This bill became law on Sep 18th, 2026.
Government & democracy
Businesses in trade mark disputes may face costs set at the Registrar’s discretion under future regulations.
The government said the Act would make regulation simpler, especially for businesses, reduce repeated requests for information and improve how existing rules work. It said the package amends 26 Acts, repeals two Acts and improves the operations of 19 government agencies. The measures were expected to be cost neutral, with no significant costs or savings.
Australia already had a regulatory-reform program, including the Regulatory Reform Omnibus Act 2025, but businesses and government agencies were still dealing with costly compliance, duplicated requests for information and rules that no longer worked cleanly; the 2025 Economic Reform Roundtable reinforced the case for further action. Introduced in the House by Daniel Mulino MP on 13 May 2026, the government’s 26-Act package added “tell us once” and technical changes, passed both Houses on 14 September and received Royal Assent on 18 September.
Dean Smith (Liberal) argued that the changes were too minor to materially reduce the burden on businesses or lift productivity. He also objected to removing mandatory Human Rights Commission notices, saying people should be told when a complaint contains serious allegations about them and that the change had not received adequate parliamentary scrutiny. Malcolm Roberts (One Nation) warned that sharing information across government systems could produce incorrect matches similar to those associated with robodebt. His proposed inquiry also raised concerns about privacy checks, data-integrity reporting and a way for people to correct a mistaken match.
Daniel Mulino MP introduced this bill. In the recorded Senate second-reading vote, support came from Liberal, One Nation, Nationals, Australia's Voice; opposition came from Labor, Greens, some crossbench members.
Did it become law?
Yes
Became law 18 Sept 2026
Final passage
No counted final vote
1 recorded vote on the bill was found earlier in passage, but the final chamber agreement was not a counted division.
Passage speed
128 days
From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step
Meaning
Businesses in trade mark disputes may face costs set at the Registrar’s discretion under future regulations. Patent and trade mark attorneys can remain subject to complaints about conduct while they were registered, even after deregistering, and recommendations may affect their return to the profession. Australian trade mark law will keep its definitions of the Madrid Protocol and the international system for classifying goods and services current as those agreements change. Regulations may also apply or adopt the Madrid Protocol Regulations as they change.
Plant breeders who miss a renewal payment can be given an extended payment period under regulations. The government said this is intended to be six months. Until the fees are paid, the breeder cannot start an infringement case for that period; if they remain unpaid, the right is treated as having ended immediately after the original deadline. A breeder may also offer to surrender a right, but the Registrar must give public notice and hear interested people. A surrender cannot override a licence and, where court proceedings are underway, requires the court’s permission or the parties’ consent. The Registrar’s decision can be reviewed by the Administrative Review Tribunal.
Importers can give up their right to challenge certain negative preliminary decisions, allowing the Anti-Dumping Commissioner to recommend a final decision within seven days instead of waiting for the full 30-day review period. Goods covered by an order allowing duty-free import can also be automatically exempt from dumping and countervailing duties, unless the minister’s notice says an emerging Australian industry has been or may be materially hindered. Other changes remove a rule that treated some financial contributions as automatically providing a benefit, affect how subsidies are assessed in specified new investigations, reviews and inquiries, and allow obvious clerical or typing errors to be corrected and recorded.
Subscription television businesses will retain the rule requiring at least 10 per cent of program spending to go to new eligible Australian drama, but will move from financial-year to calendar-year reporting after a transitional 18-month reporting period. Large employers covered by workplace gender equality laws will report for 12-month periods beginning on 1 April and have a 12-month gap between three-year target cycles.
The Australian Human Rights Commission will no longer have to notify someone merely because a complaint contains a damaging allegation about them when they are not the formal respondent. The government said these notices caused confusion because those people could not formally respond and faced no legal consequences from the complaint.
Foreign income used in family assistance, child support and social security calculations, along with specified investments valued in a foreign currency, will be converted using exchange rates or methods set by the relevant departmental Secretary. This removes references to the obsolete Commonwealth Bank on-demand airmail buying rate. For social security purposes, a person can be treated as part of a de facto couple only if the Secretary is satisfied that the two people are not living separately and apart permanently or indefinitely; related payment-rate rules are updated to match.
