Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the Senate. The government opposes Senator Ludlam's motion. The government has released an exposure draft to the Privacy Amendment (Notification of Serious Data Breaches) Bill 2015 to consult extensively with industry and other stakeholders on the proposed scheme, in particular with a view to minimising costs and regulatory impact. The draft legislation and explanatory memorandum regulation impact statement, along with the discussion paper, was released on 3 December last year, and submissions can be made until 4 March this year. The government will closely consider the views of stakeholders and introduce the bill into parliament in the first half of this year.

Strong privacy protections are a critical foundation for a vibrant digital economy. The proposed mandatory data breach notification scheme will give all Australians an added level of confidence in dealing with business and government online.

Question agreed to.