Contents

Part I--Preliminary                                                                                                                 1

1............ Short title [see Note 1] ....................................................................... 1

2............ Commencement [see Note 1] .............................................................. 1

3............ Saving of certain State and Territory laws .......................................... 1

3A......... Application of the Criminal Code ...................................................... 2

4............ Act to bind the Crown ........................................................................ 2

5............ Interpretation of Information Privacy Principles ............................... 2

5A......... Extension to external Territories ......................................................... 2

5B......... Extra‑territorial operation of Act ........................................................ 3

Part II--Interpretation                                                                                                          5

6............ Interpretation ...................................................................................... 5

6A......... Breach of a National Privacy Principle ............................................. 20

6B......... Breach of an approved privacy code ................................................ 21

6C......... Organisations .................................................................................... 22

6D......... Small business and small business operators .................................... 25

6DA...... What is the annual turnover of a business? ..................................... 27

6E.......... Small business operator treated as organisation ............................... 28

6EA....... Small business operators choosing to be treated as organisations .... 29

6F.......... State instrumentalities etc. treated as organisations ......................... 30

7............ Acts and practices of agencies, organisations etc. ............................ 31

7A......... Acts of certain agencies treated as acts of organisation .................... 34

7B......... Exempt acts and exempt practices of organisations ......................... 35

7C......... Political acts and practices are exempt ............................................. 37

8............ Acts and practices of, and disclosure of information to, staff of agency, organisation etc.      39

9............ Collectors .......................................................................................... 40

10.......... Record‑keepers ................................................................................. 41

11.......... File number recipients ...................................................................... 42

11A....... Credit reporting agencies .................................................................. 43

11B....... Credit providers ................................................................................ 43

12.......... Application of Information Privacy Principles to agency in possession                 46

12A....... Act not to apply in relation to State banking or insurance within that State           46

12B....... Severability: additional effect of Act in relation to organisations ..... 46

Part III--Information privacy                                                                                         48

Division 1--Interferences with privacy                                                             48

13.......... Interferences with privacy ................................................................ 48

13A....... Interferences with privacy by organisations .................................... 49

13B....... Related bodies corporate .................................................................. 50

13C....... Change in partnership because of change in partners ....................... 51

13D....... Overseas act required by foreign law ................................................ 52

13E........ Effect on section 13 of sections 13B, 13C and 13D ......................... 52

13F........ Act or practice not covered by section 13 or section 13A is not an interference with privacy               52

Division 2--Information Privacy Principles                                                     53

14.......... Information Privacy Principles ......................................................... 53

15.......... Application of Information Privacy Principles ................................ 59

16.......... Agencies to comply with Information Privacy Principles ............... 59

Division 3--Approved privacy codes and the National Privacy Principles           60

16A....... Organisations to comply with approved privacy codes or National Privacy Principles         60

16B....... Personal information in records ........................................................ 60

16C....... Application of National Privacy Principles ..................................... 61

16D....... Delayed application of National Privacy Principles to small business 61

16E........ Personal, family or household affairs ............................................... 62

16F........ Information under Commonwealth contract not to be used for direct marketing     63

Division 4--Tax file number information                                                          64

17.......... Guidelines relating to tax file number information ............................ 64

18.......... File number recipients to comply with guidelines ............................ 64

Division 5--Credit information                                                                              65

18A....... Code of Conduct relating to credit information files and credit reports   65

18B....... Credit reporting agencies and credit providers to comply with Code of Conduct   65

Part IIIAA--Privacy codes                                                                                               66

18BA.... Application for approval of privacy code ........................................ 66

18BAA. Privacy codes may cover exempt acts or practices .......................... 66

18BB..... Commissioner may approve privacy code ....................................... 66

18BC..... When approval takes effect .............................................................. 69

18BD.... Varying an approved privacy code ................................................... 69

18BE..... Revoking the approval of an approved privacy code ....................... 70

18BF..... Guidelines about privacy codes ........................................................ 70

