Page 3706 - Week 12 - Thursday, 25 November 2021

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MS BERRY: Like everyone else, the office for youth and the Youth Advisory Council have had to move very quickly online, to make sure that they engage around what sort of activities will occur during Youth Week and, importantly, making sure that we engage with all of the ACT’s youth services, to understand from them what kinds of activities young people want to be engaged in to celebrate Youth Week in 2022. Again, I encourage people to keep an eye on their social media accounts, share on their various social media accounts and talk with young people in their lives about all of the activities that will be up for them to enjoy. They should understand that ACT Youth Week is about giving young people the chance to express their ideas and views on issues that impact on them.

Information Privacy Act—data security

MRS KIKKERT: My question is to the Attorney-General. Minister, I refer to the massive data breach reported in the Canberra Times involving the release by the ACT Treasury of private details of every workers compensation claim by every ACT public servant since self-government in 1989. The Information Privacy Act 2014 creates an offence related to the reckless or intentional release of protected private information about someone else. Minister, what steps are you intending to take to refer any potential offences under the Information Privacy Act to an appropriate independent investigative authority, such as the police?

MR RATTENBURY: I thank Mrs Kikkert for the question, but as the Special Minister of State has indicated there is a review currently underway. I think it is most appropriate that that review be finalised, at which point I will speak with the Special Minister of State about what the findings of that review are and whether it is appropriate to take further steps, either in the ways Mrs Kikkert has asked about or through any other matters that may be relevant in the light of the findings of that review.

Mrs Jones interjecting—

MADAM SPEAKER: Mrs Jones, your colleague has the floor.

MRS KIKKERT: Minister, do you believe that this is a serious breach of these almost 30,000 people’s privacy, given that people can actually be identified, and do you expect to receive a report from the Australian Information Commissioner?

MR RATTENBURY: I think people were concerned to read that report in the paper today. That is why it is appropriate that the Special Minister of State has sought this review. Mrs Jones is interjecting. I think it is fair to say that this is a first step. It is about gathering information at this point and better understanding the circumstances of the situation. Then the government can assess what further steps may or may not need to be taken.

MRS JONES: Minister, will the review that is being undertaken internally be given to you, and will you consider that that is all the investigation that is required on something that could be a law breach being internally investigated by the government itself?


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