Report on Workplace Surveillance Inquiry Highlights Need for Reform

A new report from the Legislative Assembly Economy and Infrastructure Committee has brought attention to the growing threat to employee privacy posed by increasingly sophisticated workplace surveillance technologies. The Inquiry into Workplace Surveillance found that emerging tools are amplifying the power imbalance between employers and employees, particularly affecting marginalised and diverse groups, who are more likely to suffer negative consequences from excessive monitoring.

The report, available on the Parliament of Victoria website, reveals significant gaps in Victoria’s current regulatory framework. It notes that the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (PDP Act) applies only to the Victorian public sector, leaving private sector workers without adequate protections. The Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner (OVIC) supports many of the report’s 18 recommendations, including amending the PDP Act to strengthen privacy obligations, redefining sensitive information to include biometric data, and introducing a mandatory incident notification scheme.

This report comes at a critical time, coinciding with Privacy Awareness Week (16–22 June 2025). It serves as a timely reminder of how rapidly evolving technologies can challenge our understanding of privacy and the safeguards needed to uphold it. OVIC commends the Committee for this work and encourages continued dialogue to ensure that privacy rights keep pace with technological change. OVIC’s submissions to the inquiry are available on its website, click here for more details.