Defence Legislation Amendment (Discipline Reform) Bill 2021

Summary

Amends the: Defence Force Discipline Act 1982 to: expand the operation of the disciplinary infringement scheme to provide a means of dealing with minor breaches of military discipline; remove the subordinate summary authority and correct a number of anomalies with regard to the respective jurisdiction of discipline officers and summary authorities, and between the different types of summary authority, in relation to the type of breach of military discipline, the rank of defence members with which each can deal, and the powers and punishments available to each level of authority; establish new service offences for failure to perform duty or carry out an activity, cyber-bullying, failure to comply with removal order (in relation to material on social media that constitutes cyber-bullying) and failure to comply with requirement to notify change in circumstances (in relation to the receipt of a benefit or allowance); and make amendments contingent on the commencement of the Online Safety Act 2021; and Defence Force Discipline Act 1982 and Defence Force Discipline Appeals Act 1955 to make consequential amendments.

Progress

House of Representatives
Introduced and read a first time	12 Aug 2021
Second reading moved	12 Aug 2021
Second reading debate	30 Aug 2021
Second reading debate	01 Sep 2021
Second reading agreed to	01 Sep 2021
Third reading agreed to	01 Sep 2021

Senate
Introduced and read a first time	02 Sep 2021
Second reading moved	02 Sep 2021
Second reading debate	01 Dec 2021
Second reading agreed to	01 Dec 2021
Committee of the Whole debate	01 Dec 2021
Third reading agreed to	01 Dec 2021


Finally passed both Houses	01 Dec 2021
Assent Act no: 133 Year: 2021	13 Dec 2021

Documents and transcripts

Text of bill

First reading

As passed by both Houses

Explanatory memoranda

Addendum to explanatory memorandum

Explanatory memorandum

Supplementary explanatory memorandum

Transcript of speeches

Proposed amendments

Senate

Government [sheet ZA126]

Schedules of amendments

No documents at present

Bills digest

Bills Digest

Notes

Considered by scrutiny committee (25/08/2021): Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills; Scrutiny Digest 16 of 2021
Considered by scrutiny committee (25/08/2021): Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights; Report 12 of 2021
Referred to Committee (26/08/2021): Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee; Committee report (14/10/2021)
An electronic version of this Act is available on the Federal Register of Legislation (www.legislation.gov.au)

Helpful information

Text of bill

First reading: Text of the bill as introduced into the Parliament
Third reading: Prepared if the bill is amended by the house in which it was introduced. This version of the bill is then considered by the second house.
As passed by both houses: Final text of bill agreed to by both the House of Representatives and the Senate which is presented to the Governor-General for assent.

Explanatory memoranda

Explanatory memorandum: Accompanies and provides an explanation of the content of the introduced version (first reading) of the bill.
Supplementary explanatory memorandum: Accompanies and explains amendments proposed by the government to the bill.
Revised explanatory memorandum: Accompanies and explains the amended version (third reading) of the bill. It supersedes the explanatory memorandum.

Proposed amendments

Circulated by members and senators when they propose to make changes to the bill. For details about the outcome of proposed amendments please refer to either the Votes and Proceedings (House of Representatives) or the Journals (Senate).

Schedules of amendments

Schedules of amendments list amendments agreed to by the second house are communicated to the first house for consideration. Subsequent action by either house may also be included in a schedule.