March 7 - Our Province’s Problem with Privacy

Submitted by VinceAdmin on Sun, 06/03/2016 - 9:16pm

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Somewhere in this country, the Privacy Commissioner is coming on March 11 to intervene. The local council is breaching people’s privacy and abusing members of the public in internal correspondence.

The place: Whangarei.

The Human Rights Review Tribunal last month found Whangarei District Council breached a man’s privacy and awarded Wayne Deeming $2000 for humiliation, loss of dignity and injury to feelings.

What had he done to deserve his correspondence with the council to then be distributed by WDC? Deeming had complained about a party at a rugby club where liquor was handled improperly, so the club president came to Mr Deeming’s house to harass and intimidate him. This was followed up not long after by an NZ Truth story portraying Mr Deeming as ‘the most unpopular man in Maungakaramea.’

Mr Deeming’s email to WDC was forwarded by the council to councillor Shelley Deeming, who in turn forwarded it to the rugby club's president. Under the Official Information Act council and councillor correspondence describes Mr Wayne Deeming as "puerile" and a "viper".

So, a man brings his concerns about the running of a rugby club to his "friendly Council", and the council breaches his privacy, allows an outraged rugby club president to intimidate him, and its councillors and council staff use unbecoming language towards the complainant.

I’m glad there’s an election coming this year. It sounds like Whangarei’s citizens deserve a council they can trust.

Comments

WD

Mon, 07/03/2016 - 7:02pm

As you may not wish to read the entire decision you may be interested in its views in relation to the conduct of Cr Deeming and Mr Watson:
“As mentioned, their email exchanges seemed to have anticipated with some relish that release of the information to Mr McDowell would lead to community hostility towards Mr Deeming, a hostility they obviously shared in somewhat undisguised terms“
and …
“The actions of Mr Watson and Councillor Shelley Deeming do neither themselves nor WDC any credit. There is no evidence that any regard was paid to the obligations imposed by the Privacy Act let alone the Council’s own policy on protecting the identity of complainants. Personal animosity to Mr Deeming appears to have prevented better judgment being exercised. The consequences to Mr Deeming were both serious and foreseeable”.
This is from a senior councillor fully supported by her Council.