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Privacy legislation throughout Australia
Our research practices complies with all relevant Australian privacy laws and regulations that apply to each specific research study we conduct. This includes the Australian Privacy Act (1988) and Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). Depending on the nature of each specific research project, there might also be state and territory privacy legislation that applies.
Below is a guide to the federal, state and territory legislation throughout Australia, this list was updated in May 2024, it is non-exhaustive and we comply with all privacy legislation that applies to our specific research projects.
State/Territory |
Privacy Legislation |
Health Privacy Legislation |
Privacy Inquiries & Complaints |
| Federal | Australian Privacy Act (1988) & APPs | No specific federal health privacy legislation | Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) https://www.oaic.gov.au/ |
| NSW | Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW) (PPIPP Act) | Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW) | NSW Information and Privacy Commission |
| VIC | Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) | Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) | Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner (OVIC) https://ovic.vic.gov.au/ |
| QLD | Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld) | Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (2009) (Qld) | Queensland Office of the Information Commissioner https://www.oic.qld.gov.au/ |
| SA | No specific privacy act (public sector privacy addressed in Information Privacy Principles Instruction) | Health Care Act 2001 (SA) (includes health privacy provisions) | South Australian privacy committee https://www.sa.gov.au/privacy |
| WA | No specific privacy act (public sector privacy addressed in Freedom of Information Act 1992 (WA)) | Health Information Act 2002 (WA) | Office of the Information Commissioner (WA) https://www.oic.wa.gov.au/en-au/ |
| TAS | Personal Information Protection Act 2004 (Tas) (PIPA Act) | Health Information Act 2002 (Tas) and others | Tasmanian Ombudsman |
| ACT | No specific privacy act (public sector privacy addressed in other legislation) | Health Records Act 2007 (ACT) | The OAIC exercises some functions of the ACT Commissioner https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-complaints/make-a-privacy-complaint-in-the-act |
| NT | Information Act 2002 (NT) (includes privacy provisions) | Health Services Administration Act (NT) (includes health privacy provisions) | Office of the Information Commissioner Northern Territory https://infocomm.nt.gov.au/ |