Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
Plain English Summary
Overview
This bill makes major reforms to combat metal theft with new offences and penalties up to 25 years imprisonment, streamlines the coronial system, increases stock offence penalties, gives media a legal framework to access court information, and doubles the District Court's civil jurisdiction to $1.5 million. It also makes technical updates across more than 25 Acts covering casino law, privacy, integrity, evidence rules, and judicial administration.
Who it affects
Communities affected by metal theft, bereaved families in the coronial system, primary producers dealing with stock crime, media organisations covering courts, and civil litigants with claims up to $1.5 million are most directly affected.
Metal theft crackdown
Creates new criminal offences targeting metal theft and tightens regulation of the scrap metal trade. Penalties range from 3 years for possessing suspected stolen metal items to 25 years where theft endangers life or occurs during a natural disaster.
- New offences for attempted metal theft (7 years) and possession of suspected stolen catalytic converters, diesel particulate filters, or cabling (3 years)
- Stealing metal that endangers life or occurs during a disaster carries up to 25 years imprisonment
- Receiving stolen metal as a pawnbroker or dealer carries up to 20 years imprisonment
- Scrap metal dealers must verify sellers' identity with photo ID and record all scrap metal transactions regardless of value
- Escalating penalties for dealers who repeatedly fail to report suspected stolen scrap metal to police
Coronial system reform
Streamlines the coronial system by allowing delegation of less complex functions to registrars and expanding the pool of coroners who can investigate certain deaths. Deaths of people with disability under the Commