Australia to reinstate standalone privacy commissioner

The government is set to reinstate a dedicated privacy commissioner, carving the responsibilities out of Australian information commissioner Angelene Falk’s current role.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said Falk would continue to act as privacy commissioner until an appointment is made.

After that, Falk will remain information commissioner as well as head of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

The last dedicated privacy commissioner in Australia was Timothy Pilgrim, though he would later take on a combined role as the previous government sought to downsize the OAIC.

Dreyfus said a standalone privacy commissioner is needed “to deal with the growing threats to data security and the increasing volume and complexity of privacy issues.”

“Australians rightly expect their privacy regulator to have the resources and powers to meet the ongoing challenges of the digital age and protect their personal information,” Dreyfus said.

“The Australian people rightly expect greater protections, transparency and control over their personal information and the appointment of the standalone privacy commissioner restores the OAIC to the three-commissioner model parliament originally intended.”

The new structure will see Falk as the overarching commissioner, along with a new privacy commissioner and a separate freedom of information commissioner.

The acting freedom of information commissioner will be Toni Pirani, following the resignation of Leo Hardiman in March.