Australian Privacy Foundation eyes Fuji Xerox deal

09.03.2006
A five-year deal announced today between Rockdale City Council, in Sydney's southern suburbs, and Fuji Xerox has caught the eye of the Australian Privacy Foundation.

The council inked the A$3.5 million (US$2.57 million) deal with Fuji Xerox Global Services to manage and upgrade its existing fleet of digital print and document finishing print services.

The contract will also involve imaging services staff of Fuji Xerox opening some of the Council's incoming mail, scanning the contents and storing a digital hardcopy of the letter on file. All imaging services will be completed on site and will involve scanning an estimated 2000 documents a day.

The information contained in the letter will then be sent to the appropriate business unit via e-mail.

Rockdale City Council confirmed that, as part of the agreement, anything to do with business mail will be opened by imaging services staff, but not any personally addressed mail to councilors, or any correspondence marked private and confidential.

Anna Johnston, chair of the Australian Privacy Foundation, said the council has a responsibility to advise residents, or people writing letters to council that correspondence will go through a private company and be scanned. This will give residents the option to hand deliver mail if they are concerned about confidentiality.