Secrecy Provisions Amendment (Sunsetting Provision) Bill 2026; Second Reading

Summary

This amendment extends a temporary rule in the Criminal Code Act 1995 that makes it a crime for current or former government workers to leak confidential information they obtained through their job. The rule was scheduled to expire on 29 June 2026, but this change pushes that date back six months to 29 December 2026. The government is using this extra time to review and reform Australia's secrecy laws more broadly — a major review completed in 2023 recommended changes to how these rules work — and Parliament needs time to consider whether this particular criminal offence should stay, be modified, or be removed entirely. The delay gives lawmakers breathing room to implement those broader reforms before deciding the fate of this particular secrecy provision.

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