Prior to 20 April 2004, Malcolm Crompton had been Australia's third Federal Privacy Commissioner, for the previous five years. Mr Crompton is also a member of the External Advisory Board of the IBM Privacy Institute and the Reference Group for Privacy and Identity Management for Europe (PRIME) project and is on the organising committee for the first International Association of Privacy Professionals' conference to be held on the US West Coast in June 2004.

Malcolm's other committee memberships while Commissioner included the National Health Information Advisory Council, reporting to Australian Health Ministers, 1999 2003; the Review of Part 1D of Commonwealth Crimes Act 1914, to review DNA forensic procedures, 2001 2003; and the Advisory Committee to the Joint ALRC/AHEC Inquiry into Protection of Human Genetic Information, 2001 2003.

Malcolm has a particular interest in online privacy issues, the impact of new technologies on our community and their effect on how Privacy Commissioners can fulfil their role in promoting a culture that respects privacy in this new global environment. He sees these challenges more broadly as an opportunity for rethinking governance structures including the role of regulators.

During his term, he ensured that the Office had a particular focus on identity management issues, because of the significant potential they had either to grossly invade privacy or to help enhance privacy.

Malcolm's brief as Commissioner was to take privacy protection in Australia into the new millennium. He came to the role at a time where the Federal Government was looking to introduce a new approach to protecting privacy with a "light touch" legislative scheme applying to the private sector. The tragedy of 11 September 2001, the growing scourge of Identity Fraud and accelerating technological change all added dramatically to the challenge of ensuring that we have a safe and open society.

He was also Convenor and Host of the 25th International Conference of Data Protection Privacy Commissioners held in Sydney in September 2003, which was attended by most of the world's leading data protection authorities, privacy officers and advocates.

Malcolm brought to the task experience from a varied background. His work history spans a range of sectors. Most recently between 1996 and 1999, he was Manager of Government Affairs in Canberra for AMP Ltd, a major financial institution. Prior to this he led a varied career in the public sector, holding a number of executive positions in the Federal Department of Finance, including positions as Trustee of Superannuation Schemes. He also worked in the Transport and Health portfolios. An unexpected career path for someone who started his professional life as a research scientist.

AusCERT2004 Presentations:

Is a 21st Century Australia Card a recipe for increased Identity Fraud?
Day One: Monday, 24th May 2004, 1150 - 1230 (Business Stream)