# How can I get more information about my privacy rights and help change the rules?

- Jurisdiction: Australia
- Practice area: Privacy & Data Protection
- Published: 2026-11-01
- Last updated: 2026-11-01
- Canonical: https://lawasked.com/au/privacy-law/how-can-i-get-more-information-about-my

## Question

I live in Melbourne, Victoria, and I have been feeling quite overwhelmed by how much personal data my local gym and several retail apps are collecting lately. Over the last six months, starting around February this year, I have noticed that every time I sign up for a new loyalty programme, they ask for an excessive amount of information, including my home address and even my occupation. I tried contacting the customer service manager at my gym last Tuesday to ask why they needed my full employment history just to let me use the treadmill, but they just told me it was standard procedure and wouldn't explain further. I am really worried about how this data is being stored and whether there are better protections in place for people like me. I want to know if there is a specific group or committee that looks into these kinds of privacy issues and actually suggests new guidelines or rules to the authorities to make things fairer for the public. Is there a way for a regular person to get involved in community education or consultation efforts to help improve how our privacy is protected in Australia?

## Summary

Yes, there is a specific group called the Privacy Advisory Committee that can help. This committee is tasked with promoting community education and consultation to improve privacy protections [cite:au-privacy-1988-sec83].

## Analysis

In Australia, the Privacy Advisory Committee is a group established to support the protection of your personal information. Regarding your concerns about the excessive data collection by your gym and retail apps, this committee has specific roles that may interest you. 

Under the law, the committee's functions include the ability to "engage in and promote community education, and community consultation, in relation to the protection of individual privacy" [1]. This means there are formal mechanisms designed to involve the public in discussions about how privacy is handled. If you want to help change the rules, this committee is the body that can recommend "material to the Commissioner for inclusion in rules or guidelines" [1]. This refers to the process of suggesting new standards or instructions that the Commissioner then issues to organizations.

Furthermore, the Commissioner has the power to run "educational programs for the purposes of promoting the protection of individual privacy" [2]. These programs are intended to help people understand their rights and how to protect their data.

While these structures exist to improve the system, the provided law does not specify the exact process for a private citizen to join the committee or trigger a specific consultation. The committee members are appointed by the Governor-General, and most are experts in fields like industry, health privacy, or civil liberties. Therefore, while you can participate in the 'community consultation' the committee promotes, you cannot simply join the committee itself as a regular person. 

Additionally, if you believe the gym's refusal to explain their data collection is an interference with your privacy, you have the right to make a formal complaint [3]. 

Note that state, provincial, or local laws in Victoria may add further rules regarding privacy and data handling.

## Statutory citations

- Privacy Act 1988, Section 83 - Functions [in force] (https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2004A03712/latest/text)
  > to engage in and promote community education, and community consultation, in relation to the protection of individual privacy
- Privacy Act 1988, Section 28 - Guidance related functions of the Commissioner [in force] (https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2004A03712/latest/text)
  > undertaking educational programs for the purposes of promoting the protection of individual privacy
- Privacy Act 1988, Section 36 - Complaints [in force] (https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2004A03712/latest/text)
  > An individual may complain to the Commissioner about an act or practice that may be an interference with the privacy of the individual

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