Australia doesn't have anything like the EU's automatic flight-delay compensation rules — there's no fixed $250-$600 payout just because your domestic flight ran hours late. That surprises a lot of people who've heard about European air passenger rights. What Australia has instead is less predictable, and it's important to understand honestly what it does and doesn't guarantee.
No automatic cash compensation — and no guaranteed reimbursement either
There's an argument that the Australian Consumer Law's guarantee that services be provided within a "reasonable time" could apply to a flight delay caused by something within the airline's control (a crew or maintenance issue, as opposed to weather or air traffic control restrictions). In practice, though, this is a genuinely unsettled area — airlines routinely limit themselves to rebooking you on the next available flight, and industry guidance itself has acknowledged this as an "anomaly" worth reviewing. Don't go into a claim assuming reimbursement for meals or a hotel is guaranteed; treat it as an argument you can make, not a right you can simply invoke and expect to be honoured.
The one place you do have real leverage: refunds over vouchers
Where a cancellation or delay is severe enough to count as a major failure — for example, the next available flight isn't for another two days — you can insist on a cash refund rather than accepting the travel voucher an airline will often offer by default.
Building your case anyway
Even with the outcome uncertain, get a written explanation from ground staff about the cause of the delay, and keep every receipt for meals, transport, and accommodation caused by the disruption — if you do have a case, this is what supports it.
Where to escalate — and a real caveat about the ACA
If the airline won't budge, the next step is usually the Airline Customer Advocate (ACA). Be realistic about what this actually is: it's an industry-run body, not an independent ombudsman with binding power like the TIO or AFCA, and it only covers four airlines (Jetstar, Qantas, Rex, and Virgin Australia). Consumer group CHOICE has been openly critical of how little the ACA actually delivers for complainants. If the ACA doesn't resolve things, your state or territory consumer protection agency (Fair Trading, Consumer Affairs Victoria, etc.) is a more substantive option for pursuing an ACL-based claim.