Crimes and Other Legislation Amendment (Omnibus No. 1)

The Crimes and Other Legislation Amendment (Omnibus No. 1) Bill 2026 would amend the Crimes Act 1914, Criminal Code Act 1995, Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1983, Extradition Act 1988, Measures to Combat Serious and Organised Crime Act 2001, Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, Surveillance Devices Act 2004, and Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979.

Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the Bill would list the Sydney West Airport (SWA) as a ‘major airport’ for the purposes of Division 3B, Part IAA of the Crimes Act 1914 (Crimes Act). This would empower the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to exercise necessary powers at SWA, bringing AFP powers at the SWA in line with all other major airports in Australia. Schedule 1 would also amend the Crimes Act, Surveillance Devices Act 2004 (Surveillance Devices Act) and Measures to Combat Serious and Organised Crime Act 2001 (MCSOC Act) to ensure law enforcement authorities are able to utilise or retain appropriate information gathering powers and warrant powers. Part 2 of Schedule 1 would clarify that specific warrants and orders contained in Division 2 of Part IAA of the Crimes Act can also be made electronically and remotely to ensure these warrants are accessible regardless of the medium through which it is obtained.

Part 3 of Schedule 1 would extend the sunset date for network activity warrants, data disruption warrants, account takeover warrants, and related emergency authorisations by 3 years to 4 September 2029. This Schedule will also remove the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission’s (ACIC) ability to obtain data disruption warrants.

Part 1 of Schedule 2 would introduce evidentiary certificates that provide prima facie evidence of continuous possession of drug exhibits from the point of seizure through to forensic analysis. Part 2 of Schedule 2 would also repeal the existing purity‑based method for determining drug threshold quantities and replace it with a mixture‑weight approach. The new approach would allow threshold quantities to be established by reference to the total weight of any substance containing a prohibited drug or precursor, removing the need for purity testing. This would align the Commonwealth framework with state, territory and international practice, thereby improving cooperation and supporting more efficient and effective prosecution of serious drug offences.

Part 1 of Schedule 3 would amend the DPP Act to provide an ability for the Attorney‑General to authorise a sufficiently senior person to exercise all powers and functions, ordinarily exercised by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (the Director) in circumstances where the Director is unable to exercise those powers and functions due to an actual, perceived or potential conflict of interest.

Part 1 of Schedule 4 would clarify that a person who waives their right to contest extradition is to remain in prison until the person is physically surrendered to the requesting country, or until they are released pursuant to an order made under subsection 15B(4) of the Extradition Act. This amendment would ensure consistency with equivalent provisions in the Act. Part 2 of Schedule 4 would provide police officers with an explicit power to enter premises where they reasonably believe the subject of an extradition arrest warrant is located, and to use reasonable force in executing the warrant. This change is consistent with existing powers in the Crimes Act and ensures police can safely and effectively execute extradition arrest warrants.