18BG.... Register of approved privacy codes ................................................. 71

18BH.... Review of operation of approved privacy code ............................... 71

18BI...... Review of adjudicator's decision under approved privacy code ...... 72

Part IIIA--Credit reporting                                                                                             73

18C....... Certain credit reporting only to be undertaken by corporations ...... 73

18D....... Personal information not to be given to certain persons carrying on credit reporting              73

18E........ Permitted contents of credit information files .................................. 74

18F........ Deletion of information from credit information files ...................... 77

18G....... Accuracy and security of credit information files and credit reports 79

18H....... Access to credit information files and credit reports ........................ 80

18J........ Alteration of credit information files and credit reports ................... 80

18K....... Limits on disclosure of personal information by credit reporting agencies              81

18L........ Limits on use by credit providers of personal information contained in credit reports etc.     85

18M...... Information to be given if an individual's application for credit is refused              88

18N....... Limits on disclosure by credit providers of personal information contained in reports relating to credit worthiness etc. .......................................................................................................... 89

18NA.... Disclosure by credit providers to certain persons who gave indemnities                 97

18P........ Limits on use or disclosure by mortgage insurers or trade insurers of personal information contained in credit reports .......................................................................................................... 97

18Q....... Limits on use by certain persons of personal information obtained from credit providers      99

18R....... False or misleading credit reports ................................................... 101

18S........ Unauthorised access to credit information files or credit reports ... 102

18T....... Obtaining access to credit information files or credit reports by false pretences     102

18U....... Application of section 4B of Crimes Act ....................................... 102

18V....... Application of this Part .................................................................. 103

Part IV--Office of the Privacy Commissioner                                                    104

Division 1--Office of the Privacy Commissioner                                       104

19.......... Establishment of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner ............ 104

19A....... Privacy Commissioner .................................................................... 104

20.......... Terms and conditions of appointment ........................................... 104

21.......... Remuneration of Commissioner ..................................................... 104

22.......... Leave of absence ............................................................................. 105

23.......... Outside employment ...................................................................... 105

24.......... Resignation ..................................................................................... 105

25.......... Termination of appointment .......................................................... 105

26.......... Acting Commissioner ..................................................................... 106

26A....... Staff and consultants ...................................................................... 106

Division 2--Functions of Commissioner                                                         107

27.......... Functions of Commissioner in relation to interferences with privacy 107

28.......... Functions of Commissioner in relation to tax file numbers ............ 110

28A....... Functions of Commissioner in relation to credit reporting ............. 111

29.......... Commissioner to have regard to certain matters ............................. 112

Division 3--Reports by Commissioner                                                           114

30.......... Reports following investigation of act or practice .......................... 114

31.......... Report following examination of proposed enactment ................... 116

32.......... Report following monitoring of certain activities ........................... 116

33.......... Exclusion of certain matters from reports ...................................... 117

Division 4--Miscellaneous                                                                                     119

34.......... Provisions relating to documents exempt under the Freedom of Information Act 1982           119

35.......... Direction where refusal or failure to amend exempt document ...... 119

Part V--Investigations                                                                                                      121

Division 1--Investigation of complaints and investigations on the Commissioner's initiative                 121

36.......... Complaints ..................................................................................... 121

37.......... Principal executive of agency .......................................................... 122

38.......... Conditions for making a representative complaint ......................... 123

38A....... Commissioner may determine that a complaint is not to continue as a representative complaint           124

38B....... Additional rules applying to the determination of representative complaints         125

38C....... Amendment of representative complaints ...................................... 125

39.......... Class member for representative complaint not entitled to lodge individual complaint           125

40.......... Investigations .................................................................................. 125

40A....... Referring complaint about act under Commonwealth contract ...... 126

41.......... Circumstances in which Commissioner may decide not to investigate or may defer investigation          127

42.......... Preliminary inquiries ....................................................................... 128

43.......... Conduct of investigations ............................................................... 128

44.......... Power to obtain information and documents .................................. 130

45.......... Power to examine witnesses ........................................................... 131

