The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi (PSA) has cautioned the New Zealand government against going ahead with proposed cuts, warning of risks to sensitive information held by various government agencies.
The PSA fears that these cuts could compromise data security and lead to potential breaches.
The Department of Internal Affairs has outlined plans to reduce spending by cutting several roles that focus on protecting New Zealanders’ private information.
Among these proposed cuts is the elimination of the position of Government Chief Privacy Officer (GCPO) and the associated privacy team, accounting for four permanent positions and two temporary ones.
Furthermore, the role of a cybersecurity analyst within the department is at risk, as noted in internal consultation documents shared with staff.
Duane Leo, national secretary for the PSA Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi, criticised the proposed cuts, emphasising the importance of protecting private information.
“We are seeing more evidence of the reckless nature of the government’s spending cuts which will see more data breaches resulting in the sensitive and private information of New Zealanders falling into the wrong hands,” he said.
Leo also referenced a 2018 statement from the Auditor-General, which underscored the significance of leadership from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and the GCPO in securing information sharing within the public sector. He noted that the new minister had been informed in November 2022 that, while “privacy maturity” had improved across 47 agencies, further progress was needed.
“This is just more evidence that the job is not complete, that more effort and oversight by the GCPO is needed across the public service to ensure private information remained secure,” he said.
A recent report emphasised the need for the public sector entities to improve their cybersecurity defences, strengthen election integrity, and collaborate with cybersecurity professionals to address cyber-related challenges.
