Quick Answer:

There is no single law that lists every course an Australian or New Zealand employer must run. What the law does is impose duties, and training is how most employers show they have met them. The core list of mandatory compliance training that almost every workplace is expected to cover is: work health and safety, sexual harassment prevention, workplace bullying, privacy and data protection, equal employment opportunity, and diversity and inclusion. Managers need additional training, and sectors such as NDIS, aged care, financial services, food and construction carry specific requirements on top. Deliver it at induction, refresh it annually, and keep the completion records.

If you are running a business in Australia or New Zealand, one question that keeps many employers up at night is: “Am I doing enough to meet my legal compliance obligations?”

The answer is not as simple as ticking a few boxes. Compliance training is not just about avoiding fines, though those can be eye watering.

It is about creating a workplace where people feel safe, respected and valued.

Under work health and safety laws, employers must provide the information, training and instruction workers need to stay safe.

Under the positive duty in the Sex Discrimination Act, they must take reasonable and proportionate measures to prevent sexual harassment and discrimination.

Training is one of the main ways to discharge both, and that is where mandatory compliance training in Australia and New Zealand comes in.

Let’s dive into what you need to know about mandatory compliance training, which courses are essential, and how to approach them without losing your sanity.

What Exactly Is Mandatory Compliance Training?

Think of compliance training as your business’s insurance policy against legal nightmares. Mandatory compliance training educates employees on the laws, regulations and policies that apply to their job or industry.

Training becomes “mandatory” in one of two ways: either a specific law or licence requires a particular course (common in sectors like construction, food handling, financial services, aged care and NDIS), or a broader legal duty makes training the reasonable and expected way to comply, which is the case for most workplace topics. For financial services the required course is AML/CTF, and our financial services LMS page covers assigning it by function and evidencing completion.

The stakes for compliance training in Australia are real. Safe Work Australia’s Key Work Health and Safety Statistics 2025 reported 146,700 serious workers’ compensation claims in 2023-24.

Mental health conditions made up 12 per cent of those claims, up 14.7 per cent on the previous year and 161 per cent over the decade, and the median time lost for a mental health claim was almost five times longer than for other injuries.

Penalties for the most serious WHS breaches now run into the millions of dollars, and industrial manslaughter offences exist in most Australian jurisdictions.

Those numbers should make anyone sit up. But beyond the dollar figures there is something more important: your duty of care to the people who work for you.

The landscape has changed significantly in recent years.

The positive duty under the Sex Discrimination Act requires employers to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate sexual harassment, sex discrimination, hostile work environments and victimisation.

Since 12 December 2023 the Australian Human Rights Commission has had the power to investigate and enforce it.

This is not about ticking boxes. Regulators want to see genuine training that changes behaviour and culture.

The Core List of Mandatory Compliance Training

Let’s cut through the noise and get to what you need.

While specific requirements vary by industry and jurisdiction, there is a foundational list of mandatory compliance training that applies to virtually every Australian and New Zealand workplace.

Training topic Where the obligation comes from Who should complete it
Work health and safety WHS Act (AU), Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (NZ) All staff, with a manager version
Sexual harassment prevention Sex Discrimination Act positive duty (AU), Human Rights Act and Employment Relations Act (NZ) All staff, with a manager version
Workplace bullying WHS psychosocial hazard duties, Fair Work Act anti bullying provisions (AU) All staff, with a manager version
Privacy and data protection Privacy Act 1988 and Australian Privacy Principles (AU), Privacy Act 2020 (NZ) All staff who handle personal information
Equal employment opportunity Federal and state anti discrimination laws (AU), Human Rights Act 1993 (NZ) All staff
Diversity and inclusion Best practice under the same anti discrimination and positive duty frameworks All staff, with a manager version

1. Work Health and Safety (WHS)

This is the big one. Under WHS laws, a person conducting a business or undertaking must provide the information, instruction and training needed to keep workers safe.

Safe Work Australia sets out these duties under WHS laws, and they cover everything from basic workplace safety to emergency response procedures, hazard reporting and, since the psychosocial hazard regulations, mental health risks at work.

The Sentrient Work Health and Safety course covers legislation for all states and territories in Australia, with a separate course covering NZ legislation.

These help staff understand their responsibilities in contributing to a safe workplace. For managers, there is a specialised version that includes case studies to prepare them for real world scenarios.

