Presented by Robert Clark MP		www.robertclark.net

State encourages e-commerce

The State Government has announced two initiatives to protect the use of personal information and encourage safer electronic commerce.

The Office of the Victorian Privacy Commissioner and the Electronic Signature Recognition Body will be established as part of the State Government’s campaign to provide greater protection for Victorians using e-commerce.

The initiatives will be established with $6.2 million in 1999-2000, with recurrent funding of $2.7 million.

The Victorian Privacy Commissioner will promote the privacy of personal information and encourage business and consumer confidence in electronic commerce.

The commissioner is a key element of the proposed Data Protection Bill. The office will manage complaints, investigations, education, policy, compliance, audit, reporting and administration related to the legislation and will be part of the Department of Justice.

The Electronic Signature Recognition Body will oversee the conduct of electronic commerce across the State, particularly the recognition of electronic signatures.

It will be established under the State Electronic Transactions Bill, currently in preparation for introduction to Parliament. The body will be administered through the Department of State Development, of which Multimedia Victoria forms part.

(News Release, Office of the Minister for Information Technology and Multimedia, May 4, 1999)