46.......... Directions to persons to attend compulsory conference ................ 131

47.......... Conduct of compulsory conference ................................................ 132

48.......... Complainant and certain other persons to be informed of various matters              133

49.......... Investigation under section 40 to cease if certain offences may have been committed             133

50.......... Reference of matters to other authorities [see Note 2] ................... 134

50A....... Substitution of respondent to complaint ........................................ 136

51.......... Effect of investigation by Auditor‑General .................................... 137

Division 2--Determinations following investigation of complaints   138

52.......... Determination of the Commissioner ............................................... 138

53.......... Determination must identify the class members who are to be affected by the determination                140

53A....... Notice to be given to outsourcing agency ....................................... 140

53B....... Substituting respondent to determination ...................................... 141

Division 3--Enforcement                                                                                        142

54.......... Application of Division .................................................................. 142

55.......... Obligations of respondent organisation .......................................... 142

55A....... Proceedings in the Federal Court or Federal Magistrates Court to enforce a determination    143

55B....... Evidentiary certificate ..................................................................... 144

Division 4--Review and enforcement of determinations involving Commonwealth agencies   146

57.......... Application of Division .................................................................. 146

58.......... Obligations of respondent agency .................................................. 146

59.......... Obligations of principal executive of agency .................................. 146

60.......... Compensation and expenses ........................................................... 147

61.......... Review of determinations regarding compensation and expenses .. 147

62.......... Enforcement of determination against an agency ............................ 147

Division 5--Miscellaneous                                                                                     149

63.......... Legal assistance ............................................................................... 149

64.......... Commissioner etc. not to be sued ................................................... 150

65.......... Failure to attend etc. before Commissioner .................................... 150

66.......... Failure to give information etc. ....................................................... 151

67.......... Protection from civil actions ........................................................... 154

68.......... Power to enter premises ................................................................. 154

68A....... Identity cards .................................................................................. 155

69.......... Restrictions on Commissioner obtaining personal information and documents       156

70.......... Certain documents and information not required to be disclosed ... 158

70A....... Application of Part to organisations that are not legal persons ..... 159

70B....... Application of this Part to former organisations ............................ 159

Part VI--Public interest determinations and temporary public interest determinations     161

Division 1--Public interest determinations                                                   161

71.......... Interpretation .................................................................................. 161

72.......... Power to make, and effect of, determinations ................................ 161

73.......... Application by agency or organisation ........................................... 162

74.......... Publication of application ............................................................... 163

75.......... Draft determination ........................................................................ 163

76.......... Conference ...................................................................................... 164

77.......... Conduct of conference .................................................................... 164

78.......... Determination of application .......................................................... 165

79.......... Making of determination ................................................................ 165

80.......... Determinations disallowable ........................................................... 165

Division 2--Temporary public interest determinations                          166

80A....... Temporary public interest determinations ..................................... 166

80B....... Effect of temporary public interest determination ......................... 166

80C....... Determinations disallowable ........................................................... 167

80D....... Commissioner may continue to consider application ..................... 167

Division 3--Register of determinations                                                          168

80E........ Register of determinations .............................................................. 168

Part VIA--Dealing with personal information in emergencies and disasters            169

Division 1--Object and interpretation                                                             169

80F........ Object ............................................................................................. 169

80G....... Interpretation .................................................................................. 169

80H....... Meaning of permitted purpose ........................................................ 170

Division 2--Declaration of emergency                                                             171

80J........ Declaration of emergency--events of national significance ............ 171

80K....... Declaration of emergency--events outside Australia ..................... 171

80L........ Form of declarations ....................................................................... 172

80M...... When declarations take effect ......................................................... 172

80N....... When declarations cease to have effect ........................................... 172

Division 3--Provisions dealing with the use and disclosure of personal information     173

80P........ Authorisation of collection, use and disclosure of personal information 173

Division 4--Other matters                                                                                     176

80Q....... Disclosure of information--offence ............................................... 176

