Terms of Reference
Purpose
The purpose of the Privacy Roundtable is to facilitate discussions between the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner (OVIC) and key agencies in relation to policy and operational privacy matters. The ultimate goal of the Privacy Roundtable is to improve privacy practice across Victoria by providing a platform for:
- agencies to share issues and challenges in privacy with one another and with OVIC;
- OVIC to share information on its projects, events, ongoing work and its identified trends relating to privacy; and
- OVIC to consult agencies in respect of proposed publications and projects.
Approach
The Privacy Roundtable is envisaged as being an informal space where participants can engage in free and frank discussions and share ideas in a spirit of mutual learning. It is designed to foster a collaborative environment in keeping with OVIC’s general approach to conducting its regulatory functions.
To facilitate these open and frank discussions, members are free to use and rely on the information shared by non-OVIC members at meetings, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the information or opinion’s source may be revealed.
Minutes will not attribute comments to the name or agency of any attending non-OVIC member.
Minutes will be published on the OVIC website to allow other agencies who are not members of the group to benefit from the discussion.
Outcomes
The Privacy Roundtable is aimed at achieving the following outcomes:
- improving the administration of the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) (PDP Act);
- assisting agencies to identify and overcome common or systemic privacy issues;
- providing OVIC with a better understanding of the needs of stakeholders and how we can best focus our work to meet these needs; and
- raising the profile of and supporting the role of privacy practitioners in Victoria.
Membership
Membership of the Privacy Roundtable will consist of OVIC representatives and staff from the privacy teams of agencies, as invited by the Information Commissioner (with a maximum of two members to attend from each).
The tasks of the members are to:
- share ideas, experiences and advice about how privacy practice can be improved in Victoria;
- identify challenges and issues they face in administering the PDP Act; and
- review and provide comment on any draft publications that are circulated for consultation.
Meetings
Meetings are held every 6 months at OVIC’s office and will be chaired by OVIC staff.
OVIC will circulate an agenda prior to meetings and all members are invited to identify topics for discussion.