Article: Privacy commissioner satisfied with Go Card reforms

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Privacy commissioner satisfied with Go Card reforms

Privacy commissioner satisfied with Go Card reforms
Sean Baumgart
August 2, 2011 - 2:57PM

Privacy commissioner satisfied with Go Card reforms
Sean Baumgart
August 2, 2011 - 2:57PM

Police and Translink have taken necessary steps to ensure Go Card users' personal information is shared responsibly, State Parliament was told today.

A year after brisbanetimes.com.au revealed Translink regularly provided commuters' details to police, Queensland's privacy commissioner Linda Matthews today said both bodies had moved to protect personal information as much as possible.

Police can lawfully obtain information on the movements of registered Go Card users as part of investigations into crimes and missing persons.

However, an investigation by the Office of the Information Commissioner, sparked by the brisbanetimes.com.au investigation, found at times police failed to provide enough detail about why the information was being sought.

In one instance, a request simply stated police were conducting "inquiries into a person who is believed to have exited a train".

The probe also revealed Translink provided the information even when it could not have been satisfied on reasonable grounds that the disclosure was necessary.

"I said at the time that the community had an expectation that their personal information would not be disclosed to anyone unless it's permitted by the law and that I would undertake a review to see that legal requirements had been met," Ms Matthews said today.

In November Ms Matthews presented her report, which outlined seven recommendations, to State Parliament.

These included that Translink only provide information when satisfied the disclosure is necessary; that police limit requests to specific details required for an investigation; that both organisations keep better records of requests; that more senior police sign off on requests; and that Translink updates its privacy statement.

Today, Ms Matthews said she was satisfied that all recommendations had been addressed by both bodies.

"The review made seven recommendations to ensure privacy protection when Translink were providing police with personal information and that we would follow up in six months to check progress," she said.

"We are pleased to announce that all recommendations were adopted by both Translink and the police and changes were made soon after the review was completed.

"Go Card information will still be given to the police for genuine law enforcement and public safety reasons, but under the system now in place, commuters' personal information will be protected to the fullest extent possible under the protection of the law."

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/privacy-commissioner-satisfied-with-go-card-reforms-20110802-1i9cf.html