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ARTICLE · 03 DECEMBER 2022

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Privacy regulation in Australia

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The duplication of privacy regulation across Australian jurisdictions causes inconsistency and complicates compliance.

AustraliaPrivacy
Nadine Martino
Nadine Martino
Mark Vincent
Mark Vincent
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When discussing the operation of our Federal system in Australia with overseas lawyers they are often struck by the inefficiency of our Federal, State and Local Government structure, for a relatively small population. Undoubtably this leads to inefficiency such as that evident from having a federal "Office of the Australian Information Commissioner" and the various State based agencies such as the "Information and Privacy Commission NSW".

Section 4 (3) of the Commonwealth Privacy Act provides: "Nothing in this Act shall be taken to have the effect of making the Crown in right of a State, of the Australian Capital Territory or of the Northern Territory an agency for the purposes of this Act."

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