Protection of privacy queried

Press, 22 September 1980, Page 5

Protection of privacy queried

PA Wellington Individual privacy was inadequately protected by the law from computers, Mr G. W. R. Palmer (Lab., Christchurch Central) has said in Parliament.

Mr Palmer spoke during debate on the Wanganui Computer Centre Bill, which had been brought back to the House from the Statutes Revision Committee by the committee’s chairman, Mr B. E. Brill (Nat., Kapiti). “Privacy generally has not yet been properly dealt with, where computers in New Zealand are concerned, either under this bill or any other," Mr Palmer said.

“There are numerous other computers, both governmental and private, against which the individual is afforded quite inadequate protection under our law.” Mr Palmer said he hoped the Government-appointed Banks Committee on Freedom of Information could handle this difficult issue with some delicacy to ensure a proper balance of privacy and freedom of information.

Mr Brill said in his report that the committee had not come to any conclusion on how to treat information from the Wanganui comput-

er — whether it should be subject to the Official Secrets Act, the State Services Act, and similar legislation.

“This will presumably be considered in some depth by the Banks committee,” Mr Brill said. However, the committee had recommended that a Minister would be responsible for how the information was used by his department

“Any direction by a Minister contrary to the terms of the policy committee’s recommendation would have to be both published in the Gazette and tabled in the House,” Mr Brill said. Mr Palmer said the Opposition took issue with the provision that a Minister would be able to over-ride the policy commission. “If a direction is given by the policy committee of the computer centre, and the Minister and his officials do not like it, the Minister uses power under this recommendation 'to over-ride it,” Mr Palmer said. But Mr Brill said that ultimately responsibility would be borne by the Minister concerned, and that the Minister would be accountable to Parliament.