Introduction of Privacy Bill to Parliament

Key Points:

The changes to privacy law include creating a single set of Australian Privacy Principles, and new provisions on privacy codes and the credit reporting code

As foreshadowed earlier this month, the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Bill 2012 was introduced into Parliament on Wednesday 23 May. The Bill implements the Government's first stage response to the Australian Law Reform Commission's 2008 report For Your Information: Australian Privacy Law and Practice.

As expected, the Bill amends the Privacy Act to:

• create a single set of Australian Privacy Principles, which will apply to both Commonwealth agencies and private sector organisations (replacing the existing National Privacy Principles and Information Privacy Principles);