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From 12 March 2013 content is no longer being added to, or amended, on this site, consequently some information may be out of date.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.

Telecommunications

The Telecommunications Act 1997 (Cth) contains a number of provisions dealing with the privacy of personal information held by carriers, carriage service providers and others.

Part 6 provides for the development of industry codes and standards in a range of consumer protection and privacy areas. The Privacy Commissioner must be consulted on any privacy codes. The codes are voluntary in the first instance, but breaches can be enforceable by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

Part 13 sets out strict rules for carriers, carriage service providers and others in their use and disclosure of personal information.

The Privacy Commissioner has the role under the Telecommunications Act of monitoring compliance with Part 13, Division 5 of the Act. This part of the Act obliges carriers and carriage service providers to make records of all disclosures of personal information (with only a few exceptions). It also requires disclosure to law enforcement agencies only in specified circumstances.