Cybersecurity Policy Report, New Zealand Privacy Commissioner Calls for Modernization of Privacy Act, (Nov 14, 2025)
By Tony Foley
Citing a stark increase in the number of privacy complaints and breach notifications received by his office in the past year, New Zealand Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster has recommended a variety of amendments to the Privacy Act to modernize the law and strengthen privacy outcomes.
In a news release yesterday, Commissioner Webster said privacy complaints in the office’s 2024/2025 annual report rose 21% from the same period in 2023/2024, with the number of serious privacy breach notifications increasing by 43%. “New Zealanders are saying they’re more concerned about their individual privacy and personal information and it’s easy to see why,” he said. “People are right to worry, as more needs to be done to improve New Zealander’s privacy.”
Among the other findings in the agencies 2025 survey are the following:
66% of respondents agreed that protecting personal privacy was a major concern;
67% are particularly concerned about children’s privacy;
62% are concerned about government agencies or businesses using AI to make decisions about them based on their personal information; and
82% agree that they want more control and choice over the collection and use of their personal data.
Commissioner Webster maintained that the Privacy Act currently provides insufficient incentives for many organizations to understand or meet basic privacy requirements, noting that a growing number of organizations do not establish policies and practices to effectively manage the privacy impacts of their activities. He outlined the amendments he recommended, including providing the right to erasure, establishing a new and significantly stronger penalty regime, requiring agencies to demonstrate how they meet privacy requirements, and providing stronger protections for individuals regarding automated decision making.
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