Minister Simon Watts was quoted today in an article by RNZ saying that the tools used for anonymising sensitive client data are “completely irreversible.”

“IRD seems to be trying to pull the Minister’s strings by having him do their PR”, said Taxpayers’ Union Communications Officer, Alex Emes.

“The Hashing process used to protect data has been widely criticised for its reversibility by tech experts across the world, and has even been successfully reversed here in New Zealand.”

“Claims from Inland Revenue that they ‘continuously review their processes to ensure we are safe’ are a complete coverup. Had this actually been the case, they would not have leaked private client data to social media companies in the first place.”

“Minister Simon Watts needs to stop parroting the lines of bureaucrats, stand up for Kiwis and start holding the Inland Revenue Department accountable to the people they are supposed to serve.”

NOTES:

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is an independent and membership-driven activist group, dedicated to being the voice for Kiwi taxpayers in the corridors of power. Its mission, lower taxes, less waste, more accountability, is supported by 200,000 subscribed members and supporters.

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