Rushed scrutiny of a large package
Some MPs and senators said Parliament was being asked to deal with a large and complex environment package before the Senate committee process had run its course.
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (General Charges Imposition)
Current status
This bill became law on Dec 1st, 2025.
Policy area
Climate, energy & environment
What does this bill do?
The Act lets regulationsLegal rules made under an Act. This Act leaves the chargeable activities, charge amounts, calculation methods and exemptions to regulations. impose charges that are neither customs duties nor excise duties for prescribed matters connected with administering the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999Australia's main national environment law. The charging Act relates to costs connected with administering this Act and regulations made under it..
Why was it introduced?
The bill was introduced to support cost recoveryA funding approach where charges are set to recover no more than the Commonwealth's likely costs for the relevant matter. for the administration of the EPBC ActAustralia's main national environment law. The charging Act relates to costs connected with administering this Act and regulations made under it. as part of the government's broader environment reform package. The explanatory memorandum says the actual chargeable activities and amounts would be set later in regulationsLegal rules made under an Act. This Act leaves the chargeable activities, charge amounts, calculation methods and exemptions to regulations., with the general charges bill covering charges that are neither customs duties nor excise duties.
Broader context
This general charging law sits inside the government's broader rewrite of national environment laws. Its narrow role is to let regulationsLegal rules made under an Act. This Act leaves the chargeable activities, charge amounts, calculation methods and exemptions to regulations. impose non-customs, non-excise cost-recovery charges for EPBC ActAustralia's main national environment law. The charging Act relates to costs connected with administering this Act and regulations made under it. administration, while the larger package dealt with environmental standards, a national regulator, project approvals, data and reporting.
Key criticism
Direct criticism of the general charging bill was limited because most debate treated it as one narrow bill in a much larger environment reform package. Critics mainly argued the overall package was rushed, would add green tape or project uncertainty, or still failed to go far enough on climate and nature protection.
Who supported it?
Mr Tony Burke, for the government introduced this bill. It passed with support from Labor, Greens, Australia's Voice, some crossbench members; opposed by Liberal Party, Nationals, One Nation, some crossbench members.
Introduced in House 30 Oct 2025
Passed House 06 Nov 2025
Passed Senate 27 Nov 2025 Aye 32 No 20
Became law 01 Dec 2025
Did it become law?
Yes
Became law 01 Dec 2025
Final passage
Recorded final vote
1 counted final-passage vote was recorded.
Passage speed
32 days
From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step
Meaning
What does this bill do?
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The Act lets regulationsLegal rules made under an Act. This Act leaves the chargeable activities, charge amounts, calculation methods and exemptions to regulations. impose charges that are neither customs duties nor excise duties for prescribed matters connected with administering the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999Australia's main national environment law. The charging Act relates to costs connected with administering this Act and regulations made under it..
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It is one of three linked charging laws. Separate general, customs and excise laws were used because section 55 of the ConstitutionThe constitutional rule that led the government to use separate general, customs and excise charging bills. requires those kinds of taxation to be dealt with separately.
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The Act does not set the activities or dollar amounts. Those details can be set later by regulationsLegal rules made under an Act. This Act leaves the chargeable activities, charge amounts, calculation methods and exemptions to regulations., either as a fixed amount or by a calculation method.
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Before a charge is prescribed, the Minister must be satisfied it is designed to recover no more than the Commonwealth is likely to spend on the relevant matter.
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RegulationsLegal rules made under an Act. This Act leaves the chargeable activities, charge amounts, calculation methods and exemptions to regulations. can also create exemptions from a general chargeA charge imposed under this Act only if it is neither a customs duty nor an excise duty., and the related Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025 supplies the authority to collect and recover charges under the EPBC ActAustralia's main national environment law. The charging Act relates to costs connected with administering this Act and regulations made under it..
Show source excerpts
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The regulations may prescribe a charge in relation to a prescribed matter connected with the administration of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 or regulations made under that Act.
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (General Charges Imposition) Act 2025 final Act text -
Three separate Charging Bills are required because section 55 of the Constitution requires that matters of excise, customs and other taxation that is neither excise nor customs are to be dealt with in separate Acts.
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (General Charges Imposition) explanatory memorandum -
The regulations may prescribe a charge under subsection 7(1): (a) by specifying an amount as the charge; or (b) by specifying a method for calculating the amount of the charge.
