Lisa Lewis was aghast to discover Hamilton City Council breached her privacy. She has complained to the Ombudsman and Privacy Commissioner. Photo / Supplied
Lisa Lewis was aghast to discover Hamilton City Council breached her privacy. She has complained to the Ombudsman and Privacy Commissioner. Photo / Supplied
Adult entertainer Lisa Lewis has received an apology from a city council after it breached her privacy by posting her home address on its website.
Lewis, who shot to fame after streaking an All Blacks game in a bikini in 2006, said a nagging feeling that her privacy had been breached by Hamilton City Council led to her discovery.
"I just had this uneasy feeling that something wasn't right and had to investigate what it could be," she told Open Justice.
On the council's website, Lewis found an Official Information Act request she made in February along with 18 pages of documents detailing her communication with the council about a car park outside her home.
"I just think it's unprofessional and not what I would expect from a local body authority.
"It's also made me think about how many others have had private information posted and it's gone unnoticed or unreported."
The former Hamilton mayoral candidate has rented a house adjacent to the club since 2013 that can only be accessed through the club's car park, and has endured abuse from some patrons and managers within the organisation.
In May Judge David Cameron released his reserved decision on the stoush following a judge-alone trial in the Hamilton District Court in January.
Cameron condemned the club's management and patrons for the treacherous treatment of Lewis over the years and awarded her a total $57,213 in damages and legal costs incurred to bring the civil case.
The club had even attempted to trespass Lewis from using the car park to access her house but Cameron ruled she had been "wrongly trespassed".
Adult entertainer Lisa Lewis has received an apology from the Hamilton City Council after a blunder breached her privacy by posting private information on its website. Photo / supplied
Lewis, who is yet to see the cash while the club appeals the ruling, said her OIA had been an attempt to establish exactly who was responsible for the car park, whether it was the club or the council.
"I needed to work out how I could get to my house. I was being confronted every time I stepped outside the front gate, even putting my rubbish out, and wanted to get some answers."
A council spokesperson said Lewis' private information was posted in error but didn't say how or confirm how long it was on the website.
"We've been in correspondence with and apologised to the person concerned," the spokesperson said in a short statement.
"It is never our intention to deliberately breach anyone's privacy or cause any undue harm."
Open Justice sought clarification from the council about whether the car park was a public or private space but the question went unanswered.
The OIA, seen by Open Justice, appears to show it is a public space under the council's jurisdiction.
Lewis said she believed the council was corrupt, and this inspired her to run for office which included standing unsuccessfully in last year's byelection for the Hamilton East seat left vacant when councillor and former Silver Fern Margaret Forsyth died.
Lewis said the recent events had only strengthened her resolve to throw her hat in the ring again.
"It's David versus Goliath but I'm not giving up or backing down."
Lewis was also unable to comment about the court's ruling on the appeal process, which is expected to be heard in the High Court in Hamilton later this month.
The Ombudsman's office confirmed it was assessing Lewis' complaint about a breach of privacy.
