New privacy laws for Victoria

The personal information of Victorians is subject to new privacy rules after an investigation found it was being easily compromised.

New state laws came into effect this week to strengthen the way public sector agencies protect personal information.

The changes were brought in after a 2009 auditor-general's report found the confidentiality of personal information collected and used by the public sector was being "easily compromised".

Personal information had also been found in public places or in the hands of unauthorised people.

Under the reforms, a single, privacy and data protection framework, containing clear standards, will apply to all government departments and most public agencies.

The Victorian government has also appointed an inaugural privacy and data protection commissioner, David Watts, to oversee the new rules.