The Privacy Commissioner, John Edwards, has released the report of his inquiry into MSD’s policy linking funding of social services to the supply of individual client data. He describes the demand for client data as "excessive and disproportionate" and concludes that the policy is at odds with the Privacy Act.

The Privacy Commission’s report on the government’s demand for personal data is currently with MSD and will be publicly released any day.

Your organisation has probably received information from MSD on the requirement to hand over your clients’ personal information or lose funding. SSPA does not accept that MSD needs clients’ personal details to ensure services are meeting clients’ needs. It is an imposition on organisations built on the promise of confidentiality. We are particularly concerned that it will deter people from seeking the help they need. We also doubt MSD’s assurances that its information systems are secure.

Early this afternoon SSPA chair Shane Murdoch and I attended the select committee hearing to present the SSPA submission on the the Children, Young Persons and their Families (Oranga Tamariki) Legislation Bill. The Bill proposes the most far-reaching changes to child care and protection since CYF was set up in 1999 so this was a very important submission.