Australia moves to introduce mandatory data breach notification

The Australian Government has released an exposure draft of the Privacy Amendment (Notification of Serious Data Breaches) Bill 2015 (the Bill) for public consultation.

The Bill would require Government agencies and businesses subject to the Privacy Act 1988 to notify the national privacy regulator and affected individuals following a serious data breach. It is a form of mandatory data breach notification.

The Government intends to consult extensively with industry and other stakeholders on the proposed scheme, in particular with a view to minimising costs and regulatory impact. Feedback will be considered before the legislation is finalised for introduction into the Parliament. The Exposure Draft of the Bill, Explanatory Memorandum, Regulatory Impact Statement along with a Discussion Paper are available at www.ag.gov.au/Consultations. Submissions can be made until 4 March 2016.