Budget 2023 signals the importance of privacy rights

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner is pleased to see the privacy rights and protection of New Zealanders further supported in today’s Budget with an increase in funding to the Office over several years.

The funding comes during a period of worldwide technological growth, where systems like artificial intelligence (AI) and biometrics are creating challenging new environments in which to think, develop, and act on privacy rights and regulation.

Michael Webster, Privacy Commissioner says, "my Office continues to record an increase in privacy breach notifications and complaints around data security, which affects agencies (businesses and organisations) as well as individuals.

"We need to ensure agencies know how to do privacy well, and then help enforce the Privacy Act 2020 and educate them when they don’t.

"This funding will help us do that," says Mr Webster.

Today’s announcement comes off the back of New Zealand’s biggest privacy breach (Latitude Financial) and Privacy Week (8-14 May), where several expert privacy professionals spoke about ‘data being the new oil.’

"Today’s funding announcement will support my Office to adapt to new and evolving challenges and continue the job of policy development, compliance, education, and resolution, especially in the time of rapid technological development," said Mr Webster.

Privacy is a right for all New Zealanders but the Office’s statistics about privacy breaches and cyber-attacks are worrying. The Office will continue to ensure it is ready for a more challenging future, and looks forward to developing our services and continuing to support New Zealanders, particularly our most vulnerable people.