2. Sexual Harassment Prevention

Here is where things have become serious. The positive duty in the Sex Discrimination Act requires all organisations and businesses to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate work related sexual harassment, and the Australian Human Rights Commission names education and training as one of the seven standards it assesses employers against.

This is not about showing a dusty video from 1995. Modern sexual harassment training should be engaging, scenario based and conducted regularly.

The Sentrient Sexual Harassment course has been legally endorsed by Mills Oakley Lawyers for Australia and Simpson Grierson Lawyers for New Zealand.

For managers and supervisors, there is additional training that goes deeper into their responsibilities for preventing harassment and handling complaints appropriately.

3. Workplace Bullying

Workplace bullying is a psychosocial hazard that employers must actively manage. The training needs to help staff identify what bullying looks like (because it is not always obvious), understand its impact, and know how to report it safely.

Sentrient’s Workplace Bullying course addresses these issues directly, while the manager’s version equips leadership with the tools to address and resolve bullying situations effectively.

4. Privacy and Data Protection

With the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles in Australia, and the Privacy Act 2020 in New Zealand, governing how personal information is handled, privacy training has become essential.

Not every small business is covered by the Australian Privacy Act, but best practice employers choose to meet the Australian Privacy Principles anyway and include this training at induction.

The Sentrient Privacy course teaches staff how to safely collect, use and disclose personal information, maintain data quality and security, and handle complaints about privacy breaches. All crucial skills in a digital workplace.

5. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

Discrimination has no place in modern workplaces, but preventing it requires more than good intentions.

Equal Employment Opportunity training helps staff understand protected attributes (prohibited grounds of discrimination in NZ), recognise discriminatory behaviour, and contribute to a truly inclusive workplace.

The Sentrient EEO course covers Australian federal and state anti discrimination legislation and NZ legislation, so your team understands their rights and responsibilities.

6. Diversity and Inclusion

Going beyond basic anti discrimination training, diversity and inclusion education addresses how to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds, including different genders, sexual orientations, ages, cultures and abilities.

Inclusive workplaces tend to see better collaboration, retention and customer outcomes.

Sentrient offers both staff and manager versions of its Diversity and Inclusion course, recognising that leaders need additional skills to create and maintain inclusive teams.

Industry Specific and Role Based Compliance Training

Beyond the core courses, your compliance training needs will expand based on your industry and the specific roles within your organisation.

For Managers and Supervisors

Leadership comes with additional responsibilities. Managers need specialised training in areas like:

These are not just nice skills to have. They are necessary for meeting your organisation’s duty of care obligations, and a manager who mishandles a complaint can undo the value of every course the rest of the team completed.

Additional Compliance Areas

Depending on your business, you might also need training in:

Awareness Courses That Add Value

Beyond mandatory compliance training, a range of awareness courses is available to strengthen your program and address specific needs.

Sentrient’s awareness courses include practical topics like:

For NDIS and Aged Care Providers

For NDIS providers, and increasingly aged care providers, there are specialised courses that map to the NDIS Code of Conduct and the Aged Care Quality Standards, including:

These industry specific courses help you meet not only general workplace obligations but also the sector specific requirements that regulators actually audit against. Assigning them by role and evidencing completion by site is covered on our learning management software for aged care page.

How Often Should You Conduct Mandatory Compliance Training?

Here is where many employers get it wrong. Compliance training is not a one and done checkbox exercise.

Employers should provide annual refreshers on core compliance topics, as well as short update modules when laws, policies or systems change.

Best practice suggests:

  • At induction: Core mandatory compliance training for all new starters.
  • Annually: Refresher training on key topics like WHS, harassment and privacy.
  • As needed: Updates when legislation changes or new risks emerge.
  • Role based: Additional training when staff move into management positions.

The Sentrient online compliance courses are designed to fit this rhythm. Each course takes 10 to 15 minutes for staff versions and slightly longer for manager courses.

They are short enough that people will complete them, but comprehensive enough to meet the expectations behind the duty.

What Makes Effective Compliance Training?

Let’s be honest, most compliance training is boring. People zone out, click through slides without reading them, and promptly forget everything they have “learned”. That is not just ineffective. It is potentially dangerous.

Recent cases have reminded employers that training is an essential part of business operations, and failure to implement appropriate and regular training can carry legal risk, including penalties and compensation.

