Introduction

49.1 The Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) provides an avenue for individuals to complain about acts or practices of an agency or organisation that may be an interference with their privacy. The Act vests power in the Privacy Commissioner (Commissioner) to investigate, conciliate and make determinations to finalise complaints.

49.2 This chapter considers the investigation and resolution of complaints under the Privacy Act. It examines concerns about accountability and transparency in the Act and in the policies and procedures of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) with regard to complaint handling. The chapter also considers some particular issues raised by stakeholders relating to representative complaints, preliminary inquiries, and the conduct of investigations.