Definition of ‘identifier’
30.39 The definition of an ‘identifier’ in NPP 7 does not describe what an identifier is, only that it includes a number assigned by an organisation to an individual. The OPC Guidelines to the National Privacy Principles, however, set out a definition of ‘identifier’:A Commonwealth government identifier is a unique combination of letters and numbers, …
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Read moreContent of privacy principle dealing with identifiers
Use and disclosure for the purpose of identity verification30.65 An issue that arose in response to DP 72 was whether the proposed ‘Identifiers’ principle would prevent an agency or organisation from using or disclosing an identifier for the purpose of identity verification.[89] The AGD submitted that:Identifiers are critical for the operation of identity management and …
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Read moreMulti-purpose identifiers
30.105 This section discusses identifiers assigned to individuals by governments for use by multiple government agencies and organisations (multi-purpose identifiers). The section commences by providing an overview of concerns that have been expressed about the impact on privacy of multi-purpose identifiers. It then examines the history of identification schemes in Australia before discussing the recently …
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Read moreAnnotation of disputed information
29.133 Where the correctness of personal information is the subject of dispute, the IPPs and the NPPs provide individuals with the right to have the information annotated. 29.134 The IPPs and NPPs, however, deal with this issue slightly differently. IPP 7 states that, in the event that there is a disagreement about correction, the record-keeper …
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Read moreProcedural requirements for access and correction requests
29.139 Where an individual exercises his or her right to obtain access to, and correction of, personal information, the agency or organisation that holds the information must comply with a number of procedural requirements. For organisations, these requirements are set out in NPP 6. NPP 6.4, for example, limits the charge that an organisation can …
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Read moreThe ‘Access and Correction’ principle
BackgroundAgencies29.5 As noted above, access to, and correction of, personal information held by agencies is regulated by a combination of provisions of the FOI Actand IPPs 6 and 7. IPP 6 provides that an individual is entitled to access a record containing his or her personal information, where it is in the possession or control …
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Read moreAccess to personal information: general framework
29.21 This section considers how the access provisions of the ‘Access and Correction’ principle should be framed, including whether access should: be an obligation imposed on an agency or organisation or an entitlement of the individual; apply to information ‘held’ by an agency or organisation or information in its ‘possession or control’; and include a …
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Read moreAccess to personal information: exceptions
29.37 The IPPs and the NPPs place obligations on agencies and organisations to provide individuals with access to personal information that they hold about the individuals, unless a specific exception applies. There are a number of differences, however, between these exceptions. Questions therefore arise about:whether the ‘Access and Correction’ principle in the model UPPs should …
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Read moreAccess to personal information: intermediaries
Background29.65 NPP 6.3 currently requires an organisation that has lawfully denied an individual access to his or her personal information to considerproviding access to the information to a mutually agreed third party intermediary. The object behind this provision was explained in the Explanatory Memorandum and other material accompanying its introduction:[NPP 6.3] is not intended to …
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Read moreCorrection of personal information
Background29.83 Where an agency or organisation holds incorrect personal information about an individual, in most circumstances the individual has the right to have this information corrected.29.84 Under IPP 7.1, an agency that has possession or control of a record containing personal information must take reasonable steps by way of making appropriate corrections, deletions and additions …
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