Australia’s Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill

The Australian Parliament passed the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 in November, and the bill received Royal Assent in December. The new law amends the Privacy Act 1988, bringing substantial updates to the country’s data protection framework. 

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This critical piece of legislation grants the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) enhanced enforcement capabilities and introduces stricter penalties for breaches of privacy. Under the new law, companies are required to take a series of technical and organizational steps to protect data security and privacy. Failing to do so will result in infringement and compliance notices, which would later lead to said penalties. 

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The new law states that the OAIC will develop the Children’s Online Privacy Code over the next couple of years, signaling that the current focus on children’s data privacy rights is also present in Australia.

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