Media Releases

May 17 2017
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MSD review doesn’t resolve the client data problems

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An independent report released today into a recent data breach at MSD shows the problems created by a project with an unrealistic timeframe being imposed on a complex and sensitive area.

ComVoices is pleased to learn that no personal data was mistakenly released but the report details a series of mistakes and inadequacy.

ComVoices chair Brenda Pilott said that these errors were symptomatic of the implementation of this project to require community providers to collect and share personal information with MSD.  “We have said from the outset that this process was being rushed and was not affording MSD time to consider all the issues.  Nor have they engaged well with providers and other experts.”

ComVoices has consistently advised the department and Minister to slow down.  “The timeframe for this project was self-imposed and coincided with a period of major restructuring within MSD.  No wonder mistakes were made”, said Brenda Pilott.

“The Privacy Commissioner made four recommendations to MSD and its Minister, of which data security was just one.  The other recommendations have not been addressed yet.  Privacy considerations must be looked at carefully.  Neither we nor MSD can give providers any reassurance that they can provide this sensitive data to MSD with full trust and confidence.”

Brenda Pilott said: “My message to MSD is to slow down and to engage with provider groups in a co-design process.  This is too important to get wrong again.”

For further information, contact Brenda Pilott on 027 430 6016.

ComVoices is a Wellington based network of national community and voluntary sector organisations.

ComVoices.org.nz

 

Apr 24 2017
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MSD IT Enquiry Not Enough

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The announcement of an enquiry into the privacy failure of MSD’s online reporting platform for community organisations required to provide individual client data (ICLD) addresses only one of the Privacy Commissioner’s four recommendations, says ComVoices.

“The just announced enquiry is deflecting us from the real question”, said Trevor McGlinchey, ComVoices Spokesperson.  “The question at the heart of the enquiry should be why are we collecting data that the Privacy Commissioner has said is ‘…excessive, disproportionate to government’s legitimate needs and therefore inconsistent with the privacy principles’?”.

“The staff of social services organisations have a range of professional bodies which provide ethical guidelines about maintaining the privacy of clients.  Not only will these organisations be breaking these ethical guidelines, they will also be forced to work in direct contravention of the Privacy Commissioner’s findings.”

At the moment service providers have been told they must continue to collect the private data of their clients to provide to MSD at a future date.  They have not been told who will be held to account for breaking the privacy principles set out in the Privacy Act.

“The community sector is waiting for leadership from the Minister and MSD about the important issues raised in the Privacy Commissioner’s report,” says McGlinchey.  “This mass collection of data is inappropriate and will directly affect many New Zealand families. This level of surveillance will cause others not to seek help so that they do not become labelled as ‘vulnerable’ and included as a named statistic on a government database. As always the NGO sector is happy to work alongside MSD to find a more appropriate solution to their data needs.”

ComVoices is calling on the Government to put an immediate hold on this policy while it addresses the issues raised by the Privacy Commissioner.

Contact Trevor McGlinchey, ComVoices Spokesperson, phone 027 286 9393

Apr 06 2017
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NGOs Disappointed in the Minister’s Response to Privacy Report

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“While there is some relief that after the failure of MSD’s private data portal, Minister Tolley has put the reporting of clients’ private data on hold for a few months, NGOs are very frustrated with the Minister’s response to the Privacy Commissioner’s report on the collection of individual Client Data”, said Trevor McGlinchey, ComVoices Spokesperson. “The determination to push ahead with MSD collecting this sensitive data in the face of the Privacy Commissioners Report and the failure of the MSD information portal demonstrate that we should be holding off on implementing this process and a more effective way of demonstrating the value of social services should be developed’.

The Privacy Commissioner recommended that MSD should put consider alternative methods for accomplishing its goals such as having the information collated and analysed by Statistics New Zealand in the Integrated Data Infrastructure.  “The members of the ComVoices networks fully support this proposal and stand ready to work with the Minister, MSD and the Ministry for Children to make this work”.

“We are now in the very difficult position of being expected to sign MSD contracts that are out of step with the Privacy Commissioner’s findings.  It is difficult to see how we can do this in good faith and we have real concerns about the liability we might be opening ourselves up to.”

“We urge the Minister and her officials to match good intentions with good practice and listen and take action on the advice they have been given.”

Contact Trevor McGlinchey, ComVoices Spokesperson, phone 027 286 9393

Apr 06 2017
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Privacy Commissioner’s Report Welcomed by Social Service Organisations

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“ComVoices welcomes the Privacy Commissioner’s report on Individual Client Level Data and endorses the recommendations, particularly the preferred option that MSD should consider alternative methods for accomplishing its goals”, said Trevor McGlinchey, ComVoices Spokesperson. “These recommendations are directly in line with the advice provided by ComVoices members to MSD and to Minister Tolley”.

“It is very important the families and individuals seeking support from community service providers can trust that their rights to privacy will not be breached and that no harm or misuse could result in the use of their personal information. This encourages early access to support and allows vulnerable families to grow into independence rather than being forced to hide their problems for fear that this information will be used against them or publicly shared”.

“Earlier, more direct engagement with providers of social services could have prevented the current situation arising.  We have repeatedly offered to support MSD to develop alternative data gathering systems so they could better understand the high value of social services organisations and how these make a real difference for vulnerable people and communities”.

“The reported breakdown of the system proposed by MSD to collect the private information of social service clients illustrates the need for a more effective and better protected data system. It is evident that good governance and principles need to be developed across the public sector to support a coherent approach to the collection and analysis of relevant data. Community and iwi social services providers want to demonstrate the  value and effectiveness of their services to all stakeholders, but not to the detriment of their clients.  We welcome the support shown by the Privacy Commissioner for the expertise of Statistics NZ, which protects individual data within both legislative and ethical frameworks whilst delivering valuable data for analytics and research”.

“The establishment of the Ministry of Vulnerable Children Oranga Tamariki means a large proportion of government funded community services move to this new Ministry, however many services stay with MSD and Work and Income . The new Ministry is committed to working in partnership with community social service providers,  we see this as an opportunity for a fresh start. Social services want to work collaboratively with government to support them to understand the huge value of the services they receive for their $330million a year investment”.

“ComVoices looks forward to engaging with the Minister of Children, social sector government ministries, the office of the Privacy Commission and the Government Chief Information Officer to develop ethical, high trust systems that respect an individual’s choice in sharing their personal data and can report on the effectiveness of social services”.

Contact Trevor McGlinchey, ComVoices Spokesperson, phone 0272 286 9393

Mar 16 2017
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ComVoices calls for pause on Government demand for personal information

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From July 2017 Community Organisations provider contracts with Government are to include the requirement to gather and share identifiable data about clients accessing services.

ComVoices Chair, Brenda Pilott says: “We think that the Ministry for Social Development (MSD) is on the wrong track and our members are worried that the MInistry is pressing ahead with this work when so many issues are unresolved.

“We have written to the Prime Minister and other Ministers asking them to stop the current work, and work with community organisations to develop an information system that delivers the big picture information being sought, respects individual privacy and is sustainable for providers who will have to gather the information.”

A letter and a proposal suggesting a different way forward has been sent to Ministers.

View the full document here

 

Reports On Events

Dec 06 2016
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Meeting with James Shaw Greens Co-Leader

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ComVoices briefed James Shaw on key issues from the State of the Sector Survey 2016.  He was told that the sector is not averse to change, streamlining, identifying  need and demonstrating outcomes, but the sector is finding it difficult to engage with Government – the rhetoric is separate from the reality. In the lead –up to the general election, James said that the Greens will be focussing on inequality, the environment and structural elements in the economy.  James’ view was that people don’t vote on policy, and so the Greens will be focussing on the Green’s vision, values and social identity.

Jun 16 2016
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Parliamentary Breakfast

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Parliamentary Breakfast – Shreya Basu, Open Government Partnership Regional Civil Society coordinator for Asia Pacific

Grant Robertson, MP for Wellington Central hosted this parliamentary breakfast for guest speaker Shreya Basu. Her topic was NZ and the Open Government Partnership – what should you know, and why should you care?  More than 80 people attended the event which was generously sponsored by the Institute for Governance and Policy Studies, Victoria University (IGPS).

Jun 07 2016
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Meeting with the Hon Peter Dunne, Minister for Internal Affairs

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A productive meeting was held with the Minister who fundamentally agreed with the two propositions that ComVoices wanted to discuss: the establishment of a more formal relationship with Government; and the potential for a Social Values Act (SVA) similar to the UK model. The Minister thought that some form of accord or standing agreement could be developed that spelt out the levels of responsibility between the sector and Government.  He said that ComVoices needs to form a good relationship with the Government through the Minister of Finance who is thinking about where we go in the long term.  If we were able to get the Minister’s engagement then we would get traction on our concerns.

May 17 2016
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Meeting with Marama Fox, Maori Party

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Ms Fox said that the party combines strategically with the Hon Peter Dunne and David Seymour.  On many things the three parties differ, but on the legislation and issues they agree on, they work together and can wield significant influence.  Topics discussed with Marama were: influencing Government, prioritisation to the neediest to prevent people becoming vulnerable and how to make ComVoices heard with Government. At present, Government sees the sector as “Government Providers” working in its own interest.  It does not recognise the sector’s purpose and mission and that perception has to be changed.

Apr 14 2016
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Meeting with David Seymour, Leader of ACT NZ

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Views were shared around the funding relationship with government, the British social value act, the relationship with Government, how to build on our shared interests, public advocacy, and the case for sector umbrella groups. While holding only one seat, David said ACT could leverage off that and that in the future, ACT will grow substantially putting it in a better position to make more demands of government. In closing David said he has limited capacity, but we are always welcome to write and we will certainly get a reply.

Mar 14 2016
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Meeting with Andrew Little and Poto Williams

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Meeting with Andrew Little, Leader of the Labour Party and Poto Williams, Community and Voluntary Sector spokesperson

Topics covered in the meeting were the funding relationship with Government, a more formal relationship with government, gender remuneration inequality in the C&V sector and the two current bills affecting the sector – the Policing (Cost Recovery) Amendment Bill and Public Collections and Solicitations (Disclosure of Payment) Bill.  Poto assured the meeting that the sector can feed its thoughts on current issues and policies to her as the coming year is about developing the relationship and ComVoices has the opportunity to influence Labour’s thinking.

Mar 03 2016
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ComVoices meeting with the Hon Jo Goodhew

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The talking points included discussion around issues of public trust and confidence, social enterprise and charitable status, the relationship with the Government and the social investment approach.   The Minister reiterated that Government is committed to the investment approach and breaking down the barriers between the departments but that is going to take time.