Privacy: The foundation of trust

Joint statement by Queensland’s Privacy Commissioner and Human Rights Commissioner marking Privacy Awareness Week 2022 (2 to 8 May)

Privacy Commissioner, Mr Paxton Booth and the Human Rights Commissioner, Mr Scott McDougall join for Privacy Awareness Week (PAW) to highlight privacy as the foundation of trust between the community, business and government.

The theme for PAW is Privacy: the foundation of trust.

The Human Rights Act 2019 (HR Act) protects against unlawful or arbitrary interference with a person’s privacy. The Information Privacy Act 2009 (IP Act) contains a set of privacy principles which government agencies must abide by which protect the privacy rights of member of the community.

Modern privacy protections and practices are not just a tool to prevent harms, but an enabler of improved services, better outcomes and stronger relationships between the community, business and government.

The community expect their personal information to be handled responsibly in a transparent and accountable way. Business and government are more likely to be trusted with the personal information they handle when they demonstrate and communicate good privacy practices.

While the PAW 2022 campaign promotes privacy as a foundation of trust, it is essential that privacy policies and practices are not set in stone, but they continue to be reviewed and updated in response to economic conditions, technological innovation, organisational needs and community expectations.

Breaches of privacy can have a profound affect on people’s lives, especially vulnerable members within our community, such as victims of domestic violence who may have gone to great lengths to conceal their address from their former partner.

We all have a responsibility to protect and respect personal information. Privacy is a human right.

Background

Privacy Awareness Week is an annual event that highlights the importance of protecting personal information and helps government agencies, organisations and the public understand privacy rights and responsibilities.

Privacy Authorities Australia members are marking Privacy Awareness Week 2022 from Monday 2 May to Sunday 8 May.

The event is a joint initiative of Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities members, who have adopted the campaign theme Privacy: The foundation of trust for 2022.

More information

- ENDS

Media Contacts

Steve Haigh
Manager, Training and Stakeholder Relations
Office of the Information Commissioner
(07) 3234 7373
media@oic.qld.gov.au

Kate Marsh
Senior Communications Officer
Queensland Human Rights Commission
(07) 3021 9116
kate.marsh@qhrc.qld.gov.au