[LINK] Government personal data sold to crooks

[Adam Todd]

At 08:52 7/06/2005 +1000, Bernard Robertson-Dunn wrote:
>Government personal data sold to crooks
>Karen Dearne
>JUNE 07, 2005
>The Australian
>http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,15529248%5E15319%5E%5Enbv%5E15306,00.html
>
>PERSONAL information is being routinely used and abused because privacy
>laws are hopelessly behind the times, Gartner research fellow Richard
>Hunter warns.
>
>Life will become very uncomfortable for many because of greater misuse
>of personal details in situations where individuals have no control
>over, or even knowledge of, decisions made by others.

Well we already have the Supreme Court (2002) Precedent that determined 
that an Individual can not seek a Private Cause of Action for breaches of 
the Acclaimed Privacy Act.

What's the point of having an Act and laws if no one can actually take 
action against breaches in a court?

>"The definition of privacy is undergoing a shift, but we're going to
>have a very uncomfortable time until the law catches up."

But it was suppose to have caught up!  That's what the new Privacy Act was 
created!

>"Now privacy is about your ability to control how you are perceived by
>people who make decisions about you, based on information they hold."

Ohh  I like that phrase!

I can SOOO relate to that!

>Australia's Privacy Act does not meet the EU's adequacy requirements for
>data exchange, while the US has negotiated "safe harbour" arrangements
>for its multinationals.

It sure doesn't!  It doesn't even meet requirements that impose obligations 
on those whom hold information!