Commonwealth Legal Round-up | August 2026

Your quarterly legal round-up, a curated snapshot of the latest developments and practical insights for Government agencies and in-house legal teams.

• Commonwealth Government announces Australian Standards for AI

  By

  • Greg Palumbo
  ,
  • Darrell Choong
  ,
  • Peter Limbers
  ,
  • Mac Middleton
  &
  • Hannah Beaven

  The Commonwealth Government will establish a set of Australian Standards for AI.

• Automated decision making – is your agency ready for December’s new privacy obligations?

  By

  • Katherine Armytage
  &
  • Georgia Hunt

  Agencies subject to Privacy Act and APP must update their privacy policies to include information on their use of ADM

• 5 tips on how government agencies can protect privacy when implementing AI

  By

  • Katherine Armytage

  Australian Government agencies should refrain from rushing through service delivery design and decisions.

• Principles of contract law: insights from recent case law

  By

  • Anthony Willis
  ,
  • Patrick Collins
  &
  • Elisabeth Laria

  We look at cases that illustrate the longstanding principles of contract law governing such matters.

• The Reform of the Future Acts Regime: Recommendations of the Australian Law Reform Commission

  By

  • Judith-Grace Vella

  In June, the Attorney-General tabled the Australian Law Reform Commission’s Final Report...

• Native Title, Future Acts and the implications of Yindjibarndi Ngurra Aboriginal Corporation v State of Western Australia (No 2) [2026] FCA 585

  By

  • Amelia Caldwell
  &
  • Jasmine Choy

  The Court addressed the proper approach to assessing both economic and cultural loss.

In the spotlight

Our AI Expertise

Supporting the Commonwealth’s responsible, lawful and transparent adoption of AI, we deliver solutions that are tailored to your specific challenges and regulatory environments.

Our People

Congratulations to Mark Woodberry on his promotion to Special Counsel in our Probity team.

Our Clients

Maddocks supports Australian Bureau of Statistics with privacy assurance report for the 2026 Census.

Our Awards

Celebrating our Employment Safety & People team, who were crowned the Workplace Relations and Employment Team of the Year at the 2026 Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards this month.

Events and Webinars

Webinar: Legal Ethics of AI

Thursday 20 August 2026 Join us to examine the guardrails needed for the safe, ethical and effective use of AI in public sector legal and policy environments.

Webinar: Defensible Procurement 101

15 September 2026 Presented by Special Counsel, Patrick Collins and Senior Associate, Stephen White. This session offers a comprehensive overview of the Australian Government's procurement framework, including best practice tips.

Webinar: Mastering the Art of Writing Legal Advises

August 2026 Presented by Senior Associates, Mark Woodberry and Avi Kohli. This presentation offers invaluable insights and practical tips for lawyers seeking to enhance their ability to provide high-quality legal advice.

Webinar: Review Pathways in Administrative Law

July 2026 In this insightful session, Partner, Angela Barac and Senior Associate, Cybele Stockley examine key principles of administrative law, with a focus on merits review, judicial review, and the role of the Guidance and Appeals Panel (GAP) within the Administrative Review Tribunal.

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