Privacy Awareness Week: A Recap on Enforceable Privacy Legislation

As we mark Privacy Awareness Week 2025 from June 16 to 22, we aim to revisit Australia’s evolving privacy laws. Over the past year, we have seen developments regarding the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill, which amends the Privacy Act 1988 to implement a series of reforms and updates aimed at protecting individuals and organisations in Australia in the rapidly evolving digital age.

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Recap: Updates in Recent Legislation

The Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 introduced updates that are now enforceable by June 2025.‍

• Statutory Tort for Serious Invasions of Privacy – Individuals may take legal action when their privacy is invaded through misuse of their private information or intrusion into seclusion.‍
• Doxxing as a Criminal Offence – Intentionally releasing an individual’s private information without their consent, especially with the motive to cause harm, is considered a punishable criminal act.‍
• Higher Penalties for Privacy Breaches – The maximum penalty for serious or repetitive breaches increased to $50 million or 30% of adjusted turnover, whichever is greater.‍
• Children’s Online Privacy Code – There are more safeguards on handling the personal information of children, and a focus on requiring age-appropriate privacy settings.‍
• Tighter Rules on Overseas Data Disclosure – Stronger due diligence is expected when engaging with businesses overseas to ensure that Australian privacy standards are not breached.

Placing Privacy into Practice

Privacy legislations continue to adapt to keep pace with technologies and stay ahead of threats. These updates aim to close gaps, build trust, and reduce risks.

As we focus on raising awareness on the importance of data protection, we take this opportunity to ensure to review policies and incident response plans, reassess data sharing disclosures, and ensure your privacy training is up to date.

GRC integrates privacy into an organisation’s leadership, culture, and policies by managing risks effectively, strengthening legal and regulatory compliance, and reducing the likelihood of unauthorised data exposure and breaches.

For guidance on adapting to updated regulations and maintaining compliance, contact Infotrust’s GRC team.

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