Australia Laws: Recording, Privacy & Defamation
Australian law on recording and surveillance is set state by state, while data privacy runs through the federal Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles, and defamation follows uniform model provisions adopted in each state and territory. This hub links our citation-backed guides to Australian law in one place.
This hub links 15 guides to law in Australia. For United States law, see our US recording laws and US legal topics hubs, and for other countries see world recording laws and world data privacy laws.
Recording and Surveillance Laws in Australia
The federal framework plus each state and territory’s consent rules and penalties for recording private conversations.
- Australia Recording Laws: Federal Framework, State Consent Rules & Penalties
- Tasmania Recording Laws: All-Party Consent Rules and Penalties
- Victoria Recording Laws: Consent Rules and Penalties
- Queensland Recording Laws: One-Party Consent Rules and Penalties
- New South Wales Recording Laws: All-Party Consent Rules
- South Australia Recording Laws: All-Party Consent Rules
- Western Australia Recording Laws 2025: All-Party Consent Rules
- Northern Territory Recording Laws: One-Party Consent Rules
- ACT Recording Laws: One-Party Consent, Penalties and Privacy Rights
Data Privacy Laws in Australia
The Privacy Act 1988, the 13 Australian Privacy Principles, the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme, and how to complain to the OAIC.
- Australia Data Privacy Laws: Privacy Act, APPs & 2026 Reforms
- How to Make a Privacy Complaint to the OAIC
- Australia's Notifiable Data Breaches Scheme Explained
- The 13 Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) Explained
Defamation Laws in Australia
The uniform Model Defamation Provisions, the 2021 reforms, defences, damages caps, and how to sue.
More Australian Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to record a conversation in Australia?
It depends on the state or territory. Some jurisdictions allow a participant to record a private conversation (one-party consent), while others require the consent of all parties. Read the guide for your specific state or territory.
What privacy law applies in Australia?
The federal Privacy Act 1988 and the 13 Australian Privacy Principles govern how many organisations and agencies handle personal information, regulated by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
Is defamation law the same across Australia?
Largely. Each state and territory enacted the uniform Model Defamation Provisions as its own Defamation Act 2005. The 2021 reforms (a serious-harm element and a public-interest defence) commenced in most jurisdictions in 2021, but Western Australia and the Northern Territory did not adopt them.