Here’s what agencies should watch
On 31 August 2026, the Australian Government released a Consultation Paper and Exposure Draft of the Privacy Amendment (Personal Data Protection) Bill 2026. The proposed reforms represent a significant expansion of Australia’s privacy framework and could materially change how businesses collect, use, disclose and protect personal information.
For real estate agencies, the direction is clear: greater scrutiny of how personal information is handled, stronger expectations around consent and security, and potentially tighter obligations around data breaches and notification. The proposals also include a new “fair and reasonable” test for handling personal information, stronger consent standards and expanded individual privacy rights.
For agencies using offshore or cloud-based support, this makes how your team accesses and handles client data increasingly important. Device security, access controls, activity logging, user access, MFA and clear data-handling processes should be treated as governance issues rather than simply IT settings.
If offshore team compliance is on your agenda, REassist’s Client Shield provides a structured framework designed to strengthen security, oversight and compliance around your existing VA arrangement.
Note: This article provides general information only and is not legal advice. Businesses should obtain advice appropriate to their own circumstances.
