Office of the Australian Information Commissioner About
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) is an independent agency within the Attorney General’s portfolio. The OAIC's primary functions are
privacy, freedom of information and government
include Graduate Opportunities conducting investigations, reviewing decisions, handling The OAIC does not offer a formal graduate program. information
policy.
Their
responsibilities
complaints, and providing guidance and advice.
However, they do maintain a Temporary Employment
Register for when non-ongoing full-time, part-time and
The OAIC's purpose is to promote and uphold privacy casual vacancies arise. Opportunities are available for periods of up to 18 months. and information access rights. They do this by:
Job opportunities are available in each of the OAIC's three
- Making sure that Australian Government agencies and branches: organisations with an annual turnover of more than $3 1. Dispute Resolution
million, and some other organisations, follow the Privacy 2. Regulation and Strategy Act 1988 (Privacy Act) and other laws when handling 3. Corporate personal information
- Protecting the public’s right of access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act)
More information can be found here:
https://www.oaic.gov.au/about-us/join-our-team/
Fun Fact / Recent Project COVIDSafe App
- Carrying out strategic information management The OAIC published a fact sheet relating to the CovidSafe functions within the Australian Government under the App and privacy rights. The Privacy Act was amended on Australian Information Commissioner Act 2010 (AIC Act)
14 May 2020 to protect data in the COVIDSafe app and
What kind of work?
- prohibits anyone from being required to download or
- Conducting investigations
- strictly limits the purposes for which data from the app
- Reviewing decisions made under the FOI Act
- requires data to be deleted when it is no longer needed.
- Advising the public, organisations and agencies
Information that has been collected or generated
Location
or disclosed by:
the National COVIDSafe Data Store. The Privacy Act:
The OAIC's work involves:
use the app
- Handling complaints
can be collected, used or disclosed
- Monitoring agency administration
Sydney
through the COVIDSafe app can only be collected, used - state or territory health officials who are contact tracing individuals possibly exposed to COVID-19
- the administrators of the COVIDSafe app and the National COVIDSafe Data Store, to enable the app, the Data Store and contact tracing to work properly and to ensure the integrity of the app and Data Store
- the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and police enforcing these privacy protections.
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