80R....... Operation of Part ............................................................................ 177

80S........ Severability--additional effect of Part ........................................... 177

80T....... Compensation for acquisition of property--constitutional safety net 178

Part VII--Privacy Advisory Committee                                                                 180

81.......... Interpretation .................................................................................. 180

82.......... Establishment and membership ...................................................... 180

83.......... Functions ........................................................................................ 181

84.......... Leave of absence ............................................................................. 181

85.......... Removal and resignation of members ............................................. 182

86.......... Disclosure of interests of members ................................................ 182

87.......... Meetings of Advisory Committee .................................................. 182

88.......... Travel allowance ............................................................................. 183

Part VIII--Obligations of confidence                                                                       184

89.......... Obligations of confidence to which Part applies ............................ 184

90.......... Application of Part ......................................................................... 184

91.......... Effect of Part on other laws ............................................................ 184

92.......... Extension of certain obligations of confidence ................................ 185

93.......... Relief for breach etc. of certain obligations of confidence .............. 185

94.......... Jurisdiction of courts ...................................................................... 185

Part IX--Miscellaneous                                                                                                   186

95.......... Medical research guidelines ............................................................ 186

95A....... Guidelines for National Privacy Principles about health information 186

95AA.... Guidelines for National Privacy Principles about genetic information 188

95B....... Requirements for Commonwealth contracts .................................. 188

95C....... Disclosure of certain provisions of Commonwealth contracts ....... 189

96.......... Non‑disclosure of private information ........................................... 189

97.......... Annual report ................................................................................. 191

98.......... Injunctions ...................................................................................... 191

99.......... Delegation ....................................................................................... 193

99A....... Conduct of directors, employees and agents .................................. 193

100........ Regulations ..................................................................................... 195

Part X--Amendments of other Acts                                                                          197

101........ Amendments of other Acts ............................................................ 197

Schedule 1--Amendments of other Acts                                                                198

Schedule 2--Interim guidelines concerning the collection, storage, use and security of tax file number information                                                                                                            199

Introduction ................................................................................................... 199

1............ General ............................................................................................ 199

2............ Collection of tax file number information ....................................... 200

3............ Storage and security of tax file number information ....................... 200

4............ Use and disclosure of tax file number information ......................... 201

5............ Publicity ......................................................................................... 201

6............ Cessation of employment and investment ..................................... 201

7............ Meaning of terms in interim guidelines ........................................... 202

Schedule 3--National Privacy Principles                                                               203

1............ Collection ........................................................................................ 203

2............ Use and disclosure .......................................................................... 204

3............ Data quality .................................................................................... 208

4............ Data security .................................................................................. 208

5............ Openness ........................................................................................ 208

6............ Access and correction ..................................................................... 208

7............ Identifiers ........................................................................................ 210

8............ Anonymity ..................................................................................... 211

9............ Transborder data flows ................................................................... 211

10.......... Sensitive information ...................................................................... 212

Notes                                                                                                                                           215

An Act to make provision to protect the privacy of individuals, and for related purposes

WHEREAS Australia is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the English text of which is set out in Schedule 2 to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986:

AND WHEREAS, by that Covenant, Australia has undertaken to adopt such legislative measures as may be necessary to give effect to the right of persons not to be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with their privacy, family, home or correspondence:

AND WHEREAS Australia is a member of the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development:

AND WHEREAS the Council of that Organisation has recommended that member countries take into account in their domestic legislation the principles concerning the protection of privacy and individual liberties set forth in Guidelines annexed to the recommendation:

AND WHEREAS Australia has informed that Organisation that it will participate in the recommendation concerning those Guidelines:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen, and the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:

 

  

Notes to the Privacy Act 1988

Note 1

The Privacy Act 1988 as shown in this compilation comprises Act No. 119, 1988 amended as indicated in the Tables below.

The Privacy Act 1988 was modified by the Australian Capital Territory Government Service (Consequential Provisions) Act 1994 (No. 92, 1994) as amended by the Employment Services (Consequential Amendments) Act 1994 (No. 177, 1994). The modifications are not incorporated in this compilation.

