The Australian Law Reform Commission has responded to criticism of the quality of data collected by credit reporting agencies. Its report on the Privacy Act, released yesterday, includes a number of recommendations for improvements to data quality and security.The ALRC has recommended that the credit reporting code "should promote data quality by setting out procedures to ensure consistency and accuracy of credit reporting information."These procedures should deal with the timeliness of reporting, the calculation of overdue payments, an obligation to prevent the multiple listing of the same debt and the updating of information.The ALRC has recommended that credit reporting agencies be required to enter into agreements with credit providers that contain obligations to ensure the quality and security of information, establish and maintain controls to ensure the accuracy of information, monitor data quality and investigate possible breaches.It has recommended that credit reporting agencies and credit providers establish procedures to resolve complaints about the content of a credit report. There must also be access to an external dispute resolution scheme.