Courts and regulators do not look kindly on tick box training that does not change behaviour.

Effective mandatory compliance training should be:

  • Legally endorsed: The Sentrient courses have been written in partnership with leading law firms, so they are not just comprehensive but legally sound.
  • Regularly updated: Legislation changes, and your training needs to keep pace. Sentrient reviews all courses regularly so content remains current.
  • Practical and scenario based: Real world examples help people understand how compliance issues arise in their workplace.
  • Short and focused: Completing a course in 15 to 20 minutes means higher completion rates and better retention than hour long sessions.
  • Accessible: Being able to deploy training through your existing systems (whether that is Sentrient’s platform or your own SCORM compliant LMS) removes barriers to completion.
  • Tracked and measured: You need to be able to prove people have completed training and understood the material.

The Business Case Beyond Compliance

Yes, avoiding fines and legal action is important. But there is a broader business case for getting mandatory compliance training right.

  • Reduced incidents: Well trained staff are less likely to create compliance issues in the first place.
  • Better culture: When people understand expectations around behaviour and respect, workplace culture improves.
  • Lower turnover: Employees are more likely to stay in workplaces where they feel safe and valued.
  • Productivity gains: Time spent dealing with complaints, investigations and legal issues is time not spent on productive work.
  • Reputation protection: In the age of social media, compliance failures can become highly public, and quickly.

Common Compliance Training Mistakes to Avoid

Having reviewed countless compliance programs, I have seen the same mistakes repeated:

  • Mistake 1, treating it as a one time event: Mandatory compliance training needs to be ongoing. People forget, laws change and new risks emerge.
  • Mistake 2, using generic overseas content: Australian and New Zealand legislation is specific. Training that references American or British law is not only useless but potentially misleading.
  • Mistake 3, forgetting about managers: Your frontline staff might complete basic training, but if managers lack the skills to handle complaints or manage performance issues, you are still exposed.
  • Mistake 4, no follow up or accountability: Training without consequences for non completion is pointless. You need systems to track completion and address any issues that arise.
  • Mistake 5, ignoring industry specific requirements: While core compliance training applies across industries, sector specific requirements (like those for NDIS providers, construction companies or financial services) cannot be overlooked. For builders, our construction LMS page sets out which courses crews are usually assigned and how toolbox talks and site inductions are recorded next to them.

Getting Started With Your Compliance Training Program

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the mandatory compliance training list, start here:

  • Step 1, audit your current training: What do you already have? What is missing? When was it last updated?
  • Step 2, identify your must haves: At a minimum, you need WHS, sexual harassment, workplace bullying, privacy and EEO training for all staff.
  • Step 3, consider role based needs: Managers need additional training. Industry specific roles might need specialised courses.
  • Step 4, choose a delivery method: Whether you use a dedicated compliance platform like Sentrient or integrate courses into your existing LMS, make sure the system works for your team.
  • Step 5, set a schedule: Plan induction training for new starters and annual refreshers for existing staff. Mark it in your calendar and stick to it.
  • Step 6, track and report: Keep records of who has completed what training and when. You will need this if regulators come knocking.
  • Step 7, review and update: At least annually, review whether your training remains fit for purpose and meets current legislative requirements.

The Role of Technology in Compliance Training

Gone are the days of gathering everyone in a room for a two hour PowerPoint presentation (and thank goodness for that). Modern mandatory compliance training uses technology to make it more accessible and effective.

Cloud based platforms enable staff to complete training anywhere, at any time, a crucial advantage in a flexible work environment.

Mobile friendly courses let people learn on their devices during their commute or lunch break. Automated tracking means you always know who is up to date and who needs a reminder.

The Sentrient platform exemplifies this approach. Courses can be deployed through the Compliance System, the HR Platform, or licensed for use in third party SCORM compliant systems. This flexibility means training fits around your business, not the other way around.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Compliance Training

Mandatory compliance training is not static. As workplaces evolve, so do the risks and the regulatory response.

The right to disconnect took effect in Australia on 26 August 2024 for most employers and on 26 August 2025 for small business employers, changing how employers can contact employees outside working hours. That is just one example of how the compliance landscape keeps shifting.

