About the same proportion say that their website allows users to have inaccurate information held about them corrected. And only about 15 per-cent of the top 100 give people the opportunity to delete personal information held about them from websites. The Privacy Bill is a significant first step in rectifying the current situation. The survey leaves me with no doubt that more needs to be done to protect personal privacy in the on-line environment. But I m not here criticise business or to overstate our shortcomings.
Internet privacy is a rapidly changing issue.
It is clear that changes are needed to ensure that the protection of privacy becomes a standard part of business practice. The Government is committed to working with business and the community to help bring these changes about and the Privacy Bill represents a very real and tangible move forward. I am confident the Privacy Bill will increase public confidence in doing business on-line. And in doing so, it will also position Australian business to take full advantage of e-commerce opportunities. I commend Andersen Legal and Arthur Andersen for taking a leading role in working with business to address privacy issues.