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (General Charges Imposition) Act 2025 final Act text -
Before the Governor-General makes a regulation under subsection 7(1) prescribing a charge in relation to a matter, the Minister must be satisfied that the amount of the charge is set at a level that is designed to recover no more than the Commonwealth’s likely costs in connection with the matter.
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (General Charges Imposition) Act 2025 final Act text -
Authority to collect and recover charges imposed under the Charging Bills will be provided by proposed amendments to the EPBC Act in the Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025.
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (General Charges Imposition) explanatory memorandum
Context
Broader context for this bill
This general charging law sits inside the government's broader rewrite of national environment laws. Its narrow role is to let regulationsLegal rules made under an Act. This Act leaves the chargeable activities, charge amounts, calculation methods and exemptions to regulations. impose non-customs, non-excise cost-recovery charges for EPBC ActAustralia's main national environment law. The charging Act relates to costs connected with administering this Act and regulations made under it. administration, while the larger package dealt with environmental standards, a national regulator, project approvals, data and reporting.
- 2020
Samuel review frames environment-law reform
Debate on the package repeatedly linked the 2025 reforms to Professor Graeme Samuel's 2020 review of the EPBC ActAustralia's main national environment law. The charging Act relates to costs connected with administering this Act and regulations made under it. and the need to update national environment laws.
House and Senate debate excerpts ↗ - 30 Oct 2025
Charging bills introduced with the reform package
The general charges bill was introduced with related customs and excise charging bills, so each type of tax could be dealt with separately under section 55 of the ConstitutionThe constitutional rule that led the government to use separate general, customs and excise charging bills..
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (General Charges Imposition) explanatory memorandum ↗ - 30 Oct 2025
Senate committee inquiry receives the package
The APH notes record referral to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, with a report date listed for 2 April 2026, although the bill later passed before that date.
APH bill page notes ↗ - 27 Nov 2025
Senate considers package-wide amendments
The Senate Journal records defeated Opposition, One Nation and crossbench amendments, and carried government and Greens amendments affecting the wider environment package.
Senate Journal ↗ - 27 Nov 2025
Senate passes the bill package
The Senate agreed to the remaining stages of the bills and passed them after a counted vote of 32 ayes to 20 noes.
Senate Journal ↗ - 01 Dec 2025
General Charges Act receives Royal AssentThe formal approval by the Governor-General that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act.
Royal AssentThe formal approval by the Governor-General that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act. turned the bill into Act No. 66 of 2025. Sections 3 to 10 commence by proclamationA formal instrument used to start parts of an Act on a chosen date. Sections 3 to 10 of this Act start by proclamation, or automatically after 12 months if no proclamation is made., or automatically after 12 months if not proclaimed earlier.
APH progress table and final Act text ↗
Legislative route
How did it move through Parliament?
House Senate
Introduced 30 Oct 2025
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
Second reading opened 30 Oct 2025
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Committee report (02/04/2026) review 30 Oct 2025
The package was referred to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, with a report date listed for 2 April 2026. The bill later passed both houses on 27 November 2025.
Referred to committee
APH bill page notesSecond reading debate 04 Nov 2025
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Second reading debate 05 Nov 2025
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Second reading debate 06 Nov 2025
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House second reading agreed Aye 89 No 40 06 Nov 2025
Recorded vote: 89 to 40.
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
House third reading agreed 06 Nov 2025
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
Introduced 24 Nov 2025
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
Second reading opened 24 Nov 2025
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Second reading debate 27 Nov 2025
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate second reading agreed Aye 35 No 24 27 Nov 2025
Recorded vote: 35 to 24.
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
Committee of the WholeA Senate stage where senators examine and vote on detailed amendments to a bill. debate 27 Nov 2025
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate third reading agreed Aye 32 No 20 27 Nov 2025
Recorded vote: 32 to 20.
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
Passed both houses 27 Nov 2025
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Finally passed both Houses
Assent 01 Dec 2025
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe formal approval by the Governor-General that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act., turning the bill into an Act.
Key criticism
The main case against this bill
Direct criticism of the general charging bill was limited because most debate treated it as one narrow bill in a much larger environment reform package. Critics mainly argued the overall package was rushed, would add green tape or project uncertainty, or still failed to go far enough on climate and nature protection.
The charging Act mainly creates a regulation-making framework for cost-recovery charges. The strongest criticism in the collected local record was aimed at the wider EPBC reform package debated with it.
Concern about green tape
Coalition and regional speakers argued the package could add regulatory burden, uncertainty and legal risk for farmers, forestry, resources, housing and other projects.
