Beck Eleven
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Relationships Aotearoa: Privacy and protection? No.

8/3/2015

9 Comments

 
PictureDomestic violence files left behind in the Relationships Aotearoa offices in Christchurch.
When Relationships Aotearoa closed so rapidly last month, serious concerns were raised about vulnerable clients still on its books. It appears these concerns were valid.

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Last week I was shown through the now-empty Christchurch office that was tenanted by Relationships Aotearoa. There were dozens of boxes containing thousands of personal files.

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Dozens of boxes containing personal client files, left behind when Relationships Aotearoa closed.
The building had been vacated leaving the files, computers, furniture and even the dirty dishes from what appeared to be their farewell drinks.

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Kitchen of the now empty Relationships Aotearoa offices in Christchurch.
Files abandoned in the unsecured building belong to people who were victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, distressed children, court-ordered counselling and people coping with earthquake stress. It appeared the files related to people in the Canterbury and South Canterbury areas. I do not know how widespread the problem is across New Zealand.
The photos speak for themselves but it remains murky as to why no privacy transition plan or document shredding plan was put in place.
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Box labelled "Confidential yet obsolete. To be distroyed (sic)"
Talks were held between the Ministry of Social Development and Relationships Aotearoa but these fell apart.

The Ministry’s deputy chief executive of community investment, Murray Edridge said Relationships Aotearoa had been “uncooperative” and was spreading "mischievous nonsense".

Labour's social development spokeswoman Carmel Sepuloni said the closure would raise privacy issues. It appears she was correct.
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Ministry of Justice files.
On a personal note, I am sorry if this causes distress to people who have used the service and fear their files were left in the open. However, I believe this kind of privacy breach must be exposed so it doesn’t happen again.

UPDATE: As I understand it, the exterior doors of the building were unlocked but the particular office in which these boxes were was a locked room. When I went to the building on Tuesday July 28 (weeks after RA was closed), that office door was unlocked as receivers were due to pick the files up. These files should still have been secured somewhere off-site. The offices are on a busy corner of Christchurch in a city where abandoned buildings are home to rough sleepers, especially since the quakes. Anyone could have knocked the door in. I believe the process of RA's closure and handover was done in haste which is why these kinds of things can occur. 

Anyone needing assistance can ring the Lifeline Helpline on 0800 543 354

9 Comments
CHris link
8/1/2015 11:44:07 am

Reblogged. This is appalling. There are rules around private data -- the Privacy Commish should be asking questions, and the files probably should be sent either to justice (the family courts) or to the DHB and held under the health and disability rules, which are fairly robust.

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Dialey
8/1/2015 12:02:51 pm

Put the blame squarely on the government for its appalling short time scale to close them down. There was never a proper wind down period or handover protocol put in place. So what exactly was RA to do. They were told to get out. That's what the did.

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Rob
8/1/2015 02:28:32 pm

It would be great if the mefia make some effort to get to the bottom of Tolley's abuse of power here. This was a cock up from the word go, driven by an as yet undisclosed agenda. The sole fault here lies with Tolley and he lackies in MSD

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Cary
8/1/2015 02:46:53 pm

Having just spoken with the Operations Manager in charge I can confirm that these files were in a locked room (with pin access) in a locked building when staff left the building for the last time. Two managers oversaw the handover of keys to the landlord. Someone with keys to the building and access to the pin on the door would have needed to open the room up in order for these photos to be taken. This must have occurred at some point after the closure of RA.

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JR Murphy link
8/1/2015 09:50:26 pm

Why would you put Lifelines number on this? We all know these organisations are causing more harm than good to people who are suicidal.

Nothing about people being driven to self-harm and suicide then? I'm suicidal at the moment and quit the temporary counsellor ACC set up while I'm getting my care reinstated after six years.

What's the point, I have already waited three months since ACC phoned me and said I was having my car reinstated - and knowing I was suicidal and it was urgent.

Perhaps why I have taken to protesting at ACc and the Auditor-Generals office about corruption, criminal negligence and abuse in ACC and mental health services. And I get arrested for my protests, police understand.

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Sam C
8/2/2015 08:20:11 am

Hey Beck
Any truth to the allegation that the landlord is in fact your uncle and therefore you had access to the building that a member of the public wouldn't have been able to have?
At the very least you should probably declare that the landlord is related to you.

Reply
Meg
8/2/2015 08:38:06 am

That's a very good point Beck. What really is your agenda Beck? Are you happy that your uncle tried to leverage money out of liquidators Price Waterhouse Coopers by refusing them permission to remove and secure these files? Beck. huh?

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Beck Eleven
8/2/2015 08:59:30 am

Hi, yes the building owner is my uncle. It still stands that these files were left in an abandoned building. The exterior doors were open when the real estate agent visited some weeks prior and the building was then secured. This does not change the fact that sensitive files were in an unsecured building when they ought to have been taken off site and secured prior to closure of RA.

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Sam C
8/2/2015 09:08:22 am

By not declaring that relationship, you bring your motives for writing this piece into question. For someone who makes such a song and dance about journalistic integrity, you've been found sadly wanting in this case.

Reply



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