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: 119

  • Date
    10 Oct 2024 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Attorney-General 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Ombudsman Act 1976
    and
    Inspector-General of Taxation Act 2003
    to implement two recommendations of the Report of the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme by: imposing a statutory duty on agency heads and their staff to assist the Commonwealth Ombudsman and the Inspector-General of Taxation and Taxation Ombudsman (IGTO) in the performance of their functions; and expanding the powers of the Ombudsman and IGTO to access agency records;
    Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986
    to clarify that the Inspector-General of Security and Intelligence is entitled to reasonable facilities and assistance when making preliminary inquiries of the head of an intelligence agency; and
    Ombudsman Act 1976
    to: enable the Ombudsman and IGTO to access documents and other records by remote means; and make technical and contingent amendments. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    13 Sep 2011 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Climate Change and Energy Efficiency 
    Summary
    Part of a package of 18 bills to implement a carbon pricing mechanism, the bill amends the
    Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) Act 1995
    to: apply, in addition to existing levies imposed by the Act, an equivalent carbon charge to the import of synthetic greenhouse gases (SCGs) and equipment which contains SCG; provide for exemptions from the levy or the carbon price component of the levy in certain circumstances; and amend the long title of the Act. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    13 Sep 2011 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Climate Change and Energy Efficiency 
    Summary
    Part of a package of 18 bills to implement a carbon pricing mechanism, the bill amends the
    Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy) Act 1995
    to: apply, in addition to existing levies imposed by the Act, an equivalent carbon charge to the manufacture of synthetic greenhouse gases; provide for exemptions from the levy or the carbon price component of the levy in certain circumstances; and amend the long title of the Act. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    28 Sep 2022 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water 
    Summary
    Following the commencement of the
    Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021
    , the bill amends the:
    Customs Act 1901
    to: treat offshore electricity installations within the Commonwealth offshore area as Australian territory; require the approval of the Comptroller-General of Customs to attach overseas offshore electricity installations in the Commonwealth offshore area, and to use offshore electricity installations attached in the Commonwealth offshore area where they are subject to customs control; extend forfeiture provisions for unlawfully attaching overseas offshore electricity installations; clarify the times at which offshore electricity installations, and the goods on these installations, can be imported to, and exported from, Australia; require Australian Border Force (ABF) approval for ships or aircraft to arrive at offshore electricity installations; prohibit direct journeys between external places and offshore electricity installations and transfers between ships or aircraft in close proximity to offshore electricity installations; enable ABF officers to board and search offshore electricity installations, as well as question and search persons on an installation in certain circumstances; require the owner of an offshore electricity installation to facilitate boarding by authorised persons; and prohibit the removal of customs seals or similar marks placed by customs officials on offshore electricity installations; and
    Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021
    to make minor administrative amendments. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    28 Sep 2022 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Reform (Closing the Hole in the Ozone Layer) Bill 2022 and Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy) Amendment Bill 2022, the bill amends the
    Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) Act 1995
    to: remove the cap on the rate that levies can be set at and provide for the rate of levy to be prescribed by regulations; remove the levy on the import of equipment that operates using ozone depleting substances; enable the minister to delegate the power to exempt a person from paying the levy; and make other minor amendments, including to update the drafting style. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    28 Sep 2022 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Reform (Closing the Hole in the Ozone Layer) Bill 2022 and Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) Amendment Bill 2022, the bill amends the
    Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy) Act 1995
    to: remove the cap on the rate that levies can be set at and provide for the rate of levy to be prescribed by regulations; enable the minister to delegate the power to exempt a person from paying the levy; and make other minor amendments, including to update the drafting style. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    28 Sep 2022 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) Amendment Bill 2022 and Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy) Amendment Bill 2022, the bill amends the
    Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989
    in relation to the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Program by: imposing controls that are currently imposed through licence conditions, such as the ban on import of bulk gas in non-refillable containers; clarifying licence and exemptions requirements; increasing the time allowed for submitting reports and payment levies; adopting the standard provisions of the
    Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Act 2014
    , including certain minor modifications; updating the offence and civil penalty provisions; introducing information gathering powers including the ability to issue a notice to produce; providing the option of licence suspension as an alternative to immediate cancellation of financial penalties; providing for an internal review mechanism for reviewable decisions; and allowing the use or disclosure of certain information. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    21 Nov 2024 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Communications 
    Summary
    Amends the:
    Online Safety Act 2021
    to establish a minimum age for social media use and an obligation on providers of an age-restricted social media platform to take reasonable steps to prevent age-restricted users from having an account with the platform; and
    Age Discrimination Act 2004
    to make a consequential amendment. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    24 Feb 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Online Safety Bill 2021, the bill: repeals the
    Enhancing Online Safety Act 2015
    ; makes consequential amendments to 10 Acts; amends the
    Crimes Act 1914
    ,
    Export Market Development Grants Act 1997
    and
    Online Safety Act 2021
    , when enacted, to make amendments contingent on the commencement of certain other Acts; and contains transitional and application provisions. 

    Bill | Explanatory Memorandum

  • Date
    24 Feb 2021 
    Chamber
    House of Representatives 
    Status
    Act 
    Portfolio
    Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts 
    Summary
    Introduced with the Online Safety (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Bill 2021, the bill: retains and replicates certain provisions in the
    Enhancing Online Safety Act 2015
    , including the non-consensual sharing of intimate images scheme; specifies basic online safety expectations; establishes an online content scheme for the removal of certain material; creates a complaints-based removal notice scheme for cyber-abuse being perpetrated against an Australian adult; broadens the cyber-bullying scheme to capture harms occurring on services other than social media; reduces the timeframe for service providers to respond to a removal notice from the eSafety Commissioner; brings providers of app distribution services and internet search engine services into the remit of the new online content scheme; and establishes a power for the eSafety Commissioner to request or require internet service providers to disable access to material depicting, promoting, inciting or instructing in abhorrent violent conduct for time-limited periods in crisis situations. 

    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.