Australia
Telemarketing compliance for outbound calls in Australia — DNCR, calling hours, synthetic voice rules, and what Octocom handles.
This page covers what you need to know for outbound marketing calls in Australia. The rules are clear, with specific hours and a national Do Not Call Register.
We'll help you get this right
These are recommendations based on ACMA and DNCR rules. We're happy to review your setup.
Do Not Call Register (DNCR)
Wash your lists against the DNCR before calling. Industry practice is to wash within 30 days of calling.
You can call DNCR numbers if you have consent (express or, in some cases, inferred).
Consent types
Express consent: Specific agreement to receive telemarketing. If not given for a set period or indefinitely, express consent expires after 3 months (DNCR guidance).
Inferred consent: May be reasonably inferred from conduct and business relationships — for example, a customer may expect calls about related products from the same brand. Ends immediately if they say stop.
For AI/synthetic voice calls, we recommend express consent to be safe.
Calling hours
These are strict and specific:
| Day | Allowed hours |
|---|---|
| Weekdays | 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Sunday | No calls |
| National public holidays | No calls |
All times are local time at the recipient's usual residential address.
Synthetic voice calls
The DNCR and Industry Standard define "voice call" to include calls with recorded or synthetic voice. The same rules apply.
For calls made solely with recorded or synthetic voice:
- You don't need to state the individual's given name at the start
- You still must identify the organisation and purpose
- You must provide an in-call mechanism for the recipient to get contact details (e.g., press a key to hear details or reach an operator)
Your setup checklist
-
Subscribe to DNCR. Wash your lists within 30 days of calling.
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Get consent. Express consent is safest for AI/synthetic voice. If relying on inferred consent, keep it tightly tied to the existing relationship and product relevance.
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Respect the hours. No Sunday calls. No calls on national public holidays. Configure your dialer accordingly.
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Enable caller ID. The return number must work for at least 30 days.
-
Open with identification. Brand name, who caused the call (if different), and purpose. For synthetic voice, provide an in-call mechanism for contact details.
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Terminate on request. Stop immediately when asked. Suppress the number immediately.
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Keep records. Document consent type, date, scope, and the 3-month default for open-ended express consent.
What Octocom handles
| Control | What we do |
|---|---|
| Opt-outs | Immediate suppression |
| Calling hours | Configurable to Australian requirements (including no-Sunday rule) |
| Caller ID | Real, accurate caller ID |
| In-call mechanism | Configurable options for contact details |
| Records | Call attempts, outcomes, opt-out events |
AI disclosure
There's no specific Australian statute requiring "I am an AI" in the call opening. Synthetic voice calls have modified identification rules (above), but no explicit AI-disclosure requirement. Don't mislead about who's calling.
Official sources
Summary
- Wash lists against DNCR within 30 days of calling
- Get express consent for AI/synthetic voice calls
- Respect calling hours — no Sunday, no public holidays
- Enable caller ID (keep number active 30+ days)
- Open with brand, purpose, and in-call contact mechanism for synthetic voice
- Terminate and suppress immediately on request
We're happy to help you configure this for the Australian market.