APF Newsletter 8 March 2010

The APF has a strong track record of responsible campaigns both for privacy protections and against privacy-invasive schemes. But something it has not had is standing at a high level of Australian society. The APF Board is accordingly delighted to make the following two announcements.

SIR ZELMAN COWEN BECOMES PATRON OF THE A.P.F.

Sir Zelman has an enormously distinguished record as constitutional lawyer, Vice-Chancellor of two universities, and Governor-General. He was also the author of the clarion call for privacy protections in Australia, ‘The Private Man’, which originated as the ABC Boyer Lecture Series in 1969.

LEADING CITIZENS FORM THE A.P.F.’s ADVISORY PANEL

The following outstanding people have agreed to lend their support to the APF’s endeavours, offering advice to the Board, without having to commit the time required of a Board-member.

  • Father Frank Brennan AO
  • Julian Burnside AO QC
  • The Hon. Fred Chaney AO
  • Eva Cox AO
  • The Hon. John Dowd AO QC
  • The Hon. Elizabeth Evatt AC
  • The Right Hon. Malcolm Fraser AC CH
  • Prof. Ashley Goldsworthy AO OBE KM
  • The Hon. Dr Barry Jones AO FAA FAHA FTSE FASSA
  • Dr Kristine Klugman OAM
  • Bill Orme
  • Judge Kevin O’Connor AM
  • Terry O’Gorman AM
  • Justice Geoffrey Robertson QC

The Board has been very busy with policy work, with about 40 submissions and Policy Statements published since 1 July 2009.

Since 2008, the Australian Privacy Commissioner has made annual Awards. One of these is the Australian Privacy Medal, awarded to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of privacy in Australia.

The first such Medal went to Justice Michael Kirby. The second, in November 2009, went to the current Chair of the APF, Roger Clarke. His acceptance speech is at http://www.rogerclarke.com/DV/APM-091112.html.

The APF also hosts an Award scheme, the Big Brother Awards. The 2009 Awards were a great success, and were announced on the evening preceding the Privacy Commissioner’s event. The winners and other nominees are at https://www.privacy.org.au/bba/.

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