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

84

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50

Bills assented to

4

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TOTAL RESULTS: 111

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  • Murray-Darling Basin Amendment Bill 2003

    Track (What's this?)

    Date
    19 Sep 2002 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Murray-Darling Basin Act 1993
    to approve and give effect to the Murray-Darling Basin Amending Agreement between the Commonwealth, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia which will make new arrangements for sharing water made available in the River Murray catchment above Hume Dam by the Snowy Scheme. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Military Court of Australia Bill 2010

    Track (What's this?)

    Date
    24 Jun 2010 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Establishes the Military Court of Australia and provides for the court’s: management; jurisdiction; administration within the infrastructure of the Federal Court of Australia; and general practices and procedures. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Marriage Amendment Bill 2004

    Track (What's this?)

    Date
    24 Jun 2004 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Marriage Act 1961
    to: define marriage as a union of a man and a woman; and clarify that same-sex marriages entered into under the law of another country will not be recognised in Australia. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Marriage Legislation Amendment Bill 2004

    Track (What's this?)

    Date
    27 May 2004 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Marriage Act 1961
    to: define marriage as a union of a man and a woman; and clarify that same-sex marriages entered into under the law of another country will not be recognised in Australia; and
    Family Law Act 1975
    to prevent intercountry adoptions by same sex couples under multilateral or bilateral agreements or arrangements. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Marriage Amendment Bill 2002

    Track (What's this?)

    Date
    14 Feb 2002 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Marriage Act 1961
    to: reform the Marriage Celebrants Program, primarily to raise the level of professional standards required of celebrants and have them promote pre-marriage and other relationship education services, including the creation of the Registrar of Marriage Celebrants, and review of certain decisions by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal; and make technical amendments in relation to: the Notice of Intended Marriage; passports as a means of identification; authorisation of a shortened timeframe between lodgment of a Notice of Intended Marriage and the marriage; and removal of redundant provisions. Also contains transitional provisions. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Military Justice (Interim Measures) Amendment Bill 2011

    Track (What's this?)

    Date
    12 May 2011 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Defence 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Military Justice (Interim Measures) Act (No. 1) 2009
    to continue the appointment, remuneration and entitlement arrangements for the Chief Judge Advocate and two Judge Advocates for an additional two years or until the Minister for Defence declares, by legislative instrument, a termination day, whichever is sooner. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Military Justice (Interim Measures) Bill (No. 1) 2009

    Track (What's this?)

    Date
    09 Sep 2009 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Defence 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Military Justice (Interim Measures) Bill (No. 2) 2009, the bill amends the
    Defence Force Discipline Act 1982
    to: provide an interim response to the High Court decision in
    Lane v Morrison
    by returning to the service tribunal system that existed before the creation of the Australian Military Court. Also makes consequential amendments to the
    Defence Act 1903
    ,
    Defence Force Discipline Appeals Act 1955
    ,
    Judges’ Pensions Act 1968
    and
    Migration Act 1958
    , and contains application and transitional provisions relating to proceedings and office holders. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Military Justice (Interim Measures) Bill (No. 2) 2009

    Track (What's this?)

    Date
    09 Sep 2009 
    Chamber
    Senate 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Defence 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Military Justice (Interim Measures) Bill (No. 1) 2009, the bill imposes disciplinary sanctions on persons which correspond to punishments imposed by the Australian Military Court and, to the extent necessary, summary authorities in the period between the Court’s establishment and the High Court’s decision in
    Lane v Morrison
    . Also provides persons with a right to seek review of their disciplinary liability under the Act. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Medical Indemnity Agreement (Financial Assistance—Binding Commonwealth Obligations) Bill 2002

    Track (What's this?)

    Date
    26 Jun 2002 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Employment and Workplace Relations 
    Summary
    The bill: appropriates funds out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for payments in accordance with an indemnity agreement between the Commonwealth and Australasian Medical Insurance Limited/United Medical Protection Limited; and confirms the Commonwealth’s commitments under the indemnity agreement. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Midwife Professional Indemnity Legislation Amendment Bill 2011

    Track (What's this?)

    Date
    03 Mar 2011 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Health and Ageing 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Midwife Professional Indemnity (Commonwealth Contribution) Scheme Act 2010
    to enable self-employed midwives to access the scheme; and
    Midwife Professional Indemnity (Run-off Cover Support Payment) Act 2010
    to correct the formula used to calculate the tax imposed on insurers of eligible midwives. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

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Bills lists

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

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Summaries of bills, their purpose, background and financial implications.

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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.

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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.

Legislative Analysis

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

Bills currently referred to Senate committees

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

Bills currently referred to House committees (PDF 313KB)

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

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