Michelle Rowland (Greenway, Australian Labor Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

The Crimes and Other Legislation Amendment (Omnibus No. 1) Bill 2026 supports the effective administration of government by updating and improving key pieces of crimes-related legislation.

Modernising and clarifying this legislation is critical to ensuring law enforcement and related agencies are effective and efficient in performing their important functions, while maintaining appropriate safeguards.

This is critical to supporting these agencies to keep the community safe.

Schedule 1: p olice p owers and w arrants

Firstly, the bill will modernise law enforcement powers and procedures to allow our agencies to operate more efficiently, without reducing important safeguards on the use of these powers.

The bill will amend the Crimes Act to:

The bill will also amend the Crimes Act and the Surveillance Devices Act to ensure the AFP and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) can continue to access powers that the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor considered 'effective', 'critical' and 'powerful' capabilities to identify and disrupt serious technology enabled criminal activity. Extending these powers to 4 September 2029 will allow for substantive reforms to be considered in line with the recommendations of the monitor's review as part of broader electronic surveillance reform.

In line with the monitor's recommendations, the amendments will also remove the ACIC's ability to obtain data disruption warrants to better align with its functions as a criminal intelligence agency.

Amendments to the Measures to Combat Serious and Organised Crime Act will ensure Australian Capital Territory police can continue to access the Commonwealth's pre-charge detention and investigation scheme.

Schedule 2: Criminal Code a mendments

Secondly, the bill will make critical amendments to support efficient and effective prosecutions of serious drug offences by streamlining key processes and enhancing consistency across criminal justice systems, while maintaining appropriate safeguards and ensuring procedural fairness. These amendments will:

Schedule 3: Director of Public Prosecutions a mendments

Thirdly, the bill enhances the efficient running of Australia's federal prosecution agency by clarifying and modernising the Director of Public Prosecutions Act,including by streamlining the process for managing an actual, perceived or potential conflict of interest identified by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The amendments will enable the Attorney-General to authorise a sufficiently senior person to exercise powers and functions ordinarily exercised by the director, where it is not appropriate for the director to do so because of the conflict of interest.

Schedule 4: e xtradition a mendments

Fourthly, the bill clarifies and modernises the Extradition Actto streamline processes and ensure law enforcement officers are equipped with appropriate powers to effectively perform their functions. Amendments to the Extradition Act will:

These amendments will improve both the efficiency and safety of extradition processes.

Schedule 5: t elecommunications a mendments

Finally, the bill will amend the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act to update terminology to reflect changes in Victorian legislation in relation to Integrity Oversight Victoria.

Conclusion

It is vital we keep our crimes legislation under constant review and update it when required to support the efficient and effective operation of the criminal justice system.

The Crimes and Other Legislation Amendment (Omnibus No. 1) Bill 2026 does just that.

It modernises, streamlines and clarifies important provisions, ensuring law enforcement and related agencies can efficiently and effectively perform their critical functions.

I commend the bill to the chamber.

Debate adjourned.

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