MEDIA RELEASE - Prevention key for new data breach notification rules

PREVENTION KEY FOR NEW DATA BREACH NOTIFICATION RULES

MEDIA STATEMENT 

Australia, 14 February 2017: The ACS, the professional association for Australia’s ICT sector, welcomes the passage of the Privacy Amendment (Notifiable Data Breaches) Bill 2016 through the Senate yesterday and congratulates Senators on delivering this significant legislative milestone.

The guiding purpose of the Bill - to empower individuals to take steps to protect themselves from a likely risk of serious harm resulting from a data breach – is critically important. However, the ACS believes that the key benefits of this new legislation will be preventative. Its real impact will be to mobilise business and government, leading to robust, responsive data protection and cybersecurity frameworks and a culture of best practice information sharing to combat ever-evolving cyber threats.

ACS President Anthony Wong said, “This new legislation marks a line in the sand, after delays which have put Australia behind jurisdictions like the US, EU and New Zealand. It is now incumbent upon industry and government to build the cyber-resilience required by Australia’s digital economy.

“The ACS endorses the balanced, flexible approach to data breach notification rules taken by this new legislation. Australia can learn from the experiences of other jurisdictions, but it is equally critical that we learn from the professional best practices that will arise in Australia as the legislation begins operation, which in turn will influence all levels of government and business.

“Effective data protection and cybersecurity involves collaboration across organisations, government agencies and internationally. The ACS looks forward to working with government, industry and our international colleagues on best practice approaches to ICT security systems and protocols and the education and training of ICT professionals to meet both the spirit and the letter of the new legislative requirements.”

-ENDS-

Further information

Sarah Jane Williams, Launch Group, 0409 362 679 sarahjane@launchgroup.com.au

Louise Proctor, Launch Group, 0452 574 244 louise@launchgroup.com.au

About the ACS

The ACS is the professional association for Australia's Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector. Over 22,000 ACS members work in business, education, government and the community. The ACS exists to create the environment and provide the opportunities for members and partners to succeed. The ACS strives for ICT professionals to be recognised as drivers of innovation in our society, relevant across all sectors, and to promote the formulation of effective policies on ICT and related matters. Visit www.acs.org.au for more information.