A bill is a proposal for a law or a change to an existing law. A bill becomes law (an Act) when agreed to in identical form by both houses of Parliament and assented to by the Governor-General.

Bills introduced to Parliament are scrutinised to make sure they meet certain standards and to consider whether they should be referred to a committee for further investigation. This can include feedback from stakeholders and the general public, and a report recommending potential improvements to the bill.

Current Parliament

99

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92

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TOTAL RESULTS: 126

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  • Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Bill 2023

    Track (What's this?)

    Date
    06 Sep 2023 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Environment and Water 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Water Act 2007
    and
    Basin Plan 2012
    to: expand the type of projects that can deliver the Basin Plan target of 450 gigalitres (GL) of additional environmental water; repeal the statutory 1,500 GL cap on Commonwealth water purchases; enable funds from the Water for the Environment Special Account to be used to enhance environmental outcomes in the Basin; provide additional time for Basin States to deliver Sustainable Diversion Limit (SDL) Adjustment Mechanism projects; enable the Inspector-General of Water Compliance to determine SDL compliance and require action plans; provide for a roadmap for the delivery of constraints relaxation projects across the Southern Basin; delay the review of the Act from 2024 until 2027; and implement recommendations of the
    Water market reform: final roadmap report
    in relation to water markets and water management in the Basin. Also amends the
    Water Act 2007
    to make technical amendments in relation to First Ministers’ Council; and makes consequential amendments to the
    Water Act 2007
    and
    Competition and Consumer Act 2010
    . 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Water Amendment (Review Implementation and Other Measures) Bill 2015

    Track (What's this?)

    Date
    03 Dec 2015 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture and Water Resources 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Water Act 2007
    in relation to: reviews and reporting requirements for the Basin Plan; accreditation of first generation state water resource plans with further accreditations linked to Basin Plan review outcomes; incorporation of Indigenous expertise and knowledge in the governance of the basin’s water resources; trading by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder; and the redundancy of the Murray-Darling Basin Water Rights Information Service; and technical and consequential amendments. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Water Amendment (Save the Murray-Darling Basin) Bill 2012

    Track (What's this?)

    Date
    27 Nov 2012 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Sponsor
    HANSON-YOUNG, Sen Sarah 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Water Act 2007
    in relation to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan to: require climate change to be taken into account; not allow ground water extraction to occur unless certain conditions have been met; specify environmental outcomes; require Murray-Darling Basin Authority water recovery indicator targets to be met as far as possible; and require all modelling and analysis to be published. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Water Amendment (Saving the Goulburn and Murray Rivers) Bill 2008

    Track (What's this?)

    Date
    03 Dec 2008 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Sponsor
    BIRMINGHAM, Sen Simon 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Water Act 2007
    to: prohibit the unauthorised extraction of water from the Murray-Darling Basin; prevent the construction of water infrastructure or river flow control work; ensure that Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales comply with their obligations to allocate audited, saved water to the Living Murray Initiative and Water for Rivers; and ensure water is not used for any other purpose other than the Living Murray Initiative and Water for Rivers. 

    Bill

  • Water Amendment (Water for the Environment Special Account) Bill 2012

    Track (What's this?)

    Date
    31 Oct 2012 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities 
    Summary
    Further to the Water Amendment (Long-term Average Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment) Bill 2012, the bill amends the
    Water Act 2007
    to: establish the Water for the Environment Special Account for a 10-year period from the 2014-15 financial year to acquire additional environmental water entitlement and to remove constraints on the efficient use of environmental water for the Murray-Darling Basin Plan; and provide for independent reviews to be conducted in 2019 and 2021. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Water Amendment Bill 2008

    Track (What's this?)

    Date
    25 Sep 2008 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Climate Change and Water portfolio 
    Summary
    Gives effect to the intergovernmental Agreement on Murray-Darling Basin Reform between New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory by amending the
    Water Act 2007
    to: transfer the powers and functions of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission to the Murray-Darling Basin Authority; expand the Basin Plan to include arrangements for critical human water needs for communities dependent on the River Murray System; extend the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s role in relation to water market rules and water charge rules; provide for the appointment of the Chair to the Basin Officials Committee; effect a revised Agreement which establishes a Ministerial Council and Basin Officials Committee; and make transitional amendments. Also makes consequential and technical amendments to the
    Legislative Instruments Act 2003
    ,
    Trade Practices Act 1974
    and
    Water Act 2007
    and repeals the
    Murray-Darling Basin Act 1993
    . 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Water Amendment Bill 2015

    Track (What's this?)

    Date
    28 May 2015 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Environment 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Water Act 2007
    to impose a duty on the Commonwealth not to exceed the 1500 gigalitre limit on surface water purchases in the Murray-Darling Basin at the time of entering into a water purchase contract; and Basin Plan 2012 to provide flexibility in the recovery of 450 gigalitres of water for the environment through efficiency measures funded under the Water for the Environment Special Account. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Water Amendment Bill 2018

    Track (What's this?)

    Date
    10 May 2018 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture and Water Resources 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Water Act 2007
    to: enable the minister to direct the Murray-Darling Basin Authority to prepare an amendment to the Basin Plan 2012 that is the same in effect as an amendment that has previously been disallowed by either House of the Parliament, without having to undertake consultation; and provide for transitional arrangements. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Water Bill 2007

    Track (What's this?)

    Date
    08 Aug 2007 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Environment and Water Resources 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Water (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2007 the bill: establishes the Murray-Darling Basin Authority and requires the Authority to prepare the Basin Plan; establishes the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder; requires the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to monitor and enforce water charge and market rules in the Basin; and provides the Bureau of Meteorology with additional functions relating to information on water resources and the annual publication of the National Water Account. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (Registration Fees) Bill 2013

    Track (What's this?)

    Date
    13 Mar 2013 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Amendment (Registration Fees) Bill 2013, the bill provides for the recovery of costs for the administration of the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards scheme through taxes, in the form of fees for applying for registration. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

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Bills lists

All bills before Parliament for the current calendar year and details of their progress.

Legislative Analysis

Parliamentary Library analysis of bills, including the purpose, background and key issues.

Legislative Instruments

Parliament delegates the power to legislate so details of law can be changed quickly by others. These delegated laws are referred to as legislative instruments and can be overruled – disallowed – by Parliament.

Disallowance Alerts

Legislative instruments subject to a notice of motion to disallow. The progress and eventual outcome of any such notice is also recorded.

Tariff proposals

The introduction of a tariff proposal is the formal procedure for initiating the collection of customs and excise duties.

Bills referred to committees

To inquire and report views on the bill from organisations and individuals.

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Printed bills and explanatory memoranda

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