Privacy Awareness Week
NSW 2026

Smart Tech, Smarter Choices –

Protecting Yourself in the Age of AI

4 - 10 May 2026

About Privacy Awareness Week

Privacy Awareness Week will take place from 4 – 10 May 2026.

Privacy Awareness Week is a global campaign that highlights the importance of privacy and raises awareness for public sector agencies about how to protect the personal information of our citizens. Each year, the IPC hosts a campaign for NSW citizens and public sector agencies to raise awareness of privacy rights and obligations.

This year’s theme is “Smart Tech, Smarter Choices – Protecting Yourself in the Age of AI” and focuses on reminding all of us that smart technologies can make services faster, efficient, more personalised and more convenient, but they can also create risks if people are not aware of what information is being captured or how it is used.

Commissioner Welcome

I am delighted to welcome you to this year's Privacy Awareness Week NSW campaign.

AI has rapidly moved from a specialist capability to mainstream technology. Smart technology and AI are now very much part of everyday life and work, shaping how information is collected, shared and used. AI has become more prevalent, widely adopted and as more tools become available, knowing how and where your personal information moves has never been more important. This year’s theme focuses on how understanding these technologies empowers people to feel confident, informed and in control of their personal information to make smart and informed choices.

While smart technologies can offer convenience, make services faster, efficient, more personalised, they also rely on large amounts of information, including personal information to function effectively. They can however, also create risks and undermine trust if people are not aware of what information is being captured, how it is used and how it is protected.

In the age of AI and smart technologies, we all play an important role in making sure our information is protected by keeping our personal information secure, being mindful of the information we share and how its used, regularly reviewing privacy settings online and reporting any privacy breaches to the relevant NSW agency.

This Privacy Awareness Week, I encourage you to get involved and share the week's important message Protecting Yourself in the Age of AI. You can also get involved in events and engage your network to further promote privacy.

I look forward to celebrating the right to protect personal information and privacy with you during Privacy Awareness Week NSW 2026.

Sonia Minutillo
NSW Privacy Commissioner

What's on

PAW NSW Event – Smart Tech, Smarter Choices – Protecting Yourself in the Age of AI

AI has rapidly moved from a specialist capability to mainstream technology. Smart technology and AI are now part of everyday life, shaping how information is collected, shared and used. AI has become more prevalent, widely adopted and as more tools become available, knowing how and where your data moves has never been more important. This year’s theme focuses on how understanding these technologies empowers people to feel confident, informed and in control of their personal information.

Our keynote speaker, Bill Simpson-Young, Chief Executive at the Gradient Institute, will discuss AI and Privacy: What are the new capabilities and risks and what do those mean for privacy?

NSW Privacy Commissioner Sonia Minutillo will address the overarching theme of PAW 2026 and how small choices can strengthen privacy protection and in keeping your information safe in the age of AI.

Date: Tuesday 5 May 2026
Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm, 12.30pm registrations and light lunch, 2.00pm networking afternoon tea
Location: In-person & online
Speakers: Sonia Minutillo, NSW Privacy Commissioner, Information and Privacy Commission NSW (Event Facilitator),
Bill Simpson-Young, Chief Executive, Gradient Institute

This event is open to NSW public sector agencies, including those within local government, universities, state-owned corporations and ministerial offices.

Register to attend the event

2026 Champions

Building Commission New South Wales
Audit Office of New South Wales
Biodiversity Conservation Trust
Cancer Institute New South Wales
Central Coast Local Health District
Department of Communities and Justice
Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport
Department of Customer Service
Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
Digital New South Wales
New South Wales eHealth
Energy Corporation of New South Wales
Far West Local Health District
Fire and Rescue New South Wales
Health Professional Councils Authority
HealthShare New South Wales
iCare New South Wales
ID Support New South Wales
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District
Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal
Legal Aid New South Wales
New South Wales Ambulance
Local Land Services

Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (NSW)
New South Wales Agency for Clinical Innovation
Murrumbidgee Local Health District
Department of Education (New South Wales)
Education Standards Authority (New South Wales)
Electoral Commission (New South Wales)
Environment Protection Authority (New South Wales)
Fair Trading (New South Wales)
Local Government (New South Wales)
Police Force (New South Wales)
Premier’s Department (New South Wales)
Reconstruction Agency (New South Wales)
State Coroner’s Court (New South Wales)
Treasury (New South Wales)
Trustee and Guardian (New South Wales)
Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions
Personal Injury Commission
Revenue New South Wales
SafeWork New South Wales
State Records New South Wales
Sydney Local Health District
Technical and Further Education New South Wales
The Cabinet Office New South Wales
Transport for New South Wales
Western New South Wales Local Health District

2026 Champion Program

Are you from a Local Council, State-Owned Corporation, University or State Government agency? Register now to become a 2026 Privacy Awareness Week Champion.

This year we will again be running the Privacy Awareness Week (PAW) Champion Program. NSW public sector agencies can join as Champions to help spread the PAW message as well as encourage their agency and work colleagues to get involved and promote privacy rights.

Champions of the Program will receive a pack full of digital and printable resources, as well as written content such as newsletter articles, blog posts, social media posts and more to make promoting the campaign easy.

You can register your agency as a PAW NSW 2026 Champion using this webform. Agencies will also be acknowledged as a Champion here on the PAW NSW webpage and via the IPC's social media where possible.