The Healthcare Identifiers service operator may disclose a patient’s date-of-death information to an identified healthcare provider or health administration body when validating the patient’s healthcare identifier. Disclosure is allowed but not required. An authorised disclosure can extend to employees and contractors whose duties are connected with that purpose, but not to subcontractors.
People appointed to help someone deal with social security, family assistance or paid parental leave can end that appointment in writing or another approved way. Some pension recipients aged 80 or over who have lived overseas continuously for at least two years can receive more than 13 weeks to prove they are alive when circumstances beyond their control make the deadline unreasonable. A further notice must be issued within two years only if the person received an earlier notice and supplied the certificate, remains in the qualifying continuous period and is not in a group exempted by the Minister. The Act also removes the same seven-day signing rule and strict form requirements, allows approved methods that do not require physical presence, and makes entry into Australia another event that can trigger review of a cancelled payment.
Certain former full-time Australian Defence Force members who can transfer a lump sum from a listed military superannuation scheme may request access to CSC Retirement Income, which turns an invested lump sum into regular retirement payments. This is optional and does not by itself make them ordinary employer-sponsored members of the broader public-sector super scheme.
For decisions setting levies for the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort, Parliament’s period to reject the decision is temporarily shortened from 15 sitting days to five. The shorter period ends six months after it starts, and a decision takes effect only after the rejection period expires unless it specifies a later date.
Trade Marks Act 1995 26 Subsection 6(1) Madrid Protocol means the Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks done at Madrid on 27 June 1989, as in force for Australia from time to time. Note: The Madrid Protocol is in Australian Treaty Series 2001 No. 7 ([2001] ATS 7) and could in 2026 be viewed in the Australian Treaties Library on the AustLII website (http://www.austlii.edu.au). 27 Subsection 19(3) Repeal the subsection, substitute: (3) The classes into which goods and services are to be divided for the purposes of this Act are the clasRegulatory Reform Omnibus Act 2026
51A PBR ceases if renewal fees are not paid (1) PBR in a plant variety ceases if: (a) the prescribed fee for the renewal of the PBR (the renewal fee) is not paid within the prescribed period (the payment period); and (b) in the prescribed period (the extended payment period) beginning immediately after the end of the payment period, the renewal fee and any prescribed additional fee for payment in the extended payment period are not paid. (2) The PBR is taken to have ceased immediately after the end of the payment period. (3) The Registrar must enter particulars of the cessation of the PBRRegulatory Reform Omnibus Act 2026
Customs Act 1901 32 At the end of paragraph 269X(7)(b) ; and (iii) if the decision is a decision of a kind referred to in paragraph (6)(b)—inform the applicant of the effect of subsections (7A) and (7B). 33 After subsection 269X(7) (a) the Commissioner has made a decision of a kind referred to in paragraph (6)(b); and (b) the applicant has been informed of the decision made; the applicant may, before the end of the period available for seeking review of the decision, notify the Commissioner, in writing, that the applicant will not exercise the right to seek a review of the decision by thRegulatory Reform Omnibus Act 2026
Broadcasting Services Act 1992 42 Section 103A • If a licensee provides a subscription TV drama service, expenditure on new eligible drama programs for each financial year must be at least 10% of total program expenditure. • If a licensee provides a subscription TV drama service, expenditure on new eligible drama programs for each NEDE reporting year must be at least 10% of total program expenditure. A NEDE reporting year is a calendar year. 43 Section 103A • If a channel provider supplies a channel that is televised on a subscription TV drama service and the 10% expenditure requirement iRegulatory Reform Omnibus Act 2026
Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 20 Paragraph 46PF(7)(c) Repeal the paragraph. 21 Subsection 46PF(8) Omit “paragraphs (7)(a), (b) and (c), the President must notify the respondent or the other person, as the case may be”, substitute “paragraphs (7)(a) and (b), the President must notify the respondent”. 22 Paragraph 46PF(8)(b) Omit “amended; or”, substitute “amended.”. 23 Paragraph 46PF(8)(c) Repeal the paragraph.Regulatory Reform Omnibus Act 2026
A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 25 Subclause 5(2) of Schedule 3 Omit “the market exchange rate”, substitute “the appropriate market exchange rate for the foreign currency”. 26 Subclauses 5(3) and (4) of Schedule 3 Repeal the subclauses, substitute: (3) The Secretary may, by legislative instrument, determine the appropriate market exchange rate for a foreign currency, or a method for working out the appropriate market exchange rate for a foreign currency, for 1 July in an income year, for the purposes of subclause (2). (4) Despite subsection 14(2) of the Legislation Act 2003Regulatory Reform Omnibus Act 2026
