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Aged Care Act Fully in Effect 1 July 2025TGA Digital Advertising Rules July 2026Mandatory Climate Disclosure Group 2: July 2026ACCC ACL Penalties Now TrebledVictoria Building Reforms 1 Dec 2026Fair Work Gig Economy Changes Mid-2026OAIC Sector Sweeps Now ActiveFood Safety Standard 3.2.2A Now EnforcedAged Care Act Fully in Effect 1 July 2025TGA Digital Advertising Rules July 2026Mandatory Climate Disclosure Group 2: July 2026ACCC ACL Penalties Now TrebledVictoria Building Reforms 1 Dec 2026Fair Work Gig Economy Changes Mid-2026OAIC Sector Sweeps Now ActiveFood Safety Standard 3.2.2A Now Enforced
Newsroom — March 2026
The regulatory changes every Australian business needs to know.
[01] — Employment Law
EmploymentNational
Gig Economy Workers Gain Employee-Like Rights as Fair Work Act Amendments Reshape Platform Obligations Across Australia
Australian businesses operating in the platform and gig economy are facing a seismic shift in workforce compliance obligations following amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009, which from mid-2026 extend minimum entitlements to a broad class of workers previously classified as independent contractors.
The reforms introduce the concept of the 'employee-like' worker — defined by economic dependence, integration into a platform's operations, and the degree to which engagement terms are non-negotiable. Delivery riders, rideshare drivers, care workers accessed through apps, and a wide range of freelance platform workers all fall within scope.
Under the new framework, covered workers will be entitled to minimum earnings standards, protections against unfair deactivation, and access to Fair Work Commission dispute resolution. Platform operators must publish transparent engagement terms, maintain documented deactivation procedures, and demonstrate effective minimum payment rates after work-related expenses.
For businesses in logistics, aged care, domestic services, and technology, existing platform terms must be reviewed against the new standards immediately. Pay modelling must account for post-expense minimums, and onboarding and offboarding procedures must be restructured to meet procedural fairness requirements.
“Businesses that have relied on the contractor distinction to minimise workforce cost will need to fundamentally reassess their model. Minimum standards are now a floor, not a ceiling.”
EmploymentMarch 2026
Right to Disconnect Now Applies to All Employers Including Small Business
Following the 2024 rollout for large employers, small businesses with fewer than 15 employees are now fully subject to the Right to Disconnect provisions under the Fair Work Act. Employees may reasonably refuse contact outside work hours without adverse action. Businesses must review after-hours communication policies, rostering platforms, and managerial expectations. Failure to adapt exposes businesses to unfair dismissal risk and adverse action claims.
Full Briefing →EmploymentMarch 2026
Casual Conversion Rules Tightened — Affirmative Employer Obligation Now in Effect
Amended casual employment provisions require employers to proactively offer conversion to permanent employment to eligible casuals within 21 days of the twelve-month mark (42 days for small business). The prior opt-in model has been replaced with an affirmative obligation. Businesses with casualised workforces must audit current arrangements and update HR systems to trigger compliance processes automatically.
Full Briefing →
[02] — Disability Services
NDISNational
New NDIS Quality & Safeguards Framework Forces Provider Registration Overhaul Nationwide
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has finalised sweeping changes to provider registration and practice standards, effective from October 2025. All registered providers must now meet updated core module requirements covering governance, risk management, incident reporting, and worker screening.
The updated framework introduces tiered registration based on service complexity and participant risk. High-intensity supports including behaviour support, specialist disability accommodation, and complex health supports face enhanced audit requirements with mandatory annual compliance reviews.
Providers must demonstrate documented evidence of continuous improvement processes, participant outcome measurement, and staff competency frameworks. The Commission has flagged that legacy compliance documentation will no longer satisfy audit requirements under the new standards.
Unregistered providers servicing plan-managed participants are also affected — new conduct obligations and a complaints framework now apply regardless of registration status. All providers must ensure worker screening checks are current and that incident management systems meet the updated reporting thresholds.
