Treasury Laws Amendment (Genetic Testing Protections in Life Insurance and Other Measures) Bill 2025; Second Reading

Summary

Life insurers will be banned from using genetic test results to decide whether to offer someone life insurance or what terms to charge them. The change amends the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) enforcing the rules through criminal offences and civil penalties. This protects people who undergo genetic testing — whether for their own health or as part of medical research — from being denied insurance or charged more based on their genetic information, which should encourage more Australians to get tested and support medical research efforts.

What happens at this stage

The main debate on whether the chamber supports the broad purpose of the bill. Members speak to its overall merits and concerns rather than the fine print. The government outlines its policy intentions; the opposition and crossbench put their case. This is the stage that determines whether the bill proceeds at all.

Next: Consideration in Detail (House) or Committee of the Whole (Senate), where the bill is examined clause by clause