Item 17 amends section 14 of the Healthcare Identifiers Act 2010 (Healthcare Identifiers Act) to insert a new table item 3A. Section 14 currently authorises the collection, use and disclosure of the healthcare identifier and/or identifying information of a healthcare recipient for certain defined purposes. These purposes include communicating or managing health information, or information about support services, as part of providing healthcare or support services to the healthcare recipient, or health administration. There is doubt as to whether the current provisions allow the Healthcare IdeRegulatory Reform Omnibus explanatory memorandum
31 Subsection 63(2AC) Repeal the subsection, substitute: (2AC) The Secretary may extend the 13‑week period for the purposes of a notice given under subsection (2AB) if the Secretary is satisfied that it would be unreasonable to expect the person to give the Secretary the required proof of life certificate within the 13‑week period due to circumstances beyond the person’s control. (a) at any time during a continuous period throughout which a person meets the criteria in paragraphs (2AA)(a) to (c): (i) the person has been notified under subsection (2AB) that the person is required to give thRegulatory Reform Omnibus Act 2026
eligible former ADF member means a person who: (a) has been any of the following, but is no longer any of the following: (i) the Chief of the Defence Force or the Vice Chief of the Defence Force (within the meaning of the Defence Act 1903); (ii) a service chief (within the meaning of the Defence Act 1903); (iii) a member of the Permanent Forces (within the meaning of the Defence Act 1903); (iv) a member of the Reserves (within the meaning of the Defence Act 1903) rendering continuous full‑time service; and (b) could transfer or roll over a lump sum from any of the following in order to oRegulatory Reform Omnibus Act 2026
Corporations Act 2001 10 At the end of section 1069H Disallowance (7) The Legislation Act 2003 applies to a determination under subsection (2) of this section as if references in sections 42 and 47 of that Act to 15 sitting days were instead references to 5 sitting days. When determination takes effect (8) If neither House of Parliament passes a resolution disallowing the determination or a provision of the determination, the determination takes effect: (a) on the day immediately after the last day upon which such a resolution could have been passed; or (b) if a later day is specified iRegulatory Reform Omnibus Act 2026
Context
Australia already had a regulatory-reform program, including the Regulatory Reform Omnibus Act 2025, but businesses and government agencies were still dealing with costly compliance, duplicated requests for information and rules that no longer worked cleanly; the 2025 Economic Reform Roundtable reinforced the case for further action. Introduced in the House by Daniel Mulino MP on 13 May 2026, the government’s 26-Act package added “tell us once” and technical changes, passed both Houses on 14 September and received Royal Assent on 18 September.
The 2025 Act begins the regulatory reform program
The Regulatory Reform Omnibus Act 2025 established the reform program that the 2026 bill was designed to continue.
Regulatory Reform Omnibus Act 2025 ↗Economic Reform Roundtable supports further reform
The government later said the 2025 roundtable, together with Productivity Commission work, affirmed the need to reduce regulatory burdens and improve productivity.
Hansard ↗Daniel Mulino MP introduces the bill
The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives as a 26-Act package intended to simplify regulation, extend the “tell us once” approach and fix technical problems.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Parliament passes the bill
Both Houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage of the regulatory reform package.
Parliamentary timeline ↗The bill receives Royal Assent
The Governor-General gave Royal Assent, turning the bill into the Regulatory Reform Omnibus Act 2026.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Referred to Federation Chamber
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Reported from Federation Chamber
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
The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.
Consideration in detail debate
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber. Later message exchanges with the other chamber were still recorded afterwards.
Third reading agreed to
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Recorded vote: 23 to 32.
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
The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.
Committee of the Whole debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
The House dealt with Senate amendments or requests so both chambers could settle the bill in the same form.
Consideration of Senate message
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Finally passed both Houses
The Governor-General gave Royal Assent, turning the bill into an Act.
Key criticism
Dean Smith (Liberal) argued that the changes were too minor to materially reduce the burden on businesses or lift productivity. He also objected to removing mandatory Human Rights Commission notices, saying people should be told when a complaint contains serious allegations about them and that the change had not received adequate parliamentary scrutiny. Malcolm Roberts (One Nation) warned that sharing information across government systems could produce incorrect matches similar to those associated with robodebt. His proposed inquiry also raised concerns about privacy checks, data-integrity reporting and a way for people to correct a mistaken match.
