From: Linda King [mailto:LindaKing@privacy.gov.au] 
Sent: Thursday, 21 December 2006 6:42 PM
To: Science (Ex Email)
Subject: Public Support for Science and Innovation - Release of Draft Report
To:    Public Support for Science and Innovation Committee
 
I refer to your letter dated 2 November 2006 announcing the release of the Draft Research Report on Public Support for Science and Innovation (the Draft Report) prepared by the Productivity Commission (the Commission).  The Office of the Privacy Commissioner (the Office) notes that it provided comment in August 2006 to the Science and Innovation Research Study conducted by the Commission (submission 63).  

The Office is pleased that s5.5 (Privacy Regulation) of the Draft Report appropriately acknowledges the importance of the protection of personal information and we note the recommendation made in s5.5.  We confirm that many of the issues raised in s5.5 have been discussed in the Privacy Commissioner's 2005 Private Sector Review Report  “Getting in on the Act: The Review of the Private Sector Provisions of the Privacy Act 1988” and have also been taken up by the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) in their Issues Paper 31 (http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/alrc/publications/issues/31/).  The Office intends to lodge a submission to the ALRC review. 

We thank you for the opportunity to respond to the Commission’s Draft Report.  

If you wish to discuss these matters further please contact Matthew Fenwick on (02) 9284 9795 or via email to MatthewFenwick@privacy.gov.au.
 
Regards
 
Linda King
Deputy Director, Policy 
Office of the Privacy Commissioner
t: 9284 9820
f: 9284 9666
LindaKing@privacy.gov.au