APP 1.7 Scope Check: Automated Decision-Making Test

APP 1.7 scope check

One system, against the test

Think of one system and one kind of decision it's involved in. Your answers stay on this page. Nothing is sent or stored.

Is your organisation covered by the Privacy Act (an APP entity)?

Agencies and most organisations with turnover over $3 million are. Some smaller ones are too.

YesNoNot sure

What does the program do in the decision?

It makes the decision itself. Nobody looks before it takes effect.It scores, ranks, flags, recommends or summarises for a person who decides.It only records a decision a person already made, or does simple arithmetic.Not sure

How did it get there?

Could it considerably change someone's circumstances? Losing access, paying more, missing out.

YesNoNot sure

Could the outcome differ, or hit harder, for children or people experiencing vulnerability?

YesNoNot sure

Does the program use personal information about the person the decision is about?

YesNoNot sure

0 of 7 answered. The reasoning appears here when you're done.

An aid built from the Privacy Act, the Explanatory Memorandum and the OAIC's published guidance (30 September 2026). It isn't legal advice. Work out your organisation's position with your legal and privacy teams. For the operational side, read the post this tool comes from.

What the law asks for, why human review rarely takes a system out of scope, and what a security team should have ready before 10 December: read the full post.