2008 marked a major milestone in privacy protection in Australia. It was the 20th anniversary of the passage of the first privacy legislation through the Parliament of Australia.

This legislation provided the foundation for protecting the personal information of Australians. It covered Australian Government agencies and individuals' Tax File Numbers.

Over the last twenty years, the legislation has evolved to increase the protections afforded to Australians in relation to their personal information, for example, being extended to credit reporting in 1990 and then to all health organisations and organisations with a turnover greater than $3 million in 2001.

The Office undertook a number of activities in 2008 to celebrate this milestone, including organising the inaugural Australian Privacy Awards to recognise and reward good privacy practice in the public and private sectors and by an individual.

Play Video [Privacy Act 1988 - Celebrating 20 Years]

Some key dates in the development of federal privacy law in Australia:

1976 - The first comprehensive privacy reference to the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC).

1983 - The ALRC reports on its privacy reference to the Australian Government (ALRC 22).

1984 - Australia officially adopts the 1980 OECD Guidelines on the Protection of Privacy and Transborder Flows of Personal Data

1986 - Introduction of the Privacy Bill 1986 to the Australian Parliament (in conjunction with Australia Card Bill 1986). These Bills were not passed.

1988 - Introduction and passage of the Privacy Bill 1988 by the Australian Parliament

1990 - Coverage of the Privacy Act extended to Credit Reporting, Spent Convictions and Data-Matching.

1998 - National Principles for the Fair Handling of Personal Information (in the private sector) released by the Privacy Commissioner.

2000 - Introduction and passage of the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Bill 2000 by the Australian Parliament. This legislation introduced the National Privacy Principles for the private sector.

2001 - Most private sector provisions of amended Privacy Act come into effect.

2005 - Report of the Review of the Private Sector Provisions by Privacy Commissioner released.

2005 - The Senate Legal and Constitutional References Committee report into the Privacy Act released.

2006 - Second comprehensive privacy reference given to the ALRC.

2008 - Celebrating 20 years of the Privacy Act including the inaugural presentation of the Australian Privacy Awards