The Coalition did not oppose the overall bill and supported several measures. The government said the removed Human Rights Commission notices went to people who were not respondents, could not formally reply and faced no legal consequences; it argued that removing them would reduce confusion and let the commission spend more time helping complainants.
Votes
The bill passed both chambers on the voices. The counted divisions below were about amendments or procedure, not final passage.
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 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.
Senate 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 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.
Defeated 23 to 32. Support came from Liberal, One Nation, Nationals, and Australia's Voice. Opposition came from Labor, Greens, and minor parties and independents.
Amendments grouped by chamber. Where APH reports aggregate counts, the package card summarizes the matching public amendment sheets by source theme.
House
Defeated 9 to 68. Support came from Community Strong Australia and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Liberal, and Greens.
Passed 95 to 42. Support came from Labor and Greens. Opposition came from Liberal, Nationals, One Nation, and Centre Alliance. Community Strong Australia had split recorded votes. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Passed 95 to 43. Support came from Labor and Greens. Opposition came from Liberal, Nationals, One Nation, and Centre Alliance. Community Strong Australia had split recorded votes. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Government amendments remove provisions identified as reporting obligations from the commencement table and Schedule 2, Part 3.
Passed on the voices
The chamber agreed to this amendment package without a counted vote. APH records the agreed count by amendment, while the source documents are grouped into amendment sheets.
Senate
Defeated 4 to 34. Support came from One Nation and UAP. Opposition came from Labor, Greens, Liberal, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents.
Defeated 4 to 34. Support came from One Nation and UAP. Opposition came from Labor, Greens, Liberal, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents.
Defeated 6 to 32. Support came from One Nation, Australia's Voice, UAP, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Greens, and Liberal.
Defeated 12 to 24. Support came from Greens, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor and Liberal.
Passed 31 to 22. Support came from Labor, Greens, Jacqui Lambie Network, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal, One Nation, Nationals, and Australia's Voice.
Defeated 21 to 32. Support came from Liberal, One Nation, Nationals, and Liberal Party. Opposition came from Labor, Greens, Australia's Voice, Jacqui Lambie Network, and minor parties and independents.
This amendment would reduce parliamentary disallowanceParliament’s power to reject a government-made rule. periods for CSLR levy determinations from 15 to 5 sitting days, set when determinations take effect and end that change after six months.
This amendment would reduce parliamentary disallowanceParliament’s power to reject a government-made rule. periods for CSLR levy determinations from 15 to 5 sitting days, set when determinations take effect and end that change after six months.
Passed on the voices
The chamber agreed to this amendment without a counted vote — the presiding officer judged the ayes louder than the noes, and no member called for a division.
This amendment would reduce parliamentary disallowanceParliament’s power to reject a government-made rule. periods for CSLR levy determinations from 15 to 5 sitting days and set when determinations take effect if they are not disallowed.
This amendment would reduce parliamentary disallowanceParliament’s power to reject a government-made rule. periods for CSLR levy determinations from 15 to 5 sitting days and set when determinations take effect if they are not disallowed.
Passed on the voices
The chamber agreed to this amendment without a counted vote — the presiding officer judged the ayes louder than the noes, and no member called for a division.
The government amendments adding the temporary five-sitting-day scrutiny period for Compensation Scheme of Last Resort levy determinations were carried without recorded vote counts.
Carried 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
Start here — lead voices
Mulino supports the bill, arguing that it will simplify regulation, reduce administrative burdens for businesses and individuals, advance the government's 'tell us once' approach, and preserve essential community safeguards.
Read in Hansard ↗Pocock acknowledges that the bill makes useful administrative improvements but considers it inadequate to reverse the growing regulatory burden on small businesses, and seeks stronger reduction targets and government accountability.
Read in Hansard ↗Sharma says the coalition will support the bill's practical red-tape reductions, but regards them as minor housekeeping and will seek amendments to preserve procedural fairness by removing changes to Human Rights Commission notification requirements.
