Origins of the Act
The Information Privacy Act began its life as a data protection bill for the public and private sectors. It was developed in Multimedia Victoria and promoted initially by the then Treasurer in his capacity as Minister for Information Technology and Multimedia. The impetus was the wish to encourage economic and government activity online by protecting individuals' information privacy under state law.
The data protection bill lapsed with the change of government following the state election in October 1999.
When the Commonwealth Privacy Act was amended to cover part of the private sector (effective 21 December 2001), Victoria's scheme was cut back to cover state government agencies and local councils.
The Information Privacy Bill passed the Victorian Parliament in October 2000 and responsibility passed to the Attorney-General. The Act took effect in stages from 1 September 2001.
The Information Privacy Act sets a new standard for the protection of the privacy of personal information by the Victorian public sector. It also responds to a broader contemporary need to address the wariness of citizens and consumers about their privacy. Its enactment is consistent with a global trend towards laws that protect the privacy of individuals.
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Last reviewed on 25 September 2008. © 2009 Privacy Victoria - an independent statutory office