Australian Privacy Principles | OAIC We use cookies on this site We use cookies to analyse traffic and to improve your browsing experience on our website. To find out more, read our privacy policy. Close Skip to main content News Join our team Contact us Home Privacy Privacy Your privacy rights Privacy complaints Australian Privacy Principles Privacy guidance for organisations and government agencies Notifiable data breaches Privacy legislation Privacy assessments and decisions Privacy registers Privacy for Kids Freedom of information Freedom of information Your freedom of information rights How to access government information Freedom of information guidance for government agencies Freedom of information legislation and determinations Information Commissioner decisions and reports Freedom of information statistics for the OAIC Australian Government freedom of information statistics Consumer Data Right Consumer Data Right Information for consumers Consumer Data Right complaints Consumer Data Right guidance for business Consumer Data Right legislation, regulation and definitions Consumer Data Right assessments Digital ID Engage with us Engage with us Consultations Submissions Translations Events Networks Research and training resources About the OAIC About the OAIC What we do Who we are Join our team Access our information Our regulatory approach Our corporate information Commissioner Priorities Information policy Serving legal documents on the Australian Information Commissioner News Join our team Contact us Privacy Australian Privacy Principles Australian Privacy Principles The Australian Privacy Principles (or APPs) are the cornerstone of the privacy protection framework in the Privacy Act 1988. They apply to any organisation or agency the Privacy Act covers. There are 13 Australian Privacy Principles and they govern standards, rights and obligations around: the collection, use and disclosure of personal information an organisation or agency’s governance and accountability integrity and correction of personal information the rights of individuals to access their personal information. The Australian Privacy Principles are principles-based law. This gives an organisation or agency flexibility to tailor their personal information handling practices to their business models and the diverse needs of individuals. They are also technology neutral, which allows them to adapt to changing technologies. A breach of an Australian Privacy Principle is an ‘interference with the privacy of an individual’ and can lead to regulatory action and penalties. Australian Privacy Principles quick reference Summary of each principle with a link to our guideline for it Australian Privacy Principles guidelines How to apply the Australian Privacy Principles Read the Australian Privacy Principles Legal copy describing each Australian Privacy Principle Did you find this helpful? Yes No We'd love to hear more! Please tell us more Rate your experience We'd love to hear more about your rating What did you come here to do? How can we improve this information? ⨯ Share Facebook Twitter Linkedin Site map Copyright Terms and conditions Privacy policy Accessibility Contact us 1300 363 992 Monday to Thursday 10 am to 4 pm (AEST/AEDT) Language Please select… العربية繁體中文ελληνικόςItalianoEspañolภาษาไทยTiếng Việtਪੰਜਾਬੀကညီကျိာ်简体中文ܐܵܬܘܿܪܵܝܵܐनेपालीFilipinoهزارگیEasy English Follow us Acknowledgement of Country The OAIC acknowledges Traditional Custodians of Country across Australia and their continuing connection to land, waters and communities. We pay our respect to First Nations people, cultures and Elders past and present. © Commonwealth of Australia