Australia: Adopted Australian Privacy Principles Guidelines containing cross-border data transfer provisions

On 1 February 2014, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) adopted the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) Guidelines. The Guidelines specify, among others, how to interpret the Australian Privacy Principle 8, which requires any APP entity (any organisation falling under the scope of the Privacy Act as amended in 2012) to take reasonable steps to ensure that the overseas recipients of personal information do not breach the APPs. Particularly, the Guidelines specify the meaning of "reasonable steps", "disclosure" and "overseas recipients", and detail when an APP entity can be held accountable.