BY LAUREN KEMPE





The state government has announced new regulation allowing Service NSW Centres to be privatised in the Wallsend electorate.





Employees are currently bound by the Privacy and Personal Information Act 1998, but seven private companies have now been granted access to personal data.





Wallsend MP, Sonia Hornery believes the privatisation and recent 25% cut to operating hours in the Service NSW Centres are a concern amongst local employees and the wider community.





“[Wallsend] is concerned that [the NSW government] is privatising a facility that’s working very well, and personal information is being given to private companies. This information should be kept sensitive, private and within government hands,” said Sonia Hornery.





Ms Hornery believes the government’s outsourcing could also threaten the job security of numerous Service NSW employees.





“The motivation of the government is to outsource parts of Service NSW. Private organisations have different operational methods to the government alternative in terms of pulling staff. There would be job cuts to people with local knowledge within New South Wales within local offices.”





The data includes Births, Deaths and Marriages, Driver Licence information, Vehicle ownership and registration details.



Image Credit: http://www.zdnet.com/article/service-nsw-takes-infringement-payments-mobile/