2017-11-24
A data breach in the Department of Social Services demonstrates the risks of outsourcing work on sensitive material to private contractors, Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert says today.
“The Federal Government is continually looking to outsource and privatise Department and Centrelink services and here is another example of the associated risks. 8,500 employees past and present have now been warned their personal data has been breached.
“Handing sensitive material to private contractors who do not have the same checks and balances means that breaches are more likely to occur.
"Rather than see these incidences as a red flag, the Government is pushing on with privatisation, recently announcing they will hire more privately contracted staff to prop up the robo-debt scandal. I have no doubt that sensitive material will change hands and clearly this puts the confidential details of Australians at risk.
“Staff need to be hired within Centrelink and must be appropriately trained to protect personal data of staff and the community”.