"As the Ministry of Justice acknowledges, the use of information underpins the government's ability to deliver benefits for the citizen," he added. "However, this will only be achievable if people have confidence in the sharing and handling of personal data by both the public and private sectors."

As the APEC Privacy Framework gains traction and the Australian Privacy Commissioner gains more clout, watch for the same trend start to unfold down under.

Differentiators

Despite the changes in the economy and in our survey methodology, some results remained constant. When asked why they chose the firms they did, data protection leaders have reported the same answers three years running: They want the right answer, and they want it delivered in practical terms appropriate to their organization's market and culture.

Despite the slowing economy, privacy officers for a third year continue to appear willing to pay a premium for good and practical advice. Of the nine possible choices offered, "good value for the rates charged" has ranked dead last each time.