Government & Regulatory Affairs in Australia

Essentials guide · Source-checked research48% of statements checked against a source30 checked against an official source0 checked against a secondary sourceChecked 2026-10-1913 held back until checked against an official source10 topics include AI-written statements, not source-checkedNot yet professionally reviewed

• Under the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975, a foreign person must notify the Treasurer and obtain approval before taking a notifiable action; the monetary threshold for most business investments is AUD 347 million.

  Federal. Private investors from certain free trade agreement partners have a threshold of AUD 1,498 million, but AUD 347 million still applies to sensitive businesses. Acquiring a direct interest in a national security business, and most direct interests acquired by foreign government investors, need approval regardless of value. Other thresholds apply to land and agribusiness. The Treasurer can also review non-notifiable actions on national security grounds.Australian Government, Foreign Investment in Australia · checked 2026-10-19

• Foreign persons are banned from buying established dwellings in Australia from 1 April 2025 to 30 June 2029, subject to limited exceptions.

  Federal foreign investment policy. The ban was originally due to end on 31 March 2027. Temporary residents can still apply for approval to buy new dwellings or vacant residential land.Australian Taxation Office · checked 2026-10-19

• Most states and territories charge foreign purchasers additional stamp duty and, in several cases, a land tax surcharge on residential property.

  Rates, definitions of foreign person and exemptions differ between states and territories.AI-written, not source-checked

• Foreign interests in Australian land, water entitlements and certain other assets must be recorded on the federal Register of Foreign Ownership of Australian Assets, kept by the ATO.

  Federal; applies to foreign persons acquiring registrable interests.AI-written, not source-checked

• The federal research and development tax incentive gives a tax offset for eligible R&D expenditure, which is refundable for smaller companies.

  Jointly administered by the ATO and the Department of Industry, Science and Resources; the refundable offset is for companies with aggregated turnover below AUD 20 million.AI-written, not source-checked

• Federal government procurement is governed by the Commonwealth Procurement Rules, and Australia is a party to the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement.

  Federal; states and territories have their own procurement policies.AI-written, not source-checked

• Since 1 January 2026, acquisitions that meet the notification thresholds must be notified to the ACCC and must not be completed without approval.

  Federal. The thresholds are based on the parties' revenue and transaction value and are set in the Competition and Consumer (Notification of Acquisitions) Determination 2025. Voluntary notification is possible where it is unclear whether a threshold is met.Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) · checked 2026-10-19

• The foreign investment framework is independent of ACCC merger control, though both consider competition, so foreign acquirers need to deal with each one. The ACCC's interim guidelines explain how the two interact.

  Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) · checked 2026-10-19

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