Australian organisations unprepared for new privacy laws
A survey of business and government agencies has found that many are largely unaware of upcoming changes to the Australian Privacy Act under which large fines may be imposed if consumer data is not adequately protected.
The April survey, commissioned by internet security company McAfee, found that 59 percent of employees responsible for managing the personal information of customers were unaware or unsure of the changes.
From March 2014, organisations subject to the amended Privacy Act could face penalties ranging from $340,000 for individuals and $1.7 million for corporations. These fines are the maximum civil penalties that the Privacy Commissioner will be able to hand down to organisations for serious or repeated violations of the Australian Privacy Principles they are bound by.
