Draft Opt-Out Registry Guidelines: What Direct Marketers Need To Do Now

The National Consumer Commission (“NCC”) published the draft Guidelines for Compliance with Opt-Out Registry Regulations (“draft Guidelines”) on Friday, 2 October 2026, with an invitation for written comments to be submitted within 15 days of publication.

The guidelines confirm that every person or business that engages in direct marketing (retailers, insurers, financial institutions, call centres, agencies, estate agents, motor dealerships, digital marketers and non-profit organisations), must register on the Opt-Out Registry system available on the NCC’s website before undertaking any direct marketing. Registration must be renewed annually on its anniversary date.

The scope is broad: it covers telephone calls, SMS, email, messaging applications, online platforms and robocalls or automated dialling systems. Importantly, a marketer remains responsible where a third party, agency, franchise or branch markets on its behalf.