Every dated AI obligation, consultation and report that an Australian business should have in its calendar, in date order. Dates marked expected are the government's stated intention, not fixed law. For the rules behind each date, see the AI Industry Tracker.
Last verified 6 October 2026. Every entry links to its official source.
What is coming
Consultation closes2 days away
Australian Standards for AI: consultation paper submissions close
The Office of AI in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet released Getting it right: Building AI infrastructure that works for Australia on 17 September 2026, following National Cabinet's 26 August 2026 agreement. It proposes mandatory minimum standards for data centres above 30MW covering energy, water, network cost, community engagement and workforce, minimum security and safety expectations for frontier AI training in Australia including disclosure of defined reportable AI incidents to Australian authorities, and copyright obligations for Australian creators' works used in training.
Who this affects: Data centre operators and AI developers directly. The standards as framed do not impose obligations on organisations that deploy AI.
Fair Work Commission generative AI guidance note takes effect
Anyone using generative AI to prepare a document for a Commission case must disclose that use and how, verify every cited fact, case, statute and quote, and say so. Witness statements must be in the witness's own words. Lawyers and paid agents must hyperlink all cited case law. Final guidance published 24 August 2026.
Who this affects: Parties and representatives in Fair Work Commission proceedings, including self-represented employees and employers.
TGA clinical decision support exemption amendment takes effect
The TGA amended the clinical decision support system exemption on 8 September 2026 to clarify when software is exempt from medical device regulation. Developers relying on the exemption need to confirm their product still qualifies.
Who this affects: Developers and suppliers of clinical decision support software, including AI-enabled tools used by health practitioners.
The Senate Environment and Communications References Committee inquiry into artificial intelligence and data centres, referred on 13 May 2026 with submissions closed 1 September 2026, is due to report. It runs in parallel with the Office of AI's infrastructure standards work.
Who this affects: Data centre operators and energy and water users; context for the Australian Standards for AI.
Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence reports
Appointed 20 August 2026 with fourteen terms of reference, including the adequacy of existing laws as they apply to AI, AI adoption by Commonwealth agencies, workforce impacts, copyright, deepfakes and children's safety, and the capacity of regulators and the Australian AI Safety Institute. Submissions closed 14 September 2026.
Who this affects: No obligations arise until government responds, but the report will shape 2027 legislation.
EU AI Act: new prohibitions on AI-generated intimate imagery and child abuse material apply
Regulation (EU) 2026/1744, the AI omnibus in force from 27 July 2026, added prohibitions on AI systems generating non-consensual intimate imagery and child sexual abuse material, applying from 2 December 2026. The Article 50 transparency duties for chatbots and deepfake labelling have applied since 2 August 2026 and were not deferred.
Who this affects: Providers and deployers of AI systems placed on the EU market or whose output is used in the EU, including Australian ones.
Privacy policies of APP entities must disclose the kinds of decisions made or substantially shaped by computer programs using personal information, and the kinds of personal information used. AI is caught, but so is any scoring formula or rules engine. Legislated by the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024.
Who this affects: Every organisation covered by the Privacy Act that uses automated decision-making which could significantly affect people's rights or interests, including in credit, insurance, hiring and customer onboarding.
The statutory deadline for the OAIC to register the Children's Online Privacy Code, after an exposure draft consultation that closed on 5 June 2026. Commencement and transition arrangements had not been announced as at 6 October 2026.
Who this affects: Online services likely to be accessed by children, including AI chatbots and companions.
Australian Standards for AI bill introduced to Parliament
After the OpenAI agent breach of a Medicare statistics portal became public on 24 September 2026, the Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy said the Government plans to introduce its AI standards legislation by the end of 2026 and pass it in early 2027, with timely mandatory incident reporting as a centrepiece. National Cabinet agreed the framework on 26 August 2026.
Who this affects: Large data centres and frontier AI training in the first instance; incident reporting duties may reach deployers.
NSW Digital Work Systems Act main provisions commence
The Work Health and Safety Amendment (Digital Work Systems) Act 2026 adds express WHS duties for businesses using an algorithm, AI, automation or online platform to organise work, and new inspection powers for entry permit holders. Only the guideline-making provisions have started; the rest commence no earlier than one month after SafeWork NSW publishes the Digital Work Systems Guidelines.
Who this affects: NSW businesses using algorithmic, AI or automated systems to organise work.
National Cabinet's 26 August 2026 statement: the Commonwealth intends to legislate the AI standards in early 2027, including conditions associated with delivering AI training, designed to complement rather than duplicate state planning and approval processes.
Who this affects: Large data centres and AI training in the first instance.
South Australian Royal Commission into Artificial Intelligence reports
Australia's first Royal Commission into AI commenced on 1 October 2026. Its intended scope covers state and national policy and regulatory settings, schools and tertiary education, public services including health, skills and workforce, and AI infrastructure including energy and water.
Who this affects: South Australian government, services and institutions in the first instance; findings will be read nationally.
Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 deferred the Annex III high-risk obligations of the EU AI Act from August 2026 to 2 December 2027, and the Annex I product-embedded obligations to 2 August 2028. Australian businesses that supply AI into the EU, or whose AI outputs are used there, are within its extraterritorial reach.
Who this affects: Australian providers and deployers of high-risk AI systems placed on the EU market or whose output is used in the EU.
Milestones from the last few months that still shape what applies today.
Commences
South Australian Royal Commission into AI commences
Announced 11 August 2026. Commissioners Dr Iain Ross AO (chair), Kate Pounder and Professor Christopher Manning were appointed on 1 October 2026. Reports by 1 July 2027.
Who this affects: South Australia, with national interest.
OAIC published final guidance on automated decision-making transparency
A fact sheet on APP 1.7 to 1.9, a supplementary sheet for agencies, a flowchart and an updated Chapter 1 of the APP Guidelines, built on 90 submissions to the May 2026 issues paper. Computer program is read broadly, human review does not remove the duty where the program's output is a material input, and the commercial-in-confidence carve-out is narrow.
Who this affects: All APP entities preparing their automated decision-making disclosure.
OpenAI agent breach of a Medicare statistics portal disclosed; Office of AI review launched
An OpenAI agent bypassed access controls on a Services Australia Medicare statistics portal on 18 June 2026. OpenAI found it on 11 August and notified the Government on 10 September. The Prime Minister announced an urgent review led by the Office of AI with the Australian Signals Directorate and the AI Safety Institute, and the Government said mandatory, timely incident reporting will be in the coming AI standards.
Who this affects: Anyone deploying autonomous agents: detection, logging and notification processes are about to be expected.
Privacy Act second tranche exposure draft: submissions closed
The Privacy Amendment (Personal Data Protection) Bill 2026 exposure draft proposes a fair and reasonable test, stricter consent, 72-hour breach notification, a limited right to erasure on large platforms and express coverage of AI-generated or inferred information. It does not alter the 10 December 2026 obligation or remove the small business and employee records exemptions. The Government has said it intends to introduce the Bill before the end of 2026.
Online Safety Amendment (Digital Duty of Care) Bill 2026 exposure draft released
Names services that let users generate and share AI material among those owing a duty of care. Relevant to schools and platforms dealing with deepfakes.
Who this affects: Online services; indirectly schools and workplaces managing AI image misuse.
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the ArtsEducation
Certification against Australia's AI Ethics Principles is independent, human-reviewed evidence that your business governs AI responsibly. It is checked live by anyone, including the AI agents your customers now use.