Smart organisations do not wait for new legislation to force change. They stay ahead by:

  • Monitoring regulatory developments and updating training proactively
  • Collecting feedback from staff about training effectiveness
  • Measuring behaviour change, not just completion rates
  • Creating a culture where compliance is everyone’s responsibility, not just HR’s problem

Final Thoughts

Mandatory compliance training might not be the most exciting part of running a business, but it is one of the most important.

The list of mandatory compliance training might seem daunting, but breaking it down into core courses, role based training and industry specific requirements makes it manageable.

The key is to view compliance training not as a burden but as an investment in your people and your organisation’s future.

When staff understand their rights and responsibilities, when managers have the skills to lead effectively, and when everyone knows how to identify and address issues before they escalate, that is when you have built something valuable.

Platforms like Sentrient make this achievable for organisations of all sizes.

With legally endorsed courses, flexible delivery options and content designed to be completed in under 20 minutes, there is no excuse for letting compliance training slide.

Remember, training records are key evidence that you took reasonable steps to comply with your obligations.

When (not if) you need to demonstrate your compliance efforts, you will be grateful for every completed course, every updated policy and every training record you have maintained.

Start with the essentials: Work Health and Safety, Sexual Harassment, Workplace Bullying, Privacy and Equal Employment Opportunity.

Build from there based on your industry and roles. Keep it regular, keep it relevant and keep it real. Your people and your business will thank you for it.

Cover the Whole Mandatory Compliance Training List From One Platform

Sentrient’s legally endorsed courses cover WHS, sexual harassment, bullying, privacy, EEO and diversity for Australia and New Zealand, plus manager and sector specific modules. Assign at induction, refresh annually, and keep every completion record where you can find it.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Compliance Training Mandatory in Australia?

Not in the sense of a single law listing compulsory courses. With sector specific exceptions, Australian law imposes duties rather than a course schedule: to provide WHS information, training and instruction, to take reasonable and proportionate measures under the positive duty, and to take reasonable steps to protect personal information. Training is the accepted way to discharge those duties, which in practice makes it very hard to defend not doing it. Some sectors, including financial services, aged care, NDIS, food handling and construction, do carry specific and sometimes prescriptive training requirements.

2. What Is on the List of Mandatory Compliance Training for Australian Workplaces?

The core list that applies to almost every workplace is work health and safety, sexual harassment prevention, workplace bullying, privacy and data protection, equal employment opportunity, and diversity and inclusion. Managers need additional training in conflict resolution, performance management and psychological safety. Sector specific requirements sit on top.

3. What Does HR Mandatory Training Mean?

HR mandatory training is the set of courses an HR team requires every employee to complete, usually at induction and then annually, to meet the organisation’s legal duties and internal policies. It typically covers the six core topics above plus the organisation’s code of conduct, and it is tracked so HR can show who completed what and when.

4. Is Compliance Training Mandatory in New Zealand?

The same principle applies. The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 requires a PCBU to provide the information, training and instruction workers need, the Employment Relations Act and Human Rights Act set expectations around harassment and discrimination, and the Privacy Act 2020 governs personal information. Training is the usual way to meet those duties. Sentrient’s core courses have New Zealand versions endorsed by Simpson Grierson Lawyers.

5. How Often Should Mandatory Compliance Training Be Completed?

There is no universally legislated frequency for general workplace topics. Most Australian and New Zealand organisations deliver core compliance training at induction, refresh it annually, and run short updates when the law changes, after an incident, or when someone moves into a management role. Sector rules can set a firmer cycle.

6. Who Needs to Complete Mandatory Compliance Training?

Everyone who works for the organisation, including part time and casual staff, contractors and volunteers where they are covered by the same duties. Managers and supervisors need additional role based training on top of the core courses.

7. What Records Should We Keep for Compliance Training?

Who completed which course, on what date, against which version of the content, with the assessment result. Keep the records somewhere you can produce them quickly, filtered by employee and by course. A certificate in an inbox is not a record. Keeping training completions alongside policy acknowledgements and incident reports makes the evidence trail far easier to assemble.

8. What Is the Difference Between Mandatory Compliance Training and Awareness Training?

Mandatory compliance training covers the topics a legal duty or sector rule expects you to train on. Awareness training covers topics that strengthen your program but are not tied to a specific duty, such as code of conduct, appropriate use of AI, working from home or behaviour at work functions. Many organisations treat both as required internally, and there is nothing wrong with that.

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