Sydney firm is exploring major privacy class action

The Sydney law firm that launched one of Australia’s first privacy class action is today considering a class action against Page Up.

Page Up is a huge multi-national Human Resources company. Media reports today indicate that a massive data breach may have put personal and confidential information of job seekers and employees from the following companies at risk:

• Wesfarmers: Coles, Target, Kmart, Officeworks
• NAB
• Telstra
• Lindt
• Aldi
• Linfox
• Reserve Bank of Australia
• Australia Post
• Medibank
• ABC
• Australian Red Cross
• University of Tasmania
• AGL

Last year Centennial Lawyers filed a class action lawsuit against the NSW Ambulance Service in the Supreme Court of NSW. The plaintiff in that case alleges that a contractor was allowed to access personal medical and workers compensation information of over 100 Ambulance Service employees. It is alleged the contractor then sold the personal and medical details to at least one firm of solicitors and possibly more.

The Principal Solicitor of Centennial Lawyers A/Prof. George Newhouse said: “Employers owe a duty to keep highly personal information confidential, not only of their workers but also those that are applying for work. This can often include financial information and even medical information required as part of an induction process. Companies, and those that provide services to them, must take adequate steps to protect their employees’ or potential employees’ information. This case highlights the damage that can be done if security is breached”

A/Prof. Newhouse added: “While there have been major successful class actions in the US and Canada against Yahoo and Ashley Maddison for mass data breaches, similar class action are only now starting to be issued in Australia. We are proud to be at the leading edge of this area of law to reaffirm the importance of protecting people’s data which contains personal, sensitive or confidential information”.

Centennial Lawyers encourages any employees or job applicants of the companies listed above to contact us. Queries will be treated in strict confidence and anonymity and can be submitted via our website or by emailing NSWAprivacyclassaction@justice.org.au.

People who have been the victim of an identity crime can also apply for a Commonwealth victims’ certificate which will help with government departments
Jane Salmon for George Newhouse