Read in Hansard ↗Spender supports the bill as a useful but incremental step to reduce regulatory burdens, while arguing the government should adopt stronger reduction targets, accountability measures and regulatory oversight reforms.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
6 speakers · 7 contributions · 6 support
“That is why this bill is worth supporting. It does not pretend that regulatory reform is exciting. It just accepts that the boring bits of government still have to work. This amends a range of Commonwealth acts. Some of those amendments are technical, some are administrative and some will only affect a small number of people, but that is often how good government works. It is not always a press conference. Sometimes it is fixing the clause that has been annoying everyone for 15 years.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“This bill is an example of targeted regulatory reform, following solid policy development underpinned by stakeholder consultation. I commend the bill to the chamber.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Bills such as the Regulatory Reform Omnibus Bill 2026 may not make the headlines tonight, but they're vital for our economy. Regulatory reform enables productivity growth. It boosts labour and it boosts capital availability for ongoing growth. Regulatory reform also directly improves people's lives in small ways that add up to big ways, with streamlined experiences meaning that people are spending less time dealing with those government services. This bill will ensure safeguards are maintained for the community, while delivering sensible and practical amendments that will positively impact individuals, that will positively impact businesses and that will positively impact government agencies and their staff. The Albanese Labor government is looking at the big picture of regulatory reform, from small daily improvements which make things simpler for everyone and everyday Australians through to the unlocking of productivity and economic growth.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“It is about sensible changes that simplify regulations while maintaining essential safeguards for the community.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Daniel Mulino on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Minister's second reading speech
Mulino supports the bill, arguing that it will simplify regulation, reduce administrative burdens for businesses and individuals, advance the government's 'tell us once' approach, and preserve essential community safeguards.
“It is about sensible changes that simplify regulations while maintaining essential safeguards for the community.”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
Second reading speech
Mulino urges passage of the bill, arguing that it will reduce regulatory burdens, simplify government processes and improve protections and agency operations. He says the government will remove one contested part so the widely supported remaining measures can pass quickly.
“I'd also like to thank the member for Indi for her productive engagement with the government on schedule 2, part 3 of the bill. This part drew interest from a range of parties in this place, but I want to acknowledge her particularly thoughtful engagement on this change. These discussions have led the government to moving amendments to remove schedule 2, part 3. This is in recognition that the vast majority of the bill's measures are supported by members across the House, and the government is eager to support their passage. The sooner the bill is passed, the sooner it becomes real change for Australians.”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
“I commend the bill to this House in the context in which it sits, which is the Albanese government's philosophy of nobody left behind and nobody held back.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
5 speakers · 3 support · 1 mixed · 1 unclear
“Australia does not need more forms, more regulators or minor legislative tinkering. Australia needs lower taxes, simpler rules, fewer bureaucrats and a government that trusts and backs Australian enterprises to grow. The coalition supports and will always support genuine deregulation that liberates our economy but not bureaucratic housekeeping masquerading as structural reform. We will support the practical improvements in this bill, but we will fight to protect procedural fairness and people's fundamental human rights and continue demanding the real productivity agenda this country so desperately needs.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Australia needs a more ambitious agenda for deregulation, productivity and economic growth. For those reasons, while the coalition will not oppose this bill in the House of Representatives, we believe the matters raised in relation to transparency and procedural fairness warrant further examination, and we will be seeking a Senate inquiry into this bill to achieve that objective. We all know that if you actually want to achieve regulatory reform, if you want to build a better Australia and if you want to see a change and a direction that builds out the future growth of the Australian economy, we need a change of government. To that end, I commend the bill to the House.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Regulatory Reform Omnibus Bill 2026. The coalition will not oppose this bill. Reducing red tape and unnecessary regulation is something the coalition strongly supports. Good regulation protects Australians, but excessive and complex regulation increases costs for businesses and households. It slows down investment, discourages innovation and makes it harder for businesses to employ and grow. Reducing red tape isn't about removing safeguards. It's about making sure regulation serves the public interest efficiently without imposing unnecessary costs and burdens on Australians.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Regulatory Reform Omnibus Bill 2026, strongly opposes the changes to the Australian Human Rights Commission Act which are part of the Albanese government's regulatory reform bill. As has been stated, we'll be moving an amendment to remove this section entirely because it seriously undermines procedural fairness for a person who has had a complaint made about their actions to the Human Rights Commission.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“There should be much more in this bill. I'd love another 15 minutes, although I'm probably not going to get an extension of time. I'd love to have more time to talk about what we should be doing to lift the burden on our farmers, to lift the burden on our irrigators and to lift the burden on our small business operators who need help. This bill does not provide that. That said, there are some good elements to this bill, but it doesn't go anywhere near the way it needs to to help lift compliance for our hardworking Australians.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
2 speakers · 3 contributions · 2 mixed
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Malcolm Roberts on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Second reading speech
Roberts says One Nation supports many of the bill's reforms but wants its passage delayed for a committee inquiry into whether expanded government data sharing is technically feasible and could enable another robodebt-style failure.
