Law, justice & securityAgencyExists today
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
OAIC
1 November 2010 – present
Independent regulator for privacy and freedom of information, which handles privacy complaints and FOI reviews, enforces the Privacy Act 1988 and advises government on information policy.
How it came into existence
Established on 1 November 2010 under the Australian Information Commissioner Act 2010, bringing together the Office of the Privacy Commissioner with new freedom of information oversight functions, including FOI complaint handling previously undertaken by the Commonwealth Ombudsman.
- Privacy regulation under the Privacy Act 1988
- Investigation of freedom of information complaints
The Ombudsman kept a residual FOI complaint role.
Legislation: Australian Information Commissioner Act 2010; Privacy Act 1988; Freedom of Information Act 1982
Changes during its life
- 13 May 2014The 2014-15 Budget announced the office's abolition; the abolition bill lapsed in 2016 and the office continued.
- 2024Separate Information, Privacy and Freedom of Information Commissioners were appointed, restoring the three-commissioner model.
Main functions
- Privacy regulation and enforcement
- Information Commissioner review of FOI decisions
- FOI complaint investigation
- Notifiable data breaches scheme
- Information policy advice to government
Where it sits
In the portfolio of Attorney-General's Department.
- Type of body
- Non-corporate Commonwealth entity
- Portfolio
- Attorney-General's
- Accountable authority
- Information Commissioner – Australian Information Commissioner Act 2010 section 5(4)(b)
- ABN
- 85 249 230 937
Lineage
Loading lineage…
Sources
Primary sources
- List of Commonwealth entities and companies under the PGPA Act, 1 July 2026 (Department of Finance)
- Australian Government Organisations Register (Department of Finance, data.gov.au) (listed from 11 December 2014 to the latest release (30 June 2026))