For application, saving or transitional provisions made by the Corporations (Repeals, Consequentials and Transitionals) Act 2001, see Act No. 55, 2001.

All relevant information pertaining to application, saving or transitional provisions prior to 18 June 1997 is not included in this compilation. For subsequent information see Table A.

The Privacy Act 1988 was modified by the Banking (State Bank of South Australia and Other Matters) Act 1994 (No. 69, 1994) see Table B.

Table of Acts

Act	Number and year	Date of Assent	Date of commencement	Application, saving or transitional provisions
Privacy Act 1988	119, 1988	14 Dec 1988	1 Jan 1989 (see Gazette 1988, No. S399)
Law and Justice Legislation Amendment Act 1989	11, 1990	17 Jan 1990	Part 1 (ss. 1, 2) and Part 3 (ss. 6, 7): Royal Assent Ss. 8--10: 17 July 1990 Ss. 12, 13 and 51(1)(b), (2): 17 Jan 1990 (see s. 2(5)) Remainder: 14 Feb 1990		--
Defence Legislation Amendment Act 1990	75, 1990	22 Oct 1990	S. 5: Royal Assent (a)		--
Privacy Amendment Act 1990	116, 1990	24 Dec 1990	24 Sept 1991		S. 25 (ad. by 136, 1991, s. 21)
as amended by
Law and Justice Legislation Amendment Act 1991	136, 1991	12 Sept 1991	Part 4 (s. 21): 24 Sept 1991 (b)		--
Law and Justice Legislation Amendment Act (No. 3) 1992	165, 1992	11 Dec 1992	S. 4: (c)		--
Data‑matching Program (Assistance and Tax) Act 1990	20, 1991	23 Jan 1991	23 Jan 1991		--
Crimes Legislation Amendment Act 1991	28, 1991	4 Mar 1991	S. 74(1): Royal Assent (d)		--
Industrial Relations Legislation Amendment Act 1991	122, 1991	27 June 1991	Ss. 4(1), 10(b) and 15--20: 1 Dec 1988 Ss. 28(b)--(e), 30 and 31: 10 Dec 1991 (see Gazette 1991, No. S332) Remainder: Royal Assent		S. 31(2)
Law and Justice Legislation Amendment Act 1991	136, 1991	12 Sept 1991	Part 3 (ss. 10--20): (e)		--
Social Security Legislation Amendment Act (No. 4) 1991	194, 1991	13 Dec 1991	Schedule 5 (Part 2): (f)		--
Law and Justice Legislation Amendment Act (No. 4) 1992	143, 1992	7 Dec 1992	7 Dec 1992		--
National Health Amendment Act 1993	28, 1993	9 June 1993	9 June 1993		--
Law and Justice Legislation Amendment Act 1993	13, 1994	18 Jan 1994	S. 22: 13 Jan 1993 Part 6 (ss. 27--41): 11 Apr 1994 (see Gazette 1994, No. S126) Remainder: Royal Assent		S. 16
Law and Justice Legislation Amendment Act 1994	84, 1994	23 June 1994	S. 71: Royal Assent (g)		--
Australian Capital Territory Government Service (Consequential Provisions) Act 1994	92, 1994	29 June 1994	1 July 1994 (see Gazette 1994, No. S256)		--
Employment Services (Consequential Amendments) Act 1994	177, 1994	19 Dec 1994	Ss. 1, 2(1), (3) and Part 2 (ss. 3--8): 19 Dec 1994 (see s. 2(1)) S. 2(2) and Div. 4 of Part 6 (ss. 32--39): Royal Assent Remainder: 1 Jan 1995 (see s. 2(3) and Gazette 1994, No. S472)		S. 19
Human Rights Legislation Amendment Act 1995	59, 1995	28 June 1995	Schedule (item 25): 30 Oct 1992 Remainder: Royal Assent		Ss. 4 and 5
Statute Law Revision Act 1996	43, 1996	25 Oct 1996	Schedule 4 (item 122): Royal Assent (h)		--
