Office of the Privacy Commissioner | Home Overview & Contact Data

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner is a New Zealand government agency responsible for protecting individuals' personal information and promoting transparency in data collection and use. The agency serves the public by providing guidance, support, and enforcement of the Privacy Act 2020, which governs the collection, storage, and disclosure of personal information in New Zealand. The Office's work is essential in maintaining trust and confidence in government agencies, private sector organizations, and other entities that handle sensitive information. The agency's website offers a range of resources and services to help individuals and organizations understand and comply with privacy laws. These include guidance on data breach management, approved information sharing agreements (AISA), and e-learning tools for staff and individuals to learn about privacy and data protection. The site also provides information on how to make a privacy complaint, including a complaint form and a response calculator to estimate the processing time for access and correction requests. In response to a recent data breach affecting thousands of users of the Manage My Health patient portal, the Office has provided updates and guidance on how to secure personal information and make a privacy complaint. The agency has also issued new guidance on sharing information to protect the wellbeing and safety of children and young people, as part of an integrated government response to the Dame Karen Poutasi review in 2022. The Office is currently working on modernizing the Privacy Act, with the introduction of the IPP3A (Information Privacy Principles 3A) regulations, which will come into force on 1 May 2026.