“The era of minimal documentation and informal compliance is over. Providers who cannot demonstrate systematic quality governance will face registration conditions or cancellation.”
NDISMarch 2026
Behaviour Support Practitioners Face New Registration Requirements
From October 2025, all behaviour support practitioners must hold individual registration with the NDIS Commission in addition to provider-level registration. Practitioners must demonstrate completion of approved training, maintain supervised practice logs, and submit restrictive practice reports within updated timeframes. Non-compliance risks both practitioner deregistration and provider audit findings.
Full Briefing →NDISMarch 2026
Plan Management Providers Now Subject to Financial Conduct Standards
New conduct standards require plan management providers to maintain trust account arrangements, provide quarterly financial statements to participants, and demonstrate conflict-of-interest management where the provider also delivers supports. The NDIS Commission has indicated that targeted audits of plan managers will commence in Q2 2026.
Full Briefing →
[03] — Building & Construction
ConstructionVIC / National
Victoria Building Reforms Introduce Mandatory Compliance Declarations for All Classes of Building Work
The Victorian Government's Building Legislation Amendment Act introduces mandatory compliance declarations for all classes of building work from 1 December 2026. Builders, building surveyors, and project managers must now provide signed declarations at critical stage inspections confirming compliance with the National Construction Code and relevant Australian Standards.
The reforms respond directly to the cladding crisis and systemic non-compliance identified across the Victorian building sector. Key changes include mandatory documentation of material selections against NCC performance requirements, enhanced supervision obligations for registered building practitioners, and new powers for the Victorian Building Authority to issue stop-work orders where compliance declarations are incomplete.
For commercial and residential builders, the immediate impact is on project documentation workflows. Every critical stage — from foundations through to occupancy — now requires a formal declaration with supporting evidence. This includes fire safety systems, structural elements, waterproofing, and energy efficiency measures.
The penalty regime has been significantly strengthened. Providing a false or misleading compliance declaration carries individual penalties of up to $200,000 and potential criminal prosecution for serious contraventions.
“Compliance is no longer something you address at final inspection. Every stage of construction must now demonstrate documented conformance with the code.”
ConstructionMarch 2026
National Construction Code 2025 Amendments — Energy Efficiency Requirements Tightened
NCC 2025 amendments raise minimum energy efficiency requirements for residential buildings to 8-star NatHERS equivalence in most climate zones. Commercial buildings face updated Section J requirements with mandatory whole-of-building energy modelling for developments over 2,500 square metres. Builders must update standard specifications and supplier arrangements to meet the new thermal performance benchmarks.
Full Briefing →ConstructionMarch 2026
Silica Dust Exposure Limits Halved Across All Australian Jurisdictions
Safe Work Australia's revised workplace exposure standard for crystalline silica dust has been adopted nationally, reducing the permissible exposure limit from 0.05 mg/m³ to 0.025 mg/m³. Construction businesses must update health monitoring programs, review dust suppression controls, and ensure air monitoring meets the new threshold. Enforcement action has already commenced in Victoria and New South Wales.
Full Briefing →
[04] — Privacy & Technology
Privacy & AINational
Australia's AI Governance Framework Takes Shape as Privacy Act Reforms Target Automated Decision-Making
The Australian Government's response to the Safe and Responsible AI consultation paper has confirmed that mandatory guardrails for high-risk AI applications will be legislated by late 2026. Businesses deploying AI in recruitment, credit assessment, healthcare triage, and government service delivery must prepare for transparency and accountability obligations.
The proposed framework requires organisations using AI for decisions that materially affect individuals to maintain human oversight mechanisms, conduct algorithmic impact assessments, and provide meaningful explanations of automated decisions upon request. Training data governance, bias testing, and model documentation will become mandatory for high-risk use cases.
Concurrently, Privacy Act reforms will introduce a statutory tort for serious invasions of privacy and expand the definition of personal information to explicitly cover technical data, inferred data, and AI-generated profiles. The reforms create new individual rights including the right to request human review of automated decisions.
