The Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Bill 2012 was introduced into Parliament yesterday.

The Bill includes the following changes:

  • Changes to the definition of "personal information".
  • The introduction of 13 Australian Privacy Principles ("APPs"), which will replace both the National Privacy Principles ("NPPs") and the Information Privacy Principles ("IPPs").
  • If an Australian organisation transfers personal information to an overseas entity, the Australian organisation will be responsible for any unauthorised use or disclosure of that personal information by the overseas entity.
  • New obligations in relation to credit information, including an updated definition of "credit provider", credit reporting, dealing with credit information and retention periods.
  • The creation of separate registrable and binding privacy and credit reporting codes, which may impose additional requirements to those set out in the Bill.
  • The introduction of civil penalty units for serious and repeated interferences with privacy.
  • The introduction of civil penalty units for failure to comply with credit information requirements.

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