The Australian Computer Society (ACS) believes the key benefits of new data breach laws to govern data breaches will be preventative and the real impact will be to mobilise business and government.
As reported by iTWire, the Australian Government has finally put in place laws to govern data breaches, with the legislation passing the Senate on Monday.
While welcoming the passage of the Privacy Amendment (Notifiable Data Breaches) Bill 2016, the ACS says the impact on business and government will lead to robust, responsive data protection and cybersecurity frameworks and a “culture of best practice information sharing to combat ever-evolving cyber threats”.
ACS President Anthony Wong says this new legislation marks a line in the sand, “after delays which have put Australia behind jurisdictions like the US, EU and New Zealand”.
{loadposition peter}“It is now incumbent upon industry and government to build the cyber-resilience required by Australia’s digital economy.
“The ACS endorses the balanced, flexible approach to data breach notification rules taken by this new legislation. Australia can learn from the experiences of other jurisdictions, but it is equally critical that we learn from the professional best practices that will arise in Australia as the legislation begins operation, which in turn will influence all levels of government and business.”
Wong says effective data protection and cybersecurity involves collaboration across organisations, government agencies and internationally.
“The ACS looks forward to working with government, industry and our international colleagues on best practice approaches to ICT security systems and protocols and the education and training of ICT professionals to meet both the spirit and the letter of the new legislative requirements.”