Bills before Parliament

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TOTAL RESULTS: 136

  • Date
    13 Jun 2023 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    HANSON-YOUNG, Sen Sarah 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    10 May 2023 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before House of Representatives 
    Sponsor
    FAWCETT, Sen David 
    Summary
    The bill: establishes the Defence Capability Assurance Agency as an statutory authority to conduct capability assurance of defence materiel programs and establish a qualified workforce to conduct test and evaluation and risk assessments for defence materiel programs; establishes the Inspector-General of Defence Capability Assurance to provide oversight of the Defence Department, the Defence Force and the Defence Capability Assurance Agency; and establishes the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence to provide oversight of the performance of the Defence Capability Assurance Agency and the Inspector-General and review and report on matters relating to the defence of Australia and defence agencies. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    30 Mar 2023 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    RICE, Sen Janet 
    Summary
    The bill: establishes the Antipoverty Commission as a statutory authority to provide independent advice on poverty in Australia, the causes of poverty in Australia, approaches to reducing poverty in Australia and minimum levels for social security payments; and establishes a Parliamentary Joint Committee on combatting poverty in Australia. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    29 Mar 2023 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    BRAGG, Sen Andrew 
    Summary
    Implements certain recommendations of the final report of the Senate Select Committee on Australia as a Technology and Financial Centre by: providing for a framework for digital asset exchanges, digital asset custody services and the issuing of stablecoins; requiring authorised deposit-taking institutions to comply with certain reporting requirements in relation to designated central bank digital currency; and providing for additional duties of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services in relation to the regulation of activities relating to digital assets and designated central bank digital currency. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    27 Mar 2023 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    POCOCK, Sen Barbara 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Fair Work Act 2009
    to: prevent employers from contacting employees outside of work hours; and provide that employees are not required to monitor, read or respond to work communications from their employer outside of work hours. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    23 Mar 2023 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    CASH, Sen Michaelia 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Criminal Code Act 1995
    to prohibit a person from knowingly, and without reasonable excuse, displaying a Nazi symbol. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    09 Mar 2023 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    HANSON, Sen Pauline 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard—February 2023) Instrument 2023
    to amend the regulatory framework for medicinal cannabis by: re-scheduling medicinal cannabis, thereby allowing prescription by any medical practitioner; adopting a definition for cannabis as a regulated product that allows a higher level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC); and allowing whole plant cannabis products with certain limits of THC and cannabidiol to be sold over the counter at a chemist or veterinary clinic to persons over 18 years of age. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    06 Mar 2023 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    SHOEBRIDGE, Sen David 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Governor-General Act 1974
    to cease the payment of allowances to a former Governor-General, or a spouse of a former Governor-General, where they have engaged in serious misconduct. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    08 Feb 2023 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    ANTIC, Sen Alex 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Criminal Code Act 1995
    to introduce three new offences relating to the incitement of trespass, property damage or theft and unlawful obstruction of traffic in central business districts and other centres of significant business or cultural activity in Australia. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    08 Feb 2023 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    STEELE-JOHN, Sen Jordon 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918
    and
    Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984
    to: lower the minimum voting age in Australian federal elections and referenda from 18 to 16 years; provide for 16 and 17 year olds to be included in the certified list of voters (but not to be given a penalty notice if they do not vote); and provide that an eligible voter, who is not yet on the electoral roll or enrolled at their correct address, is able to cast a provisional vote on election day. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    08 Feb 2023 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    CANAVAN, Sen Matthew
    ANTIC, Sen Alex
    RENNICK, Sen Gerard 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Fair Work Act 2009
    to add COVID-19 vaccination status as an attribute protected from discrimination. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    07 Feb 2023 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    NAMPIJINPA PRICE, Sen Jacinta 
    Summary
    Reinstates measures that previously applied under the
    Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory Act 2012
    which were aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm to vulnerable communities in the Northern Territory. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    30 Nov 2022 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    FARUQI, Sen Mehreen 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Higher Education Support Act 2003
    ,
    Social Security Act 1991
    ,
    Student Assistance Act 1973
    ,
    Trade Support Loans Act 2014
    and
    VET Student Loans Act 2016
    to remove indexation on certain education and training loans; and
    Higher Education Support Act 2003
    ,
    Social Security Act 1991
    and
    Student Assistance Act 1973
    to: define 'median wage'; and raise the minimum repayment income and amend the percentage of income a person is liable to repay the Commonwealth for certain education and training loans. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    30 Nov 2022 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    CANAVAN, Sen Matthew
    ANTIC, Sen Alex
    BABET, Sen Ralph 
    Summary
    The bill: clarifies that children born alive are persons; requires health practitioners to provide medical care, treatment and statistics on children born alive as a result of terminations; and provides that the mother of a child born alive is not liable to prosecution for an offence in respect of that child. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    30 Nov 2022 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Portfolio
