Crimes and Other Legislation Amendment (Omnibus No. 1) Bill 2026; Second Reading

Summary

This legislation updates Australia's crime-fighting laws to modernise how police can investigate serious crimes and organised crime. It amends eight existing laws including the Crimes Act 1914, Criminal Code, and laws about surveillance and wiretapping, with changes that include: adding Sydney West Airport to the list of major airports where federal police have special powers; allowing police to apply for and issue warrants electronically instead of in person; extending three-year-old powers for monitoring networks and disrupting criminal data by another three years; and ensuring police in the Australian Capital Territory keep access to detention and investigation tools. The updates mainly affect how federal police and other law enforcement agencies gather intelligence and obtain warrants, with no direct impact on ordinary members of the public, but they enable authorities to respond faster to serious and organised crime threats in the modern digital age.

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