Michael Webster took up the role of New Zealand's Privacy Commissioner on 5 July 2022. Since taking up the role, Commissioner Webster has focused on ensuring the Office of the Privacy Commissioner is equipped to deliver on its vision of making privacy a core focus for agencies, in order to protect the privacy of individuals, enable agencies to achieve their own objectives, and safeguard a free and democratic society.

That has seen a strengthening of the compliance and enforcement function, a focus on delivering on the Office's regulatory stewardship responsibilities, and advocating for a regulatory framework and Privacy Act that's fit for purpose in the digital age.