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The ITx 2016 Programme may change without notice
The office of the Privacy Commissioner is based in Wellington and Auckland. The Privacy Commissioner's Office works to develop and promote a culture in which personal information is protected and respected.
The Privacy Commissioner administers the Privacy Act 1993. The Privacy Act applies to almost every person, business or organisation in New Zealand. The Act sets out 12 privacy principles that guide how personal information can be collected, used, stored and disclosed. These principles are further expanded on by Codes of Practice. Codes include Information sharing by Civil Defence related to National Emergencies, Credit reporting, Health Information Privacy, Justice Sector Unique Identifier, Superannuation Schemes Unique Identifier, and Telecommunications Information Privacy.
The Privacy Commissioner's Office has a wide range of functions. Some of these include investigating complaints about breaches of privacy, running education programmes, and examining proposed legislation and how it may affect individual privacy.
The Privacy Commissioner's Office (PCO) has developed IT self help education modules that people can use to become better acquainted with how privacy issues may affect them as individuals such as access to health information. The Priv-o-matic accessible through the PCO web site helps businesses generate their privacy statements in about 5 minutes. Free e-learning training modules
are available. Netsafe are the approved agency to investigate and enforce breaches of the Harmful Digital Communications Act.
PCO also provides an advisory service to agencies and ministers concerning the application of the Privacy Act.to specific responsibilities. Quick Links are available to privacy training, how to complain, FAQs, and quick tours of privacy principles, health rules and case notes and court decisions.
Privacy Commissioner, Office of the Privacy Commissioner
ohn was appointed to the independent statutory position of Privacy Commissioner in February 2014 for a term of five years. He provides independent comment on significant personal information policies and issues. Prior to his appointment, John practiced law in Wellington for over 20 years specialising in information law while representing a wide range of public and private sector clients. He has acted in legal roles for the Ministry of Health, State Services Commission, Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet and Inland Revenue Department. For 15 years, he held a warrant as a district inspector for mental health and has also been a district inspector for intellectual disability services.