Computer leak inquiry ‘not just abandoned’

Press, 14 June 1978, Page 6

Computer leak inquiry ‘not just abandoned’

PA Wellington The Wanganui Computer Centre Privacy Commissioner (Mr R. A. McGechan) has denied that an inquiry resulting from a complaint that a police officer retnev!ed information without authority from the Wanganui computer had “simply been handed over” to the police themselves to conduct.

He emphasised that if he was dissatisfied with the results of the inquiry, be would be free to make his own inquiries into the alleged police misuse of the information. The commissioner had statutory responsibilities and these would never be abandoned to the police, said Mr McGechan.

“In this particular case, after discussion with senior police officers, I have agreed to the police, in the first instance, pursuing their own inquiry,” he said. “However, it is clearly understood that the results of that inquiry will be made available to me.” The matter was most definitely still “under action” by the Privacy Commissioner’s office, said Mr McGechan.

The police inquiry follows a statement by the former Privacy Commissioner (Mr G. R. Laking), in his report to Parliament, that the police were not co-operative when a complaint was made that a policeman retrieved information from the Wanganui computer without authority, and passed it on to somebody not entitled to it. Mr Laking said he did not

think the matter should be investigated by the police. Then last Friday, the Minister of Police (Mr McCready), referring to a “conflict of jurisdiction." said Mr McGechan had agreed the police should handle the inquiry. The same day the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Mr K. O. Thompson) said that after discussions with Mr McGechan it had been agreed the police should make their own inquiries, as with other suspected breaches of the law.

“The safeguard here is that if the Privacy Commissioner is dissatisfied with the inquiry, he can institute his own in accordance with his powers under the act," said Mr Thompson. Mr McGechan in his latest statement said that he was worried by reports suggesting disagreement between himself and Mr Laking, and that “a certain inquiry into a suspected unauthorised c’sclosure from a police station simply has been handed over to the police themselves.”

“Neither is correct," he said. He also said that the confidentiality of any person wishing to make a complaint about suspected disclosures would be respected.

“The name of any person making a complaint is not disclosed to the police without his written consent,” said Mr McGechan. “Any member of the public who genuinely considers that he has a grievance relating to unauthorised use of information should not hesitate to get in touch with this office.”