“There may be progress in data sharing that has not been documented, but One Nation has submitted a second reading amendment to stand this bill in the list for a month while the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee examines the technical feasibility of the proposal. There's nothing urgent in this bill. It has not been to a committee. Our amendment is a modest referral that seeks to clear up a simple question. The question is this: will the passing of this bill as written cause, or enable, robodebt 2.0? Let's find out before the Senate makes a horrible mistake. In concluding, I foreshadow second reading amendment 3939 standing in my name.”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
Second reading speech
Malcolm Roberts seeks to delay further consideration of the bill until a Senate committee examines proposed health-data sharing provisions, citing inadequate privacy safeguards and no clear remedy for incorrect data matching.
“(c) further consideration of the bill be made an order of the day for the first sitting day after the committee has reported".”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
“(i) Part 4 of Schedule 1 to the bill would allow any changes to two international agreements (the Madrid Protocol and Agreement of Nice) to be automatically incorporated into Australian law, specifically the Trade Marks Act 1995, with no further parliamentary scrutiny, and”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
4 speakers · 1 support · 1 oppose · 1 mixed · 1 unclear
“Regulatory Reform Omnibus Bill 2026 and foreshadow a second reading amendment in my name. The bill makes a series of positive changes. The introduction of 'tell us once' reporting, the streamlining and the technical corrections each take something off the time businesses lose to administration. But it's important to see this bill in the context of the broader regulatory environment. Less than 12 months ago, we passed the Regulatory Reform Omnibus Bill 2025. That bill was directed towards similar ends, but what I hear from ACT small businesses is a story of increased regulatory burden. The trend towards more regulation of small businesses doesn't seem to have turned.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“So I support this bill, as I said. The bill is useful, it is technical, it's incremental, it has useful schedules, it has 'tell us once', it has streamlining and it has technical fixes. These are all good things, and I do not underestimate the effort that goes into getting useful changes like this. But it is the second bill in a year, and the cost curve is still climbing regardless. Nothing in this bill or in any of the bills we've had to date fundamentally changes the incentives around regulatory burden, either in this place, amongst the politicians, or among the regulators or the departments. That is where I think the government needs to go.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“While there is much to welcome in this omnibus bill—there are many things in bills such as this, by their very nature—my concerns remain because they're significant. My concern about the change to disclosure requirements would make it difficult, ultimately, for me to support the bill in its current form. So I'm very pleased to note that the government has listened to my concerns and had a look at the amendments I proposed, and will now move its own amendment to remove part 3 of schedule 2. I thank the government for their constructive engagement with me when I raised this and proposed a remedy to it. I particularly want to thank Minister Farrell, Minister Gallagher and their offices. I look forward to supporting the government's amendment when I see it and, provided that's there, I will ultimately be supporting this bill.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The original question was that this bill be now read a second time. To this the honourable member for Wentworth has moved as an amendment that all words after 'That' be omitted with a view to substituting other words. The immediate question is that the amendment be agreed to.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
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.
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.
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Referred to Federation Chamber
Referred to Federation Chamber
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Reported from Federation Chamber
Reported from Federation Chamber
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Second reading agreed to
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
House · Consideration in detail: amendments considered
Amendments agreed
The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.
House · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
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.
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.
Senate · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate · Second reading agreed to
Recorded vote: 23 to 32.
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Senate · Committee of the whole: amendments considered
Amendments agreed
The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.
Senate · Committee of the Whole debate
Committee of the Whole debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
House · Consideration of Senate message
House agreed to Senate amendments
The House dealt with Senate amendments or requests so both chambers could settle the bill in the same form.
Parliament · Finally passed both Houses
Passed both houses
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Assent · Assent
Assent
The Governor-General gave Royal Assent, turning the bill into an Act.