Law and Justice Legislation Amendment Act 1997	34, 1997	17 Apr 1997	Schedule 13: Royal Assent (i)		--
Hearing Services and AGHS Reform Act 1997	82, 1997	18 June 1997	Schedule 4 (items 1, 2, 4--12): Royal Assent (j) Schedule 4 (item 3): (j)		Sch. 4 (item 12) [see Table A]
as amended by
Statute Law Revision Act 2005	100, 2005	6 July 2005	Schedule 2 (item 20): (ja)		--
Statute Law Revision Act 2006	9, 2006	23 Mar 2006	Schedule 2 (item 19): (r)		--
Financial Sector Reform (Consequential Amendments) Act 1998	48, 1998	29 June 1998	Schedule 1 (item 133): 1 July 1998 ( see Gazette 1998, No. S316) (k)		--
Financial Sector Reform (Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act (No. 1) 1999	44, 1999	17 June 1999	Schedule 7 (items 126--128): (l)		--
Public Employment (Consequential and Transitional) Amendment Act 1999	146, 1999	11 Nov 1999	Schedule 1 (items 738--747): 5 Dec 1999 (see Gazette 1999, No. S584) (m)		--
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Legislation Amendment Act 1999	161, 1999	10 Dec 1999	Schedule 3 (items 1, 49): (n)		--
Privacy Amendment (Office of the Privacy Commissioner) Act 2000	2, 2000	29 Feb 2000	1 July 2000 (see Gazette 2000, No. S229)		Sch. 1 (item 15) [see Table A]
Australian Federal Police Legislation Amendment Act 2000	9, 2000	7 Mar 2000	2 July 2000 (see Gazette 2000, No. S328)		Sch. 3 (items 20, 29, 34, 35) [see Table A]
Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000	155, 2000	21 Dec 2000	Schedule 3: Royal Assent Remainder: 21 Dec 2001		Sch. 1 (items 37, 53, 57, 76, 100, 124, 130) and Sch. 3 (item 4) [see Table A]
Law and Justice Legislation Amendment (Application of Criminal Code) Act 2001	24, 2001	6 Apr 2001	S. 4(1), (2) and Schedule 40 (items 1--9, 11--13): (o) Schedule 40 (item 10): (o)		S. 4(1) and (2) [see Table A]
Corporations (Repeals, Consequentials and Transitionals) Act 2001	55, 2001	28 June 2001	Ss. 4--14 and Schedule 3 (item 437): 15 July 2001 (see Gazette 2001, No. S285) (p) Schedule 3 (item 438): (p)		S. 2(8) (am. by 116, 2003, Sch. 4 (item 1)) Ss. 4--14
as amended by
Financial Sector Legislation Amendment Act (No. 1) 2003	116, 2003	27 Nov 2003	Schedule 4 (item 1): (q)		--
National Crime Authority Legislation Amendment Act 2001	135, 2001	1 Oct 2001	Schedules 1--7 and 9--12: 12 Oct 2001 (see Gazette 2001, No. S428) Schedule 8: 13 Oct 2001 (see Gazette 2001, No. S428) Remainder: Royal Assent		--
Abolition of Compulsory Age Retirement (Statutory Officeholders) Act 2001	159, 2001	1 Oct 2001	29 Oct 2001		Sch. 1 (item 97) [see Table A]
Australian Crime Commission Establishment Act 2002	125, 2002	10 Dec 2002	Schedule 2 (items 99--106): 1 Jan 2003		--
Defence Legislation Amendment Act 2003	135, 2003	17 Dec 2003	Schedule 2 (item 39): 17 June 2004		--
Privacy Amendment Act 2004	49, 2004	21 Apr 2004	21 Apr 2004		Sch. 1 (items 3, 5) [see Table A]
as amended by
Statute Law Revision Act 2006	9, 2006	23 Mar 2006	Schedule 2 (item 21): (r)