OAIC Seeks Guidance on Automated Decision Making

From 10 December 2026, organisations covered by the Australian Privacy Principles (APP entities) that use personal information in automated decision-making processes capable of affecting an individual’s rights or interests will be required to disclose additional information in their privacy policies. This includes outlining the kinds of personal information used in ADM systems and the types of decisions made through those processes.

To support the development of guidance for organisations, the OAIC has released an Issues Paper and opened consultation with government agencies, private sector organisations, academia, civil society, and other interested stakeholders. The consultation seeks feedback on the scope of the obligations, implementation considerations, and broader issues associated with transparency in automated decision-making.

The reform reflects growing regulatory attention on the use of artificial intelligence, algorithms, and automated systems in organisational decision-making. Increased transparency obligations are intended to help individuals better understand when and how automated processes may influence outcomes that affect them.

For records and information management professionals, the changes highlight the increasing importance of governance over data quality, metadata, information lineage, and accountability in AI-enabled environments. Organisations will need to clearly understand what information is being used within automated systems, how decisions are generated, and how those processes are documented and communicated to the public.

Submissions to the consultation close on Monday 15 June 2026, with the OAIC noting the feedback will help inform future regulatory guidance and priorities.