Piako Gliding Club recently identified a privacy breach involving information the club holds about its members. We are contacting affected members individually by email or by post. This notice is for anyone we have not been able to reach directly, and for members' general awareness.
What happened. On 1 July 2026, during a review of the PGC website, we found that one page could be opened without a login and showed the club's membership records. The information involved was the details the club keeps on members - name, date of birth, postal address, phone numbers, email, occupation, and flying-record details such as ratings and currency dates. It did not include bank or card details, passwords, or copies of medical certificates.
What we've done. We took the page down the same day and it is no longer reachable. We have deleted the personal details the club doesn't need from the old system, and we are replacing the PGC website. We reviewed the PGC site's access records, and the only visits to that page were from us looking into the problem - though those records cover a limited period, so we can't completely rule out access at an earlier point. We have also notified the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.
What you can do. There is nothing you need to do right now. As a precaution, be wary of unexpected emails, calls or messages that use your personal details to seem genuine. If you'd like free advice on protecting your identity, IDCARE offers a New Zealand service at idcare.org.
Questions or concerns. Please contact me at secretary@glidingmatamata.co.nz. If you're not satisfied with our response, you can raise it with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner at privacy.org.nz.
We're sorry this happened, and we're taking it seriously.