Climate protections still incomplete
Greens speakers supported the final package after negotiations but said it still did not create full climate protections or a full climate trigger for new coal and gas projects.
Further sources
Votes
Recorded votes
How the bill itself passed
The chamber-passage votes come first. Expand a vote to see the party breakdown.
Passed House passed the bill
House agreed to the bill's third reading on the voices, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage in that chamber.
Passed
House passed the bill
Passed on the voices
In a voice vote, members call out Aye or No and the presiding officer judges which side has it. Individual names are only recorded if a formal division is called.
Carried Senate passed the bill
Passed 32 to 20. Support came from Labor, Greens, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and One Nation. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Carried
Senate passed the bill
Party Aye / No
Labor 19 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 17
Greens 10 / 0
Independent 1 / 1
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
Nationals 0 / 1
One Nation 0 / 1
Unknown 1 / 0
Earlier bill-stage votes
Carried House cleared second reading
Passed 89 to 40. Support came from Labor and Centre Alliance. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and Greens. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Carried
House cleared second reading
Party Aye / No
Labor 81 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 22
Nationals 0 / 11
Independent 4 / 4
Unknown 3 / 2
Greens 0 / 1
Centre Alliance 1 / 0
Carried Senate cleared second reading
Passed 35 to 24. Support came from Labor, Greens, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and One Nation. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Carried
Senate cleared second reading
Party Aye / No
Labor 22 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 17
Greens 10 / 0
Nationals 0 / 3
One Nation 0 / 3
Independent 1 / 1
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
Unknown 1 / 0
Amendments at a glance
Amendments grouped by chamber. These cards include amendment outcomes recorded without a counted division.
Senate
Defeated Call for First Nations consent standard
Defeated 13 to 35. Support came from Greens, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Liberal Party, One Nation, and Nationals.
Defeated
Call for First Nations consent standard
The vote rejected a Greens statement on First Nations consent before the Senate moved on.
Party Aye / No
Labor 0 / 26
Greens 10 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 4
One Nation 0 / 3
Independent 2 / 0
Nationals 0 / 2
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
Defeated Narrow unacceptable impact tests
Moved by Jonathon Duniam (Liberal Party). Defeated 19 to 34. Support came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and One Nation. Opposition came from Labor, Greens, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents.
Defeated
Narrow unacceptable impact tests
The vote rejected an Opposition attempt to narrow when serious environmental impacts would block action.
Party Aye / No
Labor 0 / 20
Liberal Party 17 / 0
Greens 0 / 10
Independent 0 / 2
Australia's Voice 0 / 1
Nationals 1 / 0
One Nation 1 / 0
Unknown 0 / 1
Defeated Criticise scrutiny and climate gaps
Defeated 4 to 44. Support came from Australia's Voice and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Greens, Liberal Party, and One Nation.
Defeated
Criticise scrutiny and climate gaps
The vote rejected most of a crossbench criticism of the package.
Party Aye / No
Labor 0 / 26
Greens 0 / 10
Liberal Party 0 / 4
One Nation 0 / 3
Independent 2 / 0
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
Nationals 0 / 1
Unknown 1 / 0
Defeated Refer bills to Senate inquiry
Defeated 27 to 33. Support came from Liberal Party, Nationals, One Nation, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor and Greens.
Defeated
Refer bills to Senate inquiry
The vote rejected delaying passage for further committee inquiry.
Party Aye / No
Labor 0 / 23
Liberal Party 17 / 0
Greens 0 / 10
Nationals 3 / 0
One Nation 3 / 0
Independent 2 / 0
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
Unknown 1 / 0
Defeated Opposition approval and nuclear changes
Defeated 20 to 33. Support came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and One Nation. Opposition came from Labor, Greens, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Defeated
Opposition approval and nuclear changes
The vote rejected a broader Opposition package on approvals, net gain and nuclear provisions.
Party Aye / No
Labor 0 / 20
Liberal Party 17 / 0
Greens 0 / 10
Independent 1 / 1
Australia's Voice 0 / 1
Nationals 1 / 0
One Nation 1 / 0
Unknown 0 / 1
Defeated Question undefined environment standards
Moved by Roberts (One Nation). Defeated 3 to 39. Support came from One Nation. Opposition came from Labor, Greens, Liberal Party, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents.
Defeated
Question undefined environment standards
The vote rejected One Nation’s statement of concerns about the package.