For technology companies and AI adopters across all sectors, the compliance burden is substantial. Existing AI deployments must be audited against the incoming framework, and procurement processes for AI tools must incorporate governance requirements from the vendor selection stage.
“Organisations cannot wait for final legislation to begin their AI governance programs. The direction is clear, and the compliance gap for most businesses is measured in years, not months.”
Privacy & AIMarch 2026
OAIC Announces Sector-Wide Privacy Sweep Targeting AI-Powered Customer Profiling
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has commenced a coordinated privacy assessment targeting businesses using AI and machine learning for customer profiling and behavioural analytics. Sectors under review include financial services, retail, telecommunications, and digital health. Businesses must ensure privacy impact assessments are current and that consent mechanisms cover AI-driven data processing.
Full Briefing →Privacy & AIMarch 2026
Children's Online Privacy Code Expected to Mandate Age Assurance for Digital Services
The draft Children's Online Privacy Code, expected for consultation in mid-2026, will require digital service providers to implement age assurance mechanisms where services are likely to be accessed by children under 16. Platforms, apps, and online services must prepare for data minimisation requirements, enhanced parental consent frameworks, and restrictions on profiling and targeted content for child users.
Full Briefing →
[05] — Financial Crime
AML/CTFNational
Tranche 2 AML/CTF Reforms Finally Extend Obligations to Lawyers, Accountants, and Real Estate Agents
After more than a decade of delays, Australia's Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 is being amended to extend reporting entity obligations to designated non-financial businesses and professions — commonly known as Tranche 2. Lawyers, accountants, real estate agents, and trust and company service providers will be required to implement AML/CTF programs, conduct customer due diligence, and submit suspicious matter reports.
The reforms align Australia with Financial Action Task Force recommendations and respond to sustained international criticism of Australia's vulnerability to money laundering through professional service gatekeepers. AUSTRAC will be the supervisory authority, with sector-specific guidance expected in stages throughout 2026.
For affected professions, the compliance build is substantial. Firms must develop risk assessments, implement know-your-customer processes, establish transaction monitoring appropriate to their service type, and train staff on reporting obligations. The legal profession faces particular complexity around the interaction between AML/CTF obligations and legal professional privilege.
Industry associations have flagged significant resourcing challenges for small and mid-sized practices. AUSTRAC has indicated a phased enforcement approach, but the registration and program development requirements will commence from the legislation's effective date.
“Australia has been a conspicuous outlier on Tranche 2 for over fifteen years. The grace period is over — professional service firms must treat this as an urgent compliance priority.”
AML/CTFMarch 2026
AUSTRAC Enforcement Intensifies — Record Penalties for Reporting Failures
AUSTRAC's enforcement activity has reached unprecedented levels, with civil penalty proceedings and enforceable undertakings targeting systematic failures in transaction monitoring and suspicious matter reporting. Recent actions against remittance providers and digital currency exchanges signal that reporting entities across all sectors must demonstrate that their AML/CTF programs are not merely documented but operationally effective.
Full Briefing →AML/CTFMarch 2026
Digital Currency Exchange Providers Face Enhanced Registration Requirements
Amendments to the AML/CTF Rules impose enhanced registration and ongoing compliance obligations on digital currency exchange providers. Requirements include mandatory independent audits of AML/CTF programs, enhanced customer due diligence for transactions over $10,000, and real-time transaction monitoring capabilities. Existing registrations must be renewed under the new framework by Q3 2026.
Full Briefing →
[06] — Health & Aged Care
HealthcareNational
New Aged Care Act Commences 1 July 2025 With Comprehensive Rights-Based Framework and Enhanced Enforcement Powers
The new Aged Care Act 2024 commences on 1 July 2025, replacing the Aged Care Act 1997 with a rights-based framework that fundamentally restructures the obligations of approved providers. The Act introduces a Statement of Rights for older people, strengthened quality standards, and significantly enhanced enforcement powers for the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
Approved providers must comply with strengthened governance requirements including mandatory clinical governance frameworks, open disclosure obligations for serious incidents, and enhanced reporting to the Commission. The new Quality Standards emphasise dignity, choice, and clinical outcomes rather than process compliance.
