Vic Govt to set up privacy and data security office

The Victorian Government has unveiled plans to create a new office to oversee a whole-of-government approach to data security.

The state's Attorney-General Robert Clark said that a new "office of the Privacy and Data Protection Commissioner" would be established that brings "together the skills and resources of the Privacy Commissioner and the Commissioner for Law Enforcement Data Security".

The current Law Enforcement commissioner, David Watts, has been appointed to "lead the transition project to bring the two existing bodies into the one new entity".

The new commissioner is expected to lead the implementation of a new Victorian Protective Security Policy Framework for government departments and agencies.

Legislation to set up the new commissioner will be introduced to parliament next year.

"The reform creates a more streamlined system that will have broader and more comprehensive oversight of the privacy and information security regime for the Victorian public sector," Clark said.