Party Aye / No
Labor 0 / 22
Greens 0 / 10
Liberal Party 0 / 3
One Nation 3 / 0
Independent 0 / 2
Australia's Voice 0 / 1
Nationals 0 / 1
Defeated Delay debate until March 2026
Defeated 26 to 33. Support came from Liberal Party, Nationals, One Nation, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor and Greens. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Defeated
Delay debate until March 2026
The vote rejected postponing the package until 2026.
Party Aye / No
Labor 0 / 22
Liberal Party 17 / 0
Greens 0 / 10
Nationals 3 / 0
One Nation 3 / 0
Independent 1 / 1
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
Unknown 1 / 0
Carried Add Greens forest and fossil-fuel safeguards
Passed 33 to 19. Support came from Labor, Greens, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and One Nation.
Carried
Add Greens forest and fossil-fuel safeguards
This was the major counted vote adopting Greens changes to the broader environment package.
Party Aye / No
Labor 20 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 17
Greens 10 / 0
Independent 2 / 0
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
Nationals 0 / 1
One Nation 0 / 1
Defeated Pocock forestry and climate safeguards
Defeated 4 to 35. Support came from Australia's Voice and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Greens, Liberal Party, and One Nation.
Defeated
Pocock forestry and climate safeguards
The vote rejected a crossbench package focused on forestry, fossil fuels and climate duty.
Party Aye / No
Labor 0 / 20
Greens 0 / 10
Liberal Party 0 / 4
Independent 2 / 0
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
One Nation 0 / 1
Unknown 1 / 0
Defeated Pocock clearing and transparency changes
Moved by Tyrrell. Defeated 5 to 35. Support came from Australia's Voice, One Nation, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Greens, and Liberal Party.
Defeated
Pocock clearing and transparency changes
The vote rejected a crossbench package on clearing, transparency and restoration charges.
Party Aye / No
Labor 0 / 20
Greens 0 / 10
Liberal Party 0 / 5
Independent 2 / 0
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
One Nation 1 / 0
Unknown 1 / 0
Defeated Auditor-General reviews of NEPA
Defeated 22 to 31. Support came from Liberal Party, Australia's Voice, Nationals, One Nation, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor and Greens. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Defeated
Auditor-General reviews of NEPA
The vote rejected an Opposition attempt to strengthen external review of the new agency.
Party Aye / No
Labor 0 / 20
Liberal Party 17 / 0
Greens 0 / 10
Independent 1 / 1
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
Nationals 1 / 0
One Nation 1 / 0
Unknown 1 / 0
Carried Extend controlled-action lapse dates
Government amendments allowed the minister to extend when a decision that an action is not a controlled action lapses; they were carried on voices.
Carried
Extend controlled-action lapse dates
Carried on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
Carried Tighten orders and impact tests
Government amendments dealt with environment protection order duration and tightened unacceptable-impact criteria; they were carried on voices.
Carried
Tighten orders and impact tests
Carried on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
Carried Restrict exclusion determinations
Greens amendments narrowed when exclusion determinations can remove actions from existing declarations or agreements; they were carried on voices.
Carried
Restrict exclusion determinations
Carried on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
Defeated First Nations heritage protections
Lidia Thorpe’s amendments on a First Nations standard, cultural heritage, sacred sites and UNDRIP rights were defeated on voices.
Defeated
First Nations heritage protections
Defeated on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
This list includes amendment votes, procedural votes and votes on the bill itself.
Parliamentary debate
Who spoke, and what they said
Start here — lead voices
Sponsor speech Supports
Tony Burke
Tony Burke introduced the bill as a cost-recovery charging framework for matters connected with administering the EPBC ActAustralia's main national environment law. The charging Act relates to costs connected with administering this Act and regulations made under it., with the chargeable activities and amounts to be set later in regulationsLegal rules made under an Act. This Act leaves the chargeable activities, charge amounts, calculation methods and exemptions to regulations..
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead non-major voice Unclear
Kate Chaney
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead voice Unclear
Katy Gallagher
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead voice Unclear
Julian Leeser
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
Labor
25 speakers · 1 support · 24 unclear
Labor
25 speakers · 1 support · 24 unclear
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Katy Gallagher ★ No summary available.
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Renee Coffey No summary available.
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Tom French No summary available.
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Kate Thwaites No summary available.
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Jo Briskey No summary available.
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Ged Kearney No summary available.
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Louise Miller-Frost No summary available.
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Julie-Ann Campbell No summary available.
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Michelle Ananda-Rajah No summary available.
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Trish Cook No summary available.
