Global compliance guide

Australia Technology Compliance Hub

Plain English guide to tech regulation in Australia — updated July 2026

1. AI Safety Standard

What it is: A voluntary set of ten guardrails for safe and responsible AI, alongside a policy pathway toward mandatory controls for high-risk AI.
Who it applies to: Organisations developing or deploying AI in Australia; current voluntary guidance can support governance for any size of business.
Key deadlines: No general mandatory deadline under the voluntary standard. Monitor the government's high-risk AI reform timetable.
Penalties for non-compliance: No direct penalty under the voluntary standard; future mandatory legislation may introduce enforcement.

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What it is: Changes to Australian privacy law, including stronger enforcement, a statutory privacy tort, and transparency for automated decisions.
Who it applies to: APP entities and other organisations brought into scope by current or future reform stages.
Key deadlines: Reforms are phased. Automated-decision privacy-policy transparency is scheduled from December 2026.
Penalties for non-compliance: Serious privacy contraventions can attract penalties up to AU$50 million, three times the benefit, or 30% of adjusted turnover.

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What it is: Eight prioritised cyber-mitigation strategies with maturity levels published by the Australian Signals Directorate.
Who it applies to: Mandatory or strongly expected in parts of government and widely used as voluntary good practice elsewhere.
Key deadlines: No universal private-sector deadline; government and contractual targets vary.
Penalties for non-compliance: No direct fine under the maturity model, but failures can affect contracts and obligations under other cyber or privacy laws.

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This guide is for information only — not legal advice. Requirements change, so confirm critical decisions with a qualified professional.

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