Counter-Terrorism and Other Legislation Amendment 2023

✦ Plain-English Summary

# Counter-Terrorism and Other Legislation Amendment 2023

## What it does

This bill updates Australia's counter-terrorism and criminal laws. The main changes relate to how police can stop and search people under terrorism powers, and how government workers handle classified information.

## Why it matters

These changes affect your rights if you're stopped by police — you now have clearer information about complaining if you think officers overstepped. The laws also tighten rules around government workers leaking sensitive security information.

## Key details

- **Police must tell you your rights**: When federal police stop and detain someone under counter-terrorism powers, they now have to inform you that you can complain to the Commonwealth Ombudsman or your state/territory police oversight body — unless it's genuinely too urgent to do so.

- **Complaint protections clarified**: The bill formally defines what counts as a "State or Territory police oversight body" (the agencies that investigate police conduct complaints), so there's consistency across the country.

- **Comes into effect immediately**: The law takes effect the day after it receives Royal Assent (the Governor-General's approval), with no delayed implementation period.

The bill passed the House and updates existing counter-terrorism frameworks rather than creating entirely new powers.

Official Description

Amends the: Crimes Act 1914 to: extend the sunset date for certain police powers in relation to terrorism; impose certain requirements on the minister and the Australian Federal Police Commissioner in relation to prescribed security zones; and require a police officer exercising certain powers to inform a person of their right to make a complaint; and Criminal Code Act 1995 to: extend the sunset date for the control order and preventative detention order (PDO) regimes; limit the power to issues control orders to the Federal Court of Australia; align control order conditions with extended supervision conditions; enable the variation of a control order by consent; limit the classes of persons who may be appointed as an issuing authority for PDOs to superior court judges; provide for annual report requirements; and extend the operation of provisions in relation to unauthorised disclosure of information by Commonwealth officers. Also makes consequential amendments to 3 Acts.

Committee Referrals

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security; Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights; Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills

Full bill PDF →APH page →

Audit History

Introduced

10 Aug 2023

Last updated on APH

10 Apr 2026

Outcome date

24 Nov 2023

Last checked by Crossbench

yesterday

Full text indexed

yesterday

🗳️

No formal division recorded

This bill passed by voice vote — parliament agreed without calling a formal count. A division is only recorded when a member explicitly requests one.

Constituent votes

Voting is closed — this bill has been decided by parliament.

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🔒 Voting closed — this bill has been decided by parliament