The office and functions of New Zealand's privacy commissioner

Abstract

The Privacy Act 1993 applies to every person or organization in New Zealand in respect of personal information held in any capacity other than for the purposes of their personal, family, or household affairs. At the core of the Act are 12 information privacy principles that set out both rules and exceptions to these rules. This article discusses the office and function of the Privacy Commissioner provided for by the Act. The Commissioner may issue codes of practice that modify the policy principles and also has the power to investigate complaints of interferences with privacy and to place controls on the administration of public registers. He also plays a public role on matters affecting the privacy of individuals, examines proposed legislation for any potential impact on individual privacy, and is responsible for promoting, by education and publicity, an understanding and acceptance of the policy principles and their objectives.