Privacy Watchdog Under Fire | Auckland News

Auckland News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Sep 9, 2026 · 1m

The Privacy Commissioner’s office faces a brutal budget squeeze: nine jobs cut, two added, as government refuses to boost funding — even as privacy complaints surge 21% and serious breaches jump 43%. Union leaders call it a deliberate attack on a vital watchdog, citing devastating staff morale and critical cases like the breach exposing 127,000 New Zealanders’ health data. With complaints taking months to resolve and Māori engagement roles under threat, critics warn this cuts against the very privacy protections the public needs most — especially as tech makes surveillance more pervasive. The…