Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The second report I present is the advisory report on the Royal Commissions Legislation Amendment (Protections for Providing Information) Bill 2026. This bill proposes changes to the Royal Commissions Act 1902 and the Criminal Code Act 1995 to establish a framework for the provision of intelligence or operationally sensitive information to a prescribed royal commission. The bill will provide immunity from secrecy provisions where a person provides information as long as the provision of information is consistent with an arrangement entered into between a commissioner of the royal commission and the Commonwealth or the heads of the relevant Australian intelligence entities.

The current Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion responds to the shootings at Bondi Beach in December, which is now considered to be the worst terrorist attack ever to have taken place on Australian soil. The royal commission's work is both urgent and important. While secrecy provisions are an important part of the national security legislative framework, the committee is concerned that the work of the royal commission and potentially other future royal commissions is currently impeded. For royal commissions to be effective, witnesses need to know that they are protected from breaching secrecy provisions when they provide information. The committee considers that the proposed amendments appropriately balance the strong public interest in royal commissions having unimpeded access to information and those providing that information from being protected from prosecution, with the equally important public interest in ensuring intelligence and operationally sensitive information is protected from public disclosure.

The report recommends that the bill be passed as soon as possible by the parliament. I commend both reports to the House.

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