Site Changes

On 1 November 2010 the Office of the Privacy Commissioner was integrated into the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and a new website established at www.oaic.gov.au.

Note 1: Major changes to the Privacy Act 1988 will come into effect in March 2014. Agencies, businesses and not for profits need to start preparing for these changes. For more information go to our privacy law reform page at www.oaic.gov.au
Note 2: From 12 March 2013 content is no longer being added to, or amended, on this site, consequently some information may be out of date. For new privacy content visit the www.oaic.gov.au website.

Answer 6 (more)

Question 6:

Is your complaint about a federal government agency?

Answer: Please give me more information

Federal government agencies are bound by the Privacy Act. State and local government bodies are not covered, except for Australian Capital Territory (ACT) agencies.

Federal government agencies are agencies that have been set up by the Federal government to carry out one of its functions or activities. Examples include Centrelink, Child Support Agency, Department of Defence, Australian Taxation Office, Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry, Comcare, National Competition Council, National Occupational Health & Safety Commission, National Archives of Australia Office of Film and Literature Classification. For a complete list of Federal government agencies please visit the Australian Government Directory

ACT government agencies are agencies that have been set up by the Australian Capital Territory Government to carry out one of its functions or activities. Examples include ACT Department of Education, ACT Treasury Department, ACT Department of Justice and Community Safety and ACT Department of Urban Services. If you are not sure if the agency you are complaining about is an ACT government agency you can ask the agency directly and it will tell you. Alternatively, you can contact the Privacy Hotline on 1300 363 992 and we will try to assist you.

Public primary schools, public high schools, public hospitals, State or Territory buses, trains and ferries and Local Councils are all state government agencies and do not fall within the Federal Privacy Commissioner's jurisdiction (except in the ACT). Most universities are state bodies and will not be subject to the Privacy Act. The exceptions are private universities and those in the ACT.

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