Media release: Privacy Awareness Week highlights the need for greater transparency around technology

Privacy Awareness Week (PAW) will be held from 6-12 May 2024 and Queensland’s Privacy Commissioner says it is the reminder we all need to take privacy seriously and protect personal information – whether you’re an individual or part of the Queensland public sector.

Privacy Commissioner, Paxton Booth, said PAW is the perfect time for a refresher, because there are lots of simple steps we can take to protect and respect personal information.

This year’s PAW theme is Privacy and technology: improving transparency, accountability and security.

Today (7 May) PAW was launched in Queensland at an event in Brisbane featuring a keynote from the Australian Privacy Commissioner, Carly Kind, about Powering up privacy in the data age. The keynote was followed by an expert panel discussion about privacy, technology, risks, opportunities, ethics and human rights.

Mr Booth said: “While advances in technology can improve our standard of living, safety and give us better access to services, those same advances can also heighten the potential for intrusion into our personal lives.”

“We live in a digital world, but we still have rights when it comes to how information about us is collected, used and managed. It’s even legislated in the Queensland Human Rights Act 2019.”

Mr Booth is also calling on Queensland’s public sector agencies to show their support for PAW, acknowledging their privacy responsibilities under the Information Privacy Act 2009, and embedding a ‘privacy aware’ work culture that puts protecting Queenslanders’ personal information top of mind.

“The state is entering an exciting new era when it comes to privacy, so it’s important for public sector agencies to be on the front foot. Recent legislation changes, notably the Information Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2023, will improve transparency and accountability of agencies and strengthen privacy protections for individuals.”

This includes a mandatory notification data breach scheme (expected to come into force for most agencies in 2025 and local government a year later), as well as greater consistency with the Commonwealth Privacy Act.”

For more information about Privacy Awareness Week including tips, resources and the Queensland launch event (keynote and panel discussion), please visit www.oic.qld.gov.au/paw2024