Invasion of Privacy

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:59:47 +1100

The report Invasion of Privacy No 120 was released on 14 August 2009 by the NSW Law Reform Commission. It examines the existing privacy laws in New South Wales and makes recommendations about reform. In summary, the major recommendation is that as part of a uniform law initiative in Australia, New South Wales should amend the Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) to provide a cause of action for invasion of privacy in the terms of the draft legislation appended to the report.

On the following day, David Marr wrote in the SMH of his concerns and objections to their findings and recommendations for reform. In contrast, the Australian Privacy Council produced a media release supporting the findings of the Commission.

This report is part of a wider reference and they are now turning their attention to the issue of access to personal information and whether existing legislation is adequate or is in need of reform. The Commission has established a blog as a way of capturing the public's experiences of accessing information about themselves from Government agencies, some of which will be made public.

visit the Privacy links on our Find Legal Answers Website for an overview of the existing laws protecting privacy. Use the three tabs at the top of the screen, labelled 'read online', 'books in public libraries' and 'lawyer's tools'. The online guides to privacy are simple, plain language factsheets that will help you understand what privacy is. The resources in public libraries are useful if you are looking for more indepth information.

HSC Legal Studies: News Watch - Privacy

Invasion of Privacy