Privacy & Data Law Series | Where are we now?
2024 is proving to be another significant year in the evolving privacy and data law environment. We have had some watershed announcements following the developments that took place during 2023, including the Government’s proposal to fast-track to August 2024 certain of the agreed changes proposed in their response to the Privacy Act Review Report (in particular […]
ReadmoreOAIC Medibank action a wakeup call for organisations to uplift privacy compliance
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has made data breaches a regulatory priority for 2023-2024, with an increased focus on regulatory action where there may be serious failures to take reasonable steps to protect personal information, inappropriate data retention practices or failures to comply with the notification procedure from the Notifiable Data Breaches […]
ReadmoreDraft legislation on Privacy Act Reforms brought forward to August as the Government respond to the ‘violence against women’ crisis
The Federal Government has announced a suite of preventative measures and legislative reforms following a national cabinet meeting yesterday addressing violence against women in Australia. Notably, the Government will bring forward legislation in August outlawing the release of private information online with an intent to cause harm, also known as ‘doxxing’. This is in addition […]
ReadmoreThe Legal 500 Life Sciences Comparative Guide 2024 – Australia
The inaugural edition of the Legal 500 Life Sciences Comparative Guide examines the current challenges facing organisations operating in the life sciences sector within specific countries. Gadens Life Sciences sector experts – Kelly Griffiths, Dudley Kneller, Raisa Blanco and Clare Smith – have co-authored the Australian chapter for this global guide, providing insight into the […]
ReadmoreNew announcements made ahead of Federal Government’s updated Cyber Security Strategy release
Cyber note – New developments: Australian businesses to report cyber ransom demands under proposed no-fault system New cyber-risk reporting requirements for Australian telcos With its updated Cyber Security Strategy expected to be released next week, the Federal Government has set the scene, by making a number of early announcements. What is telling is that these […]
ReadmoreA step in the right direction – Australian Government Response to Privacy Act Reforms
Following the Attorney-General’s Department’s Privacy Act Review Report published in February 2023 (Report), the Australian Government has just published its response to the Report (Response). The Response follows submissions from various stakeholders (including by a submission by Gadens) on the 116 proposals in the Report that look to overhaul the current Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) […]
ReadmoreThe decision is clear – the AAT confirms that the Privacy Act applies to Clearview AI’s conduct
As briefly noted in our Gadens Regulatory Recap on 30 May 2023, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) has recently handed down its decision regarding the conduct of Clearview AI Inc (Clearview AI), confirming the applicability of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act) to the conduct of entities overseas, and recent amendments to the Privacy […]
ReadmorePrivacy Act Reforms – will individuals’ rights impact your business?
It has only been three months since the Attorney General’s Office released its report (Report) on the proposed amendments to the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act). The Report made 116 recommendations for reform. The recommended reforms are extensive and will, if implemented, have a substantial effect on how businesses regulated under the Privacy Act […]
ReadmoreEmployers, brace for changes to the Privacy Act’s employee record exemption
With everything and everyone moving online, going paperless and adopting flexible work practices, it’s no wonder employers are collecting more and more personal information, including sensitive personal information, from their employees. The employee record exemption At present, an organisation acting in its capacity as the employer (or former employer) of an individual in relation to […]
ReadmoreThe Privacy landscape is heating up – but will tougher penalties and an expanded reach have the desired effect?
After a number of significant and high-profile cyber incidents in the last few weeks, it was almost inevitable the Government would take steps to fast-track its privacy reform agenda by seeking to push through headline-grabbing changes to the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act). Following the Attorney’s General (AG)’s foreshadowing on 22 October, 2022, the […]
ReadmoreA change in Government may put the brakes on Australia’s support of AI and ADM? Or perhaps not?
The recent change to Australia’s Government will likely see a raft of changes. Of particular interest is whether and to what extent the new Labor Government will embrace artificial intelligence (or AI) and automated decision making (or ADM). You will recall the release of the former Coalition government’s Digital Economy Strategy (Strategy) in Budget 2021-2022. […]
ReadmoreUK Data Reform Bill – What does ‘UK GDPR’ mean for Australian businesses?
The UK Government’s response to the post-Brexit ‘UK GDPR’ reforms was issued on Friday last as part of London Tech Week. It was met with mixed reaction, locally and globally. But what does the reform of the UK’s data protection laws mean for global and Australian organisations doing business in the UK? How great of […]
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