Privacy determinations

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) can, under s 52 of the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act), make determinations on privacy complaints where conciliation has not resolved the matter or in relation to Commissioner initiated investigations. The full text of all privacy determinations made under s 52 are linked from the List of privacy determinations webpage.

Below is a table with summary details of privacy determinations made under s 52 since 1 November 2010. The links in the first column take you to the decision itself, in PDF or HTML format on this website and in HTML format on the AustLII AICmr series webpage. The table below refers to provisions of the Privacy Act 1988 unless otherwise specified.

Other resources about decisions on privacy matters include: Privacy CII reports and Privacy case notes.

Privacy determinations — summary table (from 1-11-2010)
DecisionLegislative provision/sCatchword summaryDetermination

‘EQ’ and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority [2015] AICmr 11 (2 February 2015) (AustLII link) (pdfPDF588.78 KB)

IPP 11 — IPP 11.1(d)

Privacy Act —Information Privacy Principles — (CTH) Privacy Act 1988 s 52 — IPP 11 — IPP 11.1(d) — Disclosure — Compensation — Non-economic loss — Aggravated damages not awarded

Finding: Breach of IPP 11.1

Remedies: Apology — Review training of staff and agents — Compensation of $5,000

‘DO’ and Department of Veterans’ Affairs [2014] AICmr 124 (13 November 2014) (AustLII link) (pdfPDF571.99 KB)

IPP 11 — IPP 11.1(a), IPP 11.1(c), IPP 11.1(d), IPP 11.1(e)

Privacy — Privacy Act — Information Privacy Principles — (CTH) Privacy Act 1988 s 52 — IPP 11.1 — Use and disclosure — 11.1(a), 11.1(c), 11.1(d) 11.1 (e) — Exceptions

Finding: Breach of IPP 11.1

Remedies: Apology — Review management of privacy complaints

‘DK’ and Telstra Corporation Limited [2014] AICmr 118 (30 October 2014) (AustLII link) (pdfPDF314.94 KB)

NPP1 — NPP1.3

NPP2 — NPP2.1(a), NPP2.1(g)

Privacy — Privacy Act — National Privacy Principles — (CTH) Privacy Act 1988 s 52 — NPP1— Collection — NPP 2 —Use and disclosure — Compensation — Non-economic loss — Aggravated damages not awarded

Finding: Breach of NPP 1.3

Remedies: Apology — Review processes — Review Privacy Statement — $18,000 for non-economic loss

‘CP’ and Department of Defence [2014] AICmr 88 (2 September 2014) (AustLII link) (pdfPDF499.05 KB)

IPP11 — IPP11.1(a)

Privacy — Privacy Act —Information Privacy Principles — (CTH) Privacy Act 1988 s.52 — IPP 11 — IPP 11.1(a) — Disclosure — Compensation — Non-economic loss — Aggravated damages not awarded

Finding: Breach of IPP 11.1(a)

Remedies: Apology — Amend information handling practices — Staff training — Compensation of $5,000

'CM'and Corporation of the Synod of the Diocese of Brisbane [2014] AICmr 86 (2 September 2014) (AustLII link) (pdfPDF626.57 KB)

NPP 4 — NPP 4.1 — NPP 4.2

Privacy — Privacy Act — National Privacy Principles — (CTH) Privacy Act 1982 s 52 — NPP 2 —Use and disclosure —NPP 4 — NPP 4.1 — NPP 4.2 —Data security — Compensation — Non-economic loss — Aggravated damages not awarded — Pecuniary damages not awarded

Finding: Breach of NPP 4.1

Remedies: Compensation of $7,500

'BO' and AeroCare Pty Ltd [2014] AICmr 32 (8 April 2014) (AustLII link) (pdfPDF587.76 KB)

NPPs 1.2, 1.3 and 4.1

Privacy — Privacy Act — National Privacy Principles — (CTH) Privacy Act 1988 s 52 — NPP 1 — NPP 1.2 and NPP 1.3 —Collection —NPP 4 — NPP 4.1 —Data security — Compensation — Non-economic loss — Aggravated damages not awarded

Finding: Breach of NPPs 1.2, 1.3 and 4.1

Remedies: Apology — Review staff training  — Compensation of $8,500

'S' and Veda Advantage Information Services and Solutions Limited [2012] AICmr 33 (20 December 2012) (AustLII link)

s 18G(a) — s 18R(1)

Privacy — Privacy Act — Credit Reporting — (CTH) Privacy Act 1988 s 52 — s 18G(a) — accurate, up-to-date, complete and not misleading  — s 18R(1) — misleading credit report — noneconomic loss — assessment of damages measured by statute, assisted by rules in tort — aggravated damages not awarded

Finding: Breach of s 18G(a) and s 18R(1)

Remedies: Apology — Amend credit file — Review processes and staff training — Compensation of $2,000

'D' and Wentworthville Leagues Club [2011] AICmr 9 (9 December 2011) (AustLII link)

NPP 2 — NPP 2.1(g)

Privacy — Privacy Act — National Privacy Principles — (CTH) Privacy Act 1988 s 52 — NPP 2 — NPP 2.1(g) — disclosure — non-economic loss — assessment of damages measured by statute, assisted by rules in tort — aggravated damages not awarded — pecuniary damages not awarded

Finding: Breach of NPP 2.1(g)

Remedies: Apology — Staff training — Compensation of $7,500

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