transparency, accountability, and review processes.

The bill is also expected to save information-handling costs across government and encourage agencies to work together to examine and understand the needs of the public.

The bill has been referred to the Justice and Electors select committee, where submissions close on 23 March 2012.  The bill will be reported back to Parliament on 15 June 2012.

Read the Minister’s media release, 8 February 2012

Click here to follow the Privacy (Information Sharing) Bill’s progress through Parliament