The Information and Privacy Commission NSW (IPC) is marking Privacy Awareness Week this week (1–7 May) with the launch of new resources to help public servants prepare for the Mandatory Notification of Data Breach (MNDB) Scheme.
Privacy Commissioner Samantha Gavel said 2023 marked the 13th year of celebrating Privacy Awareness Week NSW and this year’s theme was Back to Basics: Privacy foundations in NSW.
“This Privacy Awareness Week, I encourage all Agencies to closely consider this year’s theme and return to the basic principles of protecting personal information held in digital systems,” Commissioner Gavel said.
“I am looking forward to engaging with Agencies to assist them in meeting their compliance requirements under the Scheme and support them to improve their privacy practices,” she said.
“Ensuring that privacy is at the centre of digital technology and digital innovation will enable NSW Government Agencies to secure the benefits of this technology, while minimising the risk of harm to privacy rights.”
Commissioner Gavel said the MNDB Scheme, to come into effect on 28 November, would require public sector Agencies to notify the Privacy Commissioner and affected individuals of data breaches involving personal or health information likely to result in serious harm.
She said IPC had launched new resources for public sector Agencies, including a guide to preparing an Agency data breach policy and a fact sheet on exemptions from notification to individuals under the MNDB Scheme.
Commissioner Gavel said a Privacy Self-assessment Tool for Agencies would also be published this week (Thursday, 4 May).
The IPC’s new resources for public servants can be accessed at this PS News link.
