What happens to the data your opal card collects?

A NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) decision relating to opal cards, has made it clear that care needs to be taken with how much personal information a business collects and how this private information is used.

The decision¹:

• Transport NSW collected the applicant's personal information by tracking the applicant's travel movements and locations where his opal card was topped up.
• It was determined that the applicant should have a right to stay anonymous and that the collection of his private information was to be limited.
• Information should only be collected if it is 'reasonably necessary' for the identified purpose. NCAT found that all of the information Transport NSW was collecting was not reasonably necessary for ensuring an opal card user was eligible for that type of opal card.