Kris Faafoi says Minister must act on alarming increase in database misuse

Anne Tolley has joined the long list of Ministers who must act to ensure the privacy of sensitive information is properly protected, Labour’s Police spokesman, Mana MP Kris Faafoi said today.
“The alarming increase in the misuse of the Police National Intelligence Database since the Government took office has only increased the public’s unease about the security of private and sensitive information.
“The number of times that the database was misused has skyrocketed from 3 in 2008 to a peak of 56 times in 2011. The Police have joined the likes of ACC, IRD, EQC and Justice in the league of privacy breaches. This is a systemic issue that must be addressed.
“Anne Tolley must ensure that the measures in place governing the use of the national database are tough enough.
“Our public confidence in the Police is high and we must maintain that. The Government needs to lift its game across the board on privacy issues in order to maintain those levels of trust in the Police.
“We can’t let the lax attitudes of the Government to privacy and security of information continue to erode public confidence in our core Government services,” said Kris Faafoi.