Privacy+Rights

= = = = =Topic: Privacy Rights in New Zealand = by Karla Weeks 

**Privacy Act 1993** The Privacy Act was passed in April of 1993 and applies to almost every person, business, and organisation within New Zealand. The Privacy Act sets out how personal information is collected, stored, and disclosed through 12 information privacy principles.

To make the Act more applicable to different industries, the Act gives the Privacy Commissioner the power to issue Codes of Practice which are rules that modify the original 12 principles to suit a specific industry that become part of the law. A process of public consultation must already be in place before the Commissioner is able to issue another code.

Principle 1: Purpose of collection of personal information
Your information may not be collected unless it is for a lawful purpose to do with a specific activity and the information is needed for that activity.

**Principle 2: Source of personal information** This principle discusses which secondary sources your information may be gathered from, if not from yourself, and the conditions which the agent must be under to be allowed to gather your information from a secondary source.

**Principle 3: Collection of information from subject** Should the circumstances permit, Principle 3 lists all the information the agent must make you aware of when the agent is gathering information directly from you.

**Principle 4: Manner of collection of personal information** Principle 4 states how your information may NOT be collected.

**Principle 5: Storage and security of personal information** The lengths to which an agency must go to protect your information from misuse.

**Principle 6: Access to personal information** Your entitlement to access your information is outlined where your information is readily available.

**Principle 7: Correction of personal information** Your entitlements concerning the correction to your information, and the steps that must be taken by the agent to correct your information.

**Principle 8: Accuracy, etc, of personal information to be checked before use** Principle 8 states that the agency may not use your information unless they have taken all steps possible to ensure that your information is correct, up to date, complete, relevant, and not misleading.

**Principle 9: Agency not to keep personal information for longer than necessary** This principle basically states that the agency is not allowed to keep your information any longer than it is necessary for the purpose it was collected.

**Principle 10: Limits on use of personal information** Principle 10 states that the agency may not use your information for any reason other than what it was originally collected for except under certain circumstances and lists what those circumstances are.

**Principle 11: Limits on disclosure of personal information** Lists the circumstances and reasons in which an agency is allowed to disclose your information to a third party.

**Principle 12: Unique identifiers** States the conditions in which an agency may use an unique identifier* for your information.
 * according to the Privacy Act, an unique identifier is an identifier that is specific to an agency for identifying only your information that is not your name.

<span style="color: #161679; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Where can I find more information about my privacy rights?
You can find more information in the [|"Your Privacy"] section of the [|Privacy Commissioner] website. You can also view the [|Privacy Act] by searching the Acts section of the [|New Zealand Legislation] website.