Data consultancy firm, Civic Data, has announced the appointment of Paul Broomfield to lead its operations in Western Australia. This expansion comes at a time when local marketers are grappling with the complexities of Australian privacy reforms, Western Australia's State Privacy and Responsible Information Sharing (PRIS) legislation, and recent guidance from the Australian Privacy Commissioner.

Civic Data's Executive Director of Technology, Jason Fonseca, acknowledged the unique challenges faced by businesses in Perth. "Understanding that the Perth market is underserved in what is already a complex and talent-starved industry, Civic Data is committed to bridging this gap," he said.

Paul Broomfield, the newly appointed lead of WA operations, echoed this sentiment. "Perth businesses are caught in a perfect storm," he noted, highlighting the difficulty of maintaining effective digital customer experiences while navigating multiple regulatory frameworks.

The upcoming federal privacy reforms are set to introduce a statutory tort, increased penalties of up to $50 million for serious breaches, and a new set of administrative penalties. WA's PRIS Act introduces new Information Privacy Principles and mandatory breach notifications specifically for public sector data sharing.

The Privacy Commissioner has also announced a focus on addressing issues raised by tracking tools that have become commonplace on websites. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner's (OAIC) new guidance makes it clear that common marketing practices, such as the use of tracking pixels and data matching using hashed emails, constitute collection of personal information and must comply with Australian Privacy Principles.

"However, this doesn't mean dismantling your marketing technology stack," Broomfield advised, suggesting that businesses can navigate these changes without completely overhauling their existing systems.

Civic Data, has offices in Sydney, Melbourne, and now Perth.