Companies should be aware of laws governing privacy breaches,
consumer rights and the sending of emails, as the federal
government has increased fines that could hit firms which even
unwittingly break the law.
On 1 July 2017 government imposed fines under Commonwealth law
were increased from $180 to $210 per penalty unit.
Legislation increasing penalties for breaches of federal
law
That $30 increase per unit can mount up when civil penalty
provisions in the
Privacy Act 1988 can amount to 2000 units.
The laws governing privacy are complex and can trap unwary
businesses that are not fully versed in all the latest changes to
the law.
The law can even catch companies that send out a lot of
well-meaning emails offering their services. With the huge growth
in data on individuals, it can be relatively easy to breach
provisions in the Privacy Act that spell out how firms,
organisations and authorities must handle, use and manage personal
information.
