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.

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Current Bills
Previous Bills
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TOTAL RESULTS: 866

  • Date
    27 Oct 2010 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Criminal Code Act 1995
    to enable Australia to ratify the
    Convention on Cluster Munitions
    by: creating offences and penalties in relation to cluster munitions and explosive bomblets; providing for defences for certain circumstances; and providing for certain authorisations to be made. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    09 Mar 1999 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Justice and Customs portfolio 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    24 Nov 1999 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General portfolio 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    13 Feb 2002 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Criminal Code Act 1995
    to insert new offences in relation to sending dangerous, threatening or hoax material through the post or similar services. Also repeals existing provisions in the
    Crimes Act 1914
    in relation to postal offences. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    21 Mar 2007 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Sponsor
    LUDWIG, Sen Joe 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Criminal Code Act 1995
    to create new offences in relation to the transmission of child abuse and pornographic materials by postal or like services; and increase the penalties for a range of similar crimes from 10 years imprisonment to 10 years imprisonment and 2,500 penalty units. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    11 Feb 2015 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Sponsor
    BACK, Sen Chris 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Criminal Code Act 1995
    to: insert new offences in relation to failure to report a visual recording of malicious cruelty to domestic animals, and interference with the conduct of lawful animal enterprises; and make consequential amendments. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    04 Jul 2019 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Criminal Code Act 1995
    to introduce two new offences in relation to the incitement of trespass or property offences on agricultural land. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    02 Apr 2001 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Sponsor
     

    Bill

  • Date
    13 Mar 2000 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Sponsor
     

    Bill

  • Date
    05 Dec 2002 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Justice and Customs 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Crimes Act 1914
    to: provide for the taking of both photographs and fingerprints of a convicted person; clarify consequences of refusal to take part in an identification parade; extend the class of indictable offences that may be dealt with summarily; enable DNA profile matching for unknown deceased persons; extend the provisions relating to ministerial arrangements for sharing DNA information; and make technical corrections to sentencing and parole provisions;
    Australian Federal Police Act 1979
    to remove a repealed reference;
    Australian Protective Service Act 1987
    and
    Crimes (Aviation) Act 1991
    to assist deployment of air security officers on Australian international flights;
    Australian Securities and Investment Commission Act 2001
    to remove a redundant reference;
    Australian Securities and Investment Commission Act 2001
    and
    Corporations Act 2001
    to allow information to be passed to the Australian Crime Commission;
    Crimes at Sea Act 2000
    to clarify that the application of Northern Territory criminal law in adjacent territorial sea areas does not include Commonwealth criminal law in force in the Territory;
    Criminology Research Act 1971
    to include a representative of the Australian Capital Territory on the Criminology Research Council and make consequential amendments;
    Foreign Evidence Act 1994
    to remove the requirement for foreign material to bear an official or public seal;
    International War Crimes Tribunals Act 1995
    to augment the assistance given to international war crimes tribunals, including allowing the use of video links;
    Mutual Assistance in Business Regulation Act 1992
    to remove restrictions on the Attorney-General’s delegation powers;
    Proceeds of Crime Act 2002
    to clarify the Official Trustee’s power to sell restrained property;
    Service and Execution of Process Act 1992
    to allow parole board warrants to be executed interstate; and
    Australian Crime Commission Establishment Act 2002
    ,
    Crimes Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2) 1989
    ,
    Law and Justice Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2) 1994
    and
    Retirement Savings Accounts (Consequential Amendments) Act 1997
    to correct misdescribed amendments. Also makes technical corrections to 11 Acts in relation to part numbering in the
    Crimes Act 1914
    and contains a saving provision. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

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.

Statistics on legislation

Printed bills and explanatory memoranda

Order printed versions at the Federal Register of Legislation by clicking the print icon at the document level.