The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has released its Corporate Plan for 2017–18 — outlining its priorities and key success factors.
‘We are operating in an unprecedented period of data innovation — with new products and services transforming lives and ways of doing business and interacting with businesses and government agencies,’ said Timothy Pilgrim, Australian Information and Privacy Commissioner.
‘Our Corporate Plan outlines how the OAIC will respond to the continued increase in community and commercial interest in privacy and information access in the information age.’
The Corporate Plan 2017–18 demonstrates the proactive, transparent and engaged approach to personal information and FOI regulation the OAIC will take to ensure that businesses and agencies meet their responsibilities to communities – even as those responsibilities evolve.
‘Next year marks 30 years since the Australian Parliament enacted the Privacy Act 1988,’ said Commissioner Pilgrim, ‘and this reminds us just how much our operating landscape has changed.’
‘In 1988, personal data or information was largely collected and stored on paper – a radically different setting to today.’
‘But no matter how the environment evolves, Australians’ right to privacy remains as vital as ever. The same applies to their information access rights, where interest in the information that underpins Australian Government decisions continues to grow,’ said Commissioner Pilgrim.
Managing the nexus between data innovation, privacy and consumer trust has now become a defining issue for both the public and private sector.
Looking to 2018, the implementation of the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme, the Australian Public Service Privacy Governance Code, the implications of the EU General Data Protection Regulation requirements and the review of the Credit Reporting Code will be key priorities for the OAIC’s privacy role.
In FOI, the OAIC will also publish a regulatory action policy, and deliver more tools and guidance for Australian Government agencies on compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 1982.
The OAIC’s Corporate Plan can be accessed on the OAIC’s Performance portal.