Chronology of Privacy Legislation in Australia
| 2006 | |
|---|---|
| October | The Australian Law Reform Commission releases its Issues Paper in its Inquiry into the Privacy Act 1988. |
| September | The Victoria Surveillance Devices (Workplace Privacy) Act 2006 is passed, which amends the Surveillance Devices Act 1999 to regulate the use of surveillance devices in workplaces. |
| September | The Privacy Act Legislation Amendment Act 2006 is passed, which concerns the collection of information by doctors from the Prescription Shopping Information Service and clarifies the treatment of genetic information under the Privacy Act and when health service providers can disclose it. |
| September | The Privacy Legislation Amendment (Emergencies and Disasters) Bill 2006 is introduced, to give agencies and organisations greater ability to manage the collection and disclosure of personal information in an emergency or disaster. |
| July | The Do Not Call Register Act 2006 and the Do Not Call Register (Consequential Amendments) Act 2006 are passed to establish a National Do Not Call Register which is planned to be operational from about mid 2007. |
| February | The Australian Law Reform Commission is given a new reference to review the legal framework for the protection of privacy in Australia. |
| 2005 | |
| 18 May | Release of the Privacy Commissioner's review into the operation of the private sector provisions of the Privacy Act, 1988. |
| 2004 | |
| 17 December | The Tasmanian Personal Information Protection Act 2004 received assent. |
| 1 September | The NSW Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 came into effect. |
| 10 April | Main operative provisions of Spam Act 2003 (Cth) come into effect. |
| 2003 | |
| 9 December | The Fair Trading (Further Amendment) Act 2003 No 106 (Vic) (Vic Telemarketing Act) received assent - many of the operative provisions of the legislation have yet to be proclaimed. |
| 3 December | Privacy Amendment Bill 2003 tabled in Parliament. |
| 2 December | Spam Act 2003 (Cth) given Royal Assent and Part 1, sections 42 and 47 and Schedule 1 came into effect. |
| 12 November | Privacy and Personal Information Amendment Bill 2003 (NSW) was read a second time in the Legislative Council of New South Wales. Debate was adjourned. |
| 25 August | Fair Trading Amendment Act 2003 No 35 (NSW) (NSW Telemarketing Act) commences, excluding direct commerce provisions (which have not yet commenced). |
| 22 July | NSW Telemarketing Act received royal assent. |
| 1 July | Information Act 2002 (NT) commenced. |
| 2002 | 21 December | New regime applies to affected small businesses. |
| 25 September | Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW) assented to (but not yet in force). |
| 1 July | Health Records Act (Vic) came into effect. |
| 2001 | |
| 21 December | New regime came into effect. |
| October | Federal Privacy Commissioner begins to approve codes. |
| 3 October | Privacy Commissioner releases final Guidelines on Privacy in the Private Health Sector. |
| 17 September | Privacy Commissioner releases final version of NPP guidelines. |
| 6 September | Public comment period on draft s 95A guidelines ended.
Privacy Commissioner releases revised version of the Code Development Guidelines |
| 1 September | Information Privacy Act (Vic) came into force. |
| 6 August | National Health and Medical Research Council releases draft
s 95A guidelines. |
| 20 July | Public comment period on draft NPP guidelines ended. |
| June | Tasmania and Western Australia commenced drafting privacy legislation. |
| 12 June | Office of the Privacy Commissioner releases consultation paper: Privacy Issues in the Use of Public Key Infrastructure for Individuals. |
| 15 May | Draft Health Privacy Guidelines released. |
| 7 May | Federal Privacy Commissioner releases draft NPP guidelines. |
| 2 May | Federal Privacy Commissioner Announces two research projects - Privacy and the Community and Privacy, Business and Government. |
| 10 April | Health Records Act (Vic) received royal assent. |
| 9 April | Federal Privacy Commissioner releases draft code development guidelines. |
| 2000 | |
| 21 December | Information Privacy (Qld) lapsed. No legislation is proposed by Queensland as at 30 June 2001.
Bill receives Royal Assent. |
| 12 December | Information Privacy Act (Vic) enacted. |
| 6 December | Bill, as amended by the House of Representatives, passed by the Senate for the second time. Awaiting Royal Assent. |
| 5 December | Bill returned to the House of Representatives. The substantial Senate amendments are rejected. Bill passed by the House of Representatives, with Government amendments, for the second time. |
| 29-30 November | Bill introduced and debated in the Senate. Amendments moved by the Opposition and the Democrats. Bill passed by the Senate for the first time. |
| 8 November | Bill passed for the first time by the House of Representatives with Government amendments. |
| June | EU made submission to House of Representatives Committee that Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Bill would not meet EU's test of 'adequacy' for participation in trade involving personal information with EU member states. Two major problems with the Bill included the inclusion of protection for employers and small businesses. |
| 12 April | Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Bill introduced to the House of Representatives and read a first time. |
| January | Surveillance Devices Act 1999 commences. Repeals Listening Devices Act 1969. |
| 1999 | |
| December | Attorney General Department released key draft provisions of the proposed new privacy legislation. |
| March | Senate Legal and Constitutional References Committee Report on Privacy and the Private Sector released. |
| 1998 | |
| December | Data Protection Bill (Vic) (later named the Information Privacy Act). |
| 30 November | Privacy and Personal Information Act (NSW) was enacted. |
| 1 February | Health Records (Privacy and Access) Act (ACT) came into force. |
| February | National Principles for the Fair Handling of Personal Information (voluntary code of regulation for the private sector) established by the Federal Privacy Commissioner. |
| 1997 | |
| Inquiry into general public opinion on privacy issues conducted by Federal Privacy Commissioner, Moira Scollay. Inquiry involved extensive consultation with consumers, business and, with regard to health information, health stakeholders. | |
| 1996 | |
| Attorney-General's discussion paper, Privacy Protection in the Private Sector, released. | |
| 1994 | |
| NSW Privacy and Data Protection Bill (lapsed). | |
| 1992 | |
| Amendments relating to credit reporting made to the Privacy Act 1988. | |
| 1991 | |
| Privacy Bill (SA) introduced. | |
| 1990 | |
| Privacy Committee Act 1984 (QLD) amended and its operations extended for 1 year. | |
| 1989 | |
| Privacy Committee (SA) established. | |
| 1988 | |
| Data Protection Bill(WA). Privacy Act (Commonwealth) - regulates public sector. |
|
| 1986 | |
| Australia Card proposed. Privacy Bill 1986 proposed and abandoned. |
|
| Federal Government adopts OECD guidelines.
Privacy Committee Act (QLD). |
|
| 1980 | |
| OECD Guidelines on Data Privacy Protection and Transborder Date Flows released. | |
| 1976 | |
| Australian Law Reform Commission is directed by the Attorney General to report on privacy. The report is published in 1983. | |
| 1975 | |
| Privacy Committee Act (NSW). | |
| 1971 | |
| Invasion of Privacy Act (QLD).
Information Storage Bill (VIC). |
|
| 1969 | |
| Listening device legislation passed in NSW and Victoria. | |
| 1948 | |
| Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations. The Declaration provides that 'No one shall be subject to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour or reputation. Everyone has the right to protection of law against such interference or attacks.' | |
