Wednesday, 11 September 2024

Privacy and data protection

Gaelle BROAD (Northern Victoria) (18:31): (1138) My adjournment matter is to Gabrielle Williams, Minister for Government Services, regarding the Victorian government’s commitment to digital privacy, considering advances in artificial intelligence and their application in the public sector. Earlier this year I hosted a forum in Bendigo along with my federal Nationals colleague Senator Bridget McKenzie about the potential of AI to benefit our regions. But with opportunities come risks, and it is important that governments lead the way, set the standards and provide business and industry with appropriate guardrails to harness the opportunities that AI presents. I note the minister attended a Commonwealth meeting of data and digital ministers in June this year which endorsed a national framework for artificial intelligence in government to ensure an ethical approach, and all ministers committed to continued collaboration.

With the rapid increases in complexity and refinement of artificial intelligence systems in recent years, we have seen an explosion in the implementation of AI applications used by public sector organisations. These range from machine learning systems providing email spam filtering to computer vision used for medical imaging analysis or facial recognition and systems used to assist applicants with building planning submissions. These artificial intelligence systems require an enormous amount of data to train and function as intended. This presents a major shift in the quantity and use of individuals’ personal data and poses challenges to our current digital privacy infrastructure. For example, the complexity of AI systems can make it challenging for individuals to understand how their data is being used openly and to access and correct their data managed by an AI system. AI systems can involve transborder data flow and may process personal data in ways that make it difficult to maintain anonymity. The Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 is focused on providing a framework for the handling of personal data in Victorian public sector organisations and contracted service providers. Within this legislation are 10 information privacy principles that outline the correct collection, storage and use of personal information.

The action I seek is for the minister to outline what action the Victorian government is taking to ensure the ethical adoption of AI within the Victorian public sector and, with the rapid progression of AI and the collection and creation of data, how the government will ensure that the Victorian public sector services uphold the information privacy principles outlined in the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014.