    Treasury 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Competition and Consumer Act 2010
    to establish action initiation reforms, enabling consumer data right (CDR) consumers to direct accredited persons to instruct on actions on their behalf, such as making a payment, opening and closing an account, switching providers and updating personal details, using the CDR framework. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    29 Nov 2022 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    HANSON, Sen Pauline 
    Summary
    Prohibits discrimination based on a person's COVID-19 vaccination status by the Commonwealth, state and territory governments, statutory authorities, local governments, and private enterprises. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    24 Nov 2022 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    WATERS, Sen Larissa 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918
    to: prohibit political donations from the fossil fuel industry, property developers, the tobacco industry, the banking industry, liquor and gambling businesses, pharmaceutical companies and representative organisations for these industries; impose a cumulative limit on political donations from any source of $3,000 per election term; and extend the definition of 'gift' to include subscription and membership fees, as well as attendance at fundraising events. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    22 Nov 2022 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    STEELE-JOHN, Sen Jordon 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Customs Act 1901
    to prohibit the importation into Australia of goods that are produced in whole or in part by forced labour. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    28 Sep 2022 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    CANAVAN, Sen Matthew
    ANTIC, Sen Alex
    CADELL, Sen Ross
    COLBECK, Sen Richard
    FAWCETT, Sen David
    PRICE, Sen Jacinta Nampijinpa
    O'SULLIVAN, Sen Matt
    RENNICK, Sen Gerard
    VAN, Sen David 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998
    to remove the prohibition on the construction or operation of certain nuclear installations; and
    Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
    to remove the prohibition on the Minister for Environment and Water declaring, approving or considering actions relating to the construction or operation of certain nuclear installations. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    27 Sep 2022 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    ALLMAN-PAYNE, Sen Penny 
    Summary
    Establishes the National Energy Transition Authority as a statutory authority to plan, coordinate and provide advice on the transition to renewable energy, focusing on the facilitation of new economic opportunities for workers and communities who are currently involved in fossil fuel production and associated industries. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    07 Sep 2022 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    LAMBIE, Sen Jacqui
    TYRRELL, Sen Tammy 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Parliamentary Privileges Act 1987
    to implement a recommendation of the interim report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide to allow a royal commission, whose terms of reference require an examination of government, to analyse and draw inferences or conclusions from evidence that is subject to parliamentary privilege. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    05 Sep 2022 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    HANSON-YOUNG, Sen Sarah 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
    to: require actions that would emit between 25,000 to 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent scope 1 emissions in any one year to be assessed for approval under Part 9 of the Act; require the minister, when approving any such action or when considering whether to enter into a conservation agreement, to consider Australia’s national carbon budget and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets; require the minister to reject the approval of actions that would emit over 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent scope 1 emissions; require the Climate Change Authority to develop a national carbon budget to 2050 and to annually assess the budget; prohibit the minister, subject to certain exceptions, from using alternative approval processes for certain emissions intensive actions; and introduce penalties for undertaking certain emissions intensive actions without approval if the action has, will have or is likely to have a significant impact on the environment. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    04 Aug 2022 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    WHISH-WILSON, Sen Peter 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006
    to: cancel Petroleum Exploration Permit 11, and Petroleum Exploration Permit/T/49P (King Island, Tasmania); prevent any petroleum exploration leases for the Otway Basin/12 Apostles being granted; and prohibit any further petroleum exploration in the three areas. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    03 Aug 2022 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Sponsor
    SMITH, Sen Dean 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Social Security (Administration) Act 1999
    and
    Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986
    to enable age pensioners and certain veterans' entitlement recipients to have their payment suspended for up to two years, instead of cancelled, if their income, which includes some income from the recipient's own employment, precludes payment; and provide for the same suspension period for partners of the age pension, disability support pension and certain veterans' entitlements recipients, where the partner is receiving a social security pension or certain veterans' entitlements;
    Social Security (Administration) Act 1999
    to make minor amendments to the existing suspension provisions for disability support pensioners; and
    Social Security Act 1991
    and
    Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986
    to: provide that working age pensioners, disability support pensioners and certain veterans' entitlements recipients, and their pensioner partners, can retain their pensioner concession card for up to two years after their payment ceases; and increase to $600 the amount of income age pensioners and certain veterans' entitlement recipients can earn each fortnight while still receiving maximum pension payments and provide for a review, and sunsetting, of these amendments. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    26 Jul 2022 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Before House of Representatives 
    Portfolio
    Prime Minister 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Customs Act 1901
    to remove a duplicate definition. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

What is a bill?

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.