New Information and Privacy Commissioner for Australia

Angelene Falk has been named as Australia's Information and Privacy Commissioner for the next three years, having served in the role since March on an interim basis.

Previous incumbent Timothy Pilgrim left the position in March, and Falk had served as his Deputy. The function has been plagued with uncertainty, with plans to disband the office of the Information Commissioner before the parliament in 2014, but another four years' funding finally granted in 2016 after the Senate refused to agree the abolition. Pilgrim had served as Privacy Commissioner since 2010, adding the title of Information Commissioner in September 2016.

Falk joined the Office in 2012, and was promoted to Deputy in 2016. Her expertise includes regulatory challenges, global data environment and the promotion of public access to government information; and she was instrumental in the introduction of the country's Notifiable Data Breaches scheme, in force since February. According to the country's Attorney-General, Christian Porter, Falk 'has extensive experience delivering the functions of independent regulators and a track record of working across Commonwealth and state agencies, business, and the community in law, policy, and education. The commissioner role is critical to helping ensure the privacy of Australians, particularly in the online environment'.

During her time as interim Commissioner, Falk opened an investigation into the Facebook / Cambridge Analytica scandal, in April. Filling her old shoes is recently appointed Acting Deputy Commissioner Andrew Solomon, who was promoted from Assistant Commissioner in Dispute Resolution.

The Office's web site is at www.oaic.gov.au .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.