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Anthony Albanese No summary available.
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Carol Berry No summary available.
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Josh Burns No summary available.
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Emma Comer No summary available.
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Libby Coker No summary available.
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Gabriel Ng No summary available.
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Zaneta Mascarenhas No summary available.
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Susan Templeman No summary available.
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Sharon Claydon No summary available.
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Matt Smith No summary available.
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Sally Sitou No summary available.
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Ali France No summary available.
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Ellie Whiteaker No summary available.
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Jenny McAllister No summary available.
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Tony Burke ★ Tony Burke introduced the bill as a cost-recovery charging framework for matters connected with administering the EPBC ActAustralia's main national environment law. The charging Act relates to costs connected with administering this Act and regulations made under it., with the chargeable activities and amounts to be set later in regulationsLegal rules made under an Act. This Act leaves the chargeable activities, charge amounts, calculation methods and exemptions to regulations..
“The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (General Charges Imposition) Bill 2025 would provide a framework to impose charges in relation to prescribed matters connected with the administration of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Coalition
17 speakers · 18 contributions · 17 unclear
Coalition
17 speakers · 18 contributions · 17 unclear
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Julian Leeser ★ No summary available.
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Jonathon Duniam No summary available.
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Tim Wilson No summary available.
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Ben Small No summary available.
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Melissa Price No summary available.
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Barnaby Joyce No summary available.
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Mary Aldred No summary available.
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Simon Kennedy No summary available.
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Susan McDonald No summary available.
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Anne Webster No summary available.
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Andrew Willcox No summary available.
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Michael McCormack No summary available.
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Andrew Wallace No summary available.
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Michelle Landry No summary available.
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Leon Rebello 2 contributions No summary available.
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Leon Rebello on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Second reading speech
Read this contribution in Hansard ↗Second reading speech
Read this contribution in Hansard ↗ -
Jamie Chaffey No summary available.
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Matt O'Sullivan No summary available.
Greens
4 speakers · 4 unclear
Greens
4 speakers · 4 unclear
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Larissa Waters No summary available.
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Sarah Hanson-Young No summary available.
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Elizabeth Watson-Brown No summary available.
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Steph Hodgins-May No summary available.
Minor parties and independents
6 speakers · 6 unclear
Minor parties and independents
6 speakers · 6 unclear
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Kate Chaney ★ No summary available.
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Allegra Spender No summary available.
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Sophie Scamps No summary available.
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Helen Haines No summary available.
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Nicolette Boele No summary available.
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Bob Katter No summary available.
Record
Full record
- Act title
- Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (General Charges Imposition) Act 2025
- Act number
- Act No. 66, 2025
- Became law
- 01 Dec 2025
- Takes effect
-
- Sections 1 and 2 and anything in this Act not elsewhere covered by this table 02 Dec 2025
- Sections 3 to 10 A day or days to be fixed by one or more Proclamations
- Registered
- 02 Dec 2025
- Administered by
- Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
- Final law metadata was collected from the APH progress table; commencement rows were parsed from the bill text.
- Status
- Act -- Collected from the APH bill page.
- Originating house
- House of Representatives
- Portfolio
- Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
- Text changes
- No substantive general charging text change identified -- Manual comparison of introduced and as-passed local bill text.
- 30 Oct 2025
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
- 30 Oct 2025
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
- 04 Nov 2025
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 05 Nov 2025
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 06 Nov 2025
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 06 Nov 2025
House · Second reading agreed to
Recorded vote: 89 to 40.
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
- 06 Nov 2025
House · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
- 24 Nov 2025
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
- 24 Nov 2025
Senate · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
- 27 Nov 2025
Senate · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 27 Nov 2025
Senate · Second reading agreed to
Recorded vote: 35 to 24.
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
- 27 Nov 2025
Senate · Committee of the Whole debate
Committee of the WholeA Senate stage where senators examine and vote on detailed amendments to a bill. debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 27 Nov 2025
Senate · Third reading agreed to
Recorded vote: 32 to 20.
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
- 27 Nov 2025
Parliament · Finally passed both Houses
Passed both houses
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
- 01 Dec 2025
Assent · Assent
Assent
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe formal approval by the Governor-General that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act., turning the bill into an Act.
Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Committee report (02/04/2026)
Referred to committee
The package was referred to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, with a report date listed for 2 April 2026. The bill later passed both houses on 27 November 2025.
Referred to Committee (30 Oct 2025): Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Committee report (2 Apr 2026)
APH bill page notes