Law Reform Commission review of privacy laws

The New South Wales Law Reform Commission is currently involved in a comprehensive review of privacy laws in New South Wales.

A reference has recently been extended to the Commission to specifically examine and recommend policies for the handling of access applications for personal information under the FOI Act (and, in due course, under the new legislation that will replace the FOI Act).

For further details on the Law Reform Commission’s review, click here: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/lrc/ll_lrc.nsf/pages/LRC_cref113

NSW Law Reform Commission comments on Ombudsman’s recommendations

In his Report on the review of the FOI Act, the Ombudsman made a number of recommendations concerning privacy laws. The Government has said that it will consider those recommendations at the same time as it considers any recommendations made by the Law Reform Commission, once it has completed its review of privacy laws.

The NSW Law Reform Commission has written to the Government providing a number of preliminary comments on the Ombudsman’s recommendations. That correspondence and the Ombudsman’s response are available below:

• NSW Law Reform Commission (10 March 2009)
• Ombudsman (3 April 2009)
• NSW Law Reform Commission (1 May 2009)