The Support at Home program, replacing the Commonwealth Home Support Programme and Home Care Packages, introduces a new funding model with standardised pricing and enhanced transparency requirements. Providers must adapt their service delivery models, pricing structures, and participant communication to meet the new framework.
The enforcement toolkit available to the Commission has been substantially expanded. New powers include the ability to issue compliance notices, impose conditions on approval, appoint external managers, and pursue civil penalties for serious non-compliance. The maximum civil penalty for a body corporate has been increased to $25 million.
“This is the most significant reform to aged care regulation in a generation. Providers who have not commenced transition planning are already behind schedule.”
HealthcareMarch 2026
TGA Digital Advertising Rules Require Health Product Marketing Overhaul
New Therapeutic Goods Administration rules governing digital advertising of therapeutic goods take effect in July 2026. Social media marketing, influencer partnerships, and online advertising for therapeutic goods must comply with updated substantiation requirements and mandatory disclaimers. Healthcare businesses and marketing agencies must audit existing digital campaigns against the new framework.
Full Briefing →HealthcareMarch 2026
Mandatory Psychosocial Hazard Management Now Enforceable Across All Healthcare Settings
Updated WHS codes of practice on psychosocial hazards are now enforceable across all Australian jurisdictions. Healthcare employers must identify, assess, and control psychosocial risks including workload, role clarity, organisational change, and workplace conflict. Regulators have indicated that healthcare and aged care settings will be priority sectors for compliance audits throughout 2026.
Full Briefing →[07] — Environment & Climate
EnvironmentNational
Mandatory Climate Disclosure Obligations Expand to Group 2 Entities From July 2026
Australia's mandatory climate-related financial disclosure regime, introduced under the Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Market Infrastructure and Other Measures) Act 2024, expands to Group 2 reporting entities from 1 July 2026. This captures entities meeting two of three thresholds: consolidated revenue of $200 million or more, gross assets of $500 million or more, or 250 or more employees.
Group 2 entities must prepare climate statements as part of their annual financial reports, covering governance arrangements, strategy, risk management processes, and metrics and targets related to climate-related risks and opportunities. Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions reporting is mandatory from the first reporting period, with Scope 3 reporting required from the second year.
The Australian Accounting Standards Board has issued specific guidance on the application of Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards to Group 2 entities. Key areas of complexity include scenario analysis requirements, transition plan disclosure, and the treatment of climate-related risks in financial statement estimates.
For businesses approaching the thresholds, immediate priorities include establishing climate governance structures, commencing greenhouse gas emissions measurement, and engaging with assurance providers. The requirement for limited assurance of climate statements commences from the first reporting period, with a transition to reasonable assurance over subsequent years.
“Climate disclosure is no longer a voluntary sustainability initiative. It is a financial reporting obligation backed by the Corporations Act, with commensurate consequences for non-compliance.”
EnvironmentMarch 2026
Safeguard Mechanism Reforms Drive Industrial Emissions Compliance Overhaul
Reforms to the Safeguard Mechanism under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act require facilities emitting more than 100,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent annually to achieve declining baselines aligned with Australia's 2030 emissions reduction target. Affected facilities must develop and implement credible decarbonisation strategies, with shortfalls requiring surrender of Australian Carbon Credit Units or Safeguard Mechanism Credits.
Full Briefing →EnvironmentMarch 2026
ACCC Greenwashing Enforcement Continues With Focus on Net Zero and Carbon Neutral Claims
The ACCC's greenwashing enforcement sweep continues into 2026, with a particular focus on net zero commitments and carbon neutral claims that lack substantiation. Businesses making environmental claims must ensure they are supported by credible evidence, clearly qualified, and consistent with recognised standards. The ACCC has indicated that enforcement action will target claims across all sectors, not only energy and resources.
Full Briefing →Briesa Newsroom © 2026