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.

Keyword(s)
Status
Current Bills
Previous Bills
Type

TOTAL RESULTS: 861

  • Date
    16 Jun 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management 
    Summary
    The bill: appropriates money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the purposes of making COVID-19 disaster payments in the 2021-22 financial year; and requires the Coordinator-General of the National Recovery and Resilience Agency (NRAA) to include information in the NRRA’s annual report that relates to COVID-19 disaster payments made in the 2021-22 financial year. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    17 Jun 2020 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Agriculture, Water and the Environment 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Excise Levies Legislation Amendment (Sheep and Lamb) Bill 2020, the bill amends the
    National Residue Survey (Customs) Levy Act 1998
    and
    Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Act 1999
    to align the definition of 'lamb' for the purposes of imposing certain levies and charges that are duties of customs with the definition used for export and industry purposes. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    06 Nov 2025 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Arts 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Broadcasting Services Act 1992
    to require providers of certain subscription video on demand services to ensure minimum levels of expenditure on new eligible Australian programs; and
    Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005
    to make consequential amendments. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    11 Feb 2026 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Before House of Representatives 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research Act 1982
    ,
    Australian Trade and Investment Commission Act 1985
    ,
    Nuclear Non-Proliferation (Safeguards) Act 1987
    and
    Parliamentary Counsel Act 1970
    to update the statutory framework for the appointment, suspension and termination of certain statutory office holders in the Foreign Affairs and Trade and Attorney-General’s portfolios. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    20 Jan 2026 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Criminal Code Act 1995
    to: create aggravated offences for preachers and leaders who advocate or threaten force or violence and adults who seek to radicalise children; increase penalties for advocating or threatening force or violence; introduce a new listing framework for prohibited hate groups; and strength the existing prohibited symbols offences;
    Crimes Act 1914
    to introduce an aggravated sentencing factor for conduct motivated by racial hatred;
    Intelligence Services Act 2001
    to provide for a review by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security of the operation of the aggravated offences for preachers and leaders and the operation of the prohibited hate group framework;
    Migration Act 1958
    to insert grounds that specifically address hate-motivated conduct and conduct or offences relating to the spread of hatred and extremism; and
    Migration Regulations 1994
    to ensure that, if a person is refused a permanent visa on character grounds, they are subject to the same exclusion period as a person who has had their visa cancelled on character grounds. Also makes consequential amendments to 5 Acts. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    05 Nov 2025 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Copyright Act 1968
    to: facilitate the use of copyright materials for which the copyright owner cannot be identified or located (commonly known as ‘orphan works’) by limiting the remedies available for infringing use if the user conducts a reasonably diligent search for the copyright owner or owners and meets certain other requirements; clarify the scope of section 28 which relates to the performance and communication of copyright material in the course of educational instruction; and make minor technical amendments. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    08 Oct 2025 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Commonwealth Parole Board Bill 2025, the bill amends the
    Crimes Act 1914
    to support the establishment of the Commonwealth Parole Board. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    08 Oct 2025 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Before Senate 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Commonwealth Parole Board (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025, the bill establishes a statutory independent Commonwealth Parole Board to make decisions about the conditional release and management of federal offenders and other detained persons. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    08 Oct 2025 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the
    Criminal Code Act 1995
    to: provide for a framework to list foreign state entities as state sponsors of terrorism and to respond to state-sponsored terrorist acts; and enable control orders, preventative detention orders and post sentence orders to be used in respect of state sponsors of terrorism and state terrorist acts. Also makes consequential amendments to 20 Acts. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    27 Nov 2024 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Not Proceeding 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Establishes a scheme for courts to make Commonwealth workplace protection orders to prevent personal violence against Commonwealth workers or in Commonwealth workplaces. 

    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.