Lydia
Lewis, RNZ Pacific Presenter/Bulletin
Editor
Kiribati legislators unanimously passed a
first-of-its-kind Data Protection Bill during its first
reading in parliament on Tuesday.
The bill’s author,
former education minister and now information,
communications, and transport minister Alexander Teabo told
RNZ Pacific that protecting public information is the aim of
his proposal.
He said personal information gathered by
government officials in the health sector is an example of
the type of data that would be protected under his proposed
bill.
“There are many things happening now in the
digital world, and the names of our people are [being]
used,” Teabo said.
“There are services that need our
identity, names, and information. But they want their names
[to] be protected.”
Kiribati uses ID (identification)
cards and has many systems in which citizens are expected to
give up their personal information.
However, there has
been no law to protect that data.
The Data Protection
Bill is an attempt to change that and “protect our people”,
Teabo said.
“Those who control that the data should
not misuse it.”
He said the Data Protection Bill
shares similarities with the Australia and New Zealand’s
privacy acts.
“As Kiribati advances digitally, we
recognise the importance of safeguarding our citizens’
personal data.”
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The bill is now set to proceed to its
second reading in the next session, and Teabo is hopeful
that it will become law soon after.
He said other
countries have laws in place protecting their citizens’
government-gathered data, and Kiribati is just following
suit.
When asked how important the new legislation
was, first-time Kiribati MP Ruth Cross Kwansing said it was
“crucial”.
“It builds trust in digital services,
protects citizens, and enables economic growth,” Kwansing
said.
“It is a law to protect people’s personal
information online and in databases.”
She said if the
bill becomes law, it will give people rights over their data
and ensure organisations keep it safe, building trust in
digital services.
“Our Ministry retains highly
sensitive data of Kiribati’s most vulnerable citizens
through our social protection programs,” Kwansing, who is
the Minister for Women, Youth, and Social Affairs,
said.
“Robust data protection is critical to maintain
trust and ensure their
well-being.”
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