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

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

The Statute Update Bill 2026 amends 42 Commonwealth acts to make minor, technical amendments across the Commonwealth statute book, including to fix errors, remove spent and obsolete provisions, and update references to align with modern legislative drafting practice. The bill also repeals 106 spent or obsolete acts. Such amendments would improve the quality of legislation and ensure it can be more easily understood.

Statute law revision acts and statute stocktake acts have been passed since 1934 to remove obsolete and spent provisions from the statute book and correct drafting mistakes. They are traditionally non-controversial and are essential to keep the Commonwealth statute book accurate and up-to-date.

Statute law revision and updated bills aim to enhance the clarity and efficiency of the statute book. The amendments are minor and technical in nature and either make no change, or only minor changes, to the substance of the law, and only in ways that are consistent with the scope and intention of the relevant provisions.

This bill contains two schedules. Schedule 1 contains general amendments to 42 acts across the Commonwealth statute book. These are intended to enhance readability, facilitate interpretation and administration and promote consistency across the Commonwealth statute book.

Amendments in this schedule correct typographical errors and minor inconsistencies, update references and repeal spent or obsolete provisions within acts. Schedule 1 also makes minor updates to reflect modern drafting practices. The amendments are minor and technical in nature, and either make no change or only minor changes to the substance of the law.

Schedule 2 repeals 106 acts. The amendments relate to acts that are spent or redundant and do not alter the current or future effect of the law in any way.

These ongoing improvements to legislation are important to ensure that the Commonwealth statute book remains up to date, accurate and accessible.

Debate adjourned.