Thursday, April 12, 2012



Ports of Auckland comes clean

Ports of Auckland has admitted leaking an employee's personal information to a sewerblogger:

The Council of Trade Unions says the Ports of Auckland has admitted leaking personal details about an employee who spoke out against the port.

[...]

President of the Council of Trade Unions Helen Kelly told Radio New Zealand a letter from chief executive Tony Gibson to the Maritime Union acknowledged the port was behind the leak.

Ms Kelly said the letter does not name who was responsible for the leak, but it did state the leak was a response to Mr Walker speaking out publicly against the port.

"They acknowledge they released it. They explain, in their terms, why they released it, and regardless of the fact they clearly agree that it probably breached the Privacy Act, that's implied in the letter. But they don't go on to say that they change, in fact they go on to say that they reserve the right to do it again."

This is absolutely appalling, a gross abuse of power by the company, and they need to be held accountable for it. Some of that accountability will come from the Privacy Commissioner. But there needs to be more. These clowns have just cost Auckland ratepayers tens of thousands of dollars, as well as pissed all over the law. They need to lose their jobs for it. Sadly, given the way Ports of Auckland is run, they'll probably get a bonus instead for their "good work".