G.P.O. Box 1196
Sydney NSW 2001

enquiries@privacy.org.au

Background report available from:
www.privacy.org.au

MEDIA RELEASE
Big Brother Awards confirm another sorry year for privacy
Embargoed until 5 pm 21 January 2007

The NSW and Federal governments, LaTrobe University and all Australian banks shared the dishonour of the latest annual Big Brother awards.

The ‘Orwells’ as they are known around the world after the author of ‘1984’, have been awarded for privacy intrusions including: 
•	electronic health records without consent, leading BBA judge Dr Roger Magnusson to warn that “[this] could threaten public trust in what could be an immensely valuable tool for improving both individual and population health
•	negligent disclosure of international financial transactions to US authorities
•	the ‘access card’ – in reality a national identity card
•	a business that uses GPS units to track junk mail deliverers
•	‘reverse search’ phone directories, outflanking their supposed prohibition
•	insensitive collection of sexual health data in a university research study
•	federal legislation that turns thousands of private sector employees into government snoops
•	call centre nurses interrogating employees about sick leave

Commenting on the overall awards, BBA judge Laura Sigal said “The more our information is available to the prying eyes of government and corporate interests, the less freedom we enjoy." 
 
APF Policy Coordinator Nigel Waters commented that “The dozens of nominations for the 2006 Australian Big Brother Awards, and the choice of winners, illustrate a continued loss of freedom – mostly as a result of deliberate government policies.  The very governments we rely on for our privacy laws are themselves the worst intruders.”

Positive ‘Smith’ awards went to defence lawyers in anti-terrorism trials, for refusing to submit to unnecessary security clearances, and to the Australian Communications and Media Authority for its successful prosecution of a major ‘spammer’.
 
See the attachment* for details of the winners, and further comment from the judges.
*http://www.privacy.org.au/bba/2006/2006_BBA_attachment.rtf

Contact Point for this Release:
Nigel Waters, info@privacy.org.au, 0407 230342