Privacy Awareness Week 2-8 May 2010

Privacy Awareness Week was first held in Victoria in 2002 to coincide with the anniversary of the commencement of the Information Privacy Act 2000. This annual event aims to remind the public sector and the broader community of the importance of protecting privacy. In 2010 Privacy Awareness Week will be held between 2 – 8 May.

The slogan used to promote Privacy Awareness Week in 2010 is again “Privacy: protecting not preventing”. This is because personal information is everywhere. It’s on the Internet, in conversations, on databases, forms, USB keys and laptops. Privacy laws protect personal information but should not prevent a person doing their job.

The ten Information Privacy Principles (IPPs) are the Victorian Public Sector’s guide to responsible information handling. Understanding and applying the IPPs protects privacy and lets staff do their job properly. Why don’t you take five minutes to refresh your memory of the IPPs whilst you are here by clicking on the link above?

Stop and Think – Don’t leave a privacy risk behind

The slogan above is supported by the message “Stop and think: Don’t leave a privacy risk behind” Personal information may be recorded and stored in a variety of forms so it is important that we all take steps to ensure that personal information is secure when they leave their work areas or are in transit.

Identify and Improve – Privacy Checklist

To see where improvements on privacy security can be made in your workplace, download the Privacy Checklist and do a five minute evaluation.

Privacy Awareness Week Events

Some free events have been arranged for Victorian public sector staff, including:

  • ‘Information Security: Respect and Protect – it is your responsibility” – sponsored by WorkSafe Victoria on Monday 3rd May 3.30pm - 5.30pm – register at privacy@worksafe.vic.gov.au by Friday 30 April
  • ‘Information Privacy and Recordkeeping Systems’ (including a tour of the Public Record Office) – sponsored by Public Record Office of Victoria on Tuesday 4th May 10.00am – 12.00pm – register here by Friday 30 April

For a full list of events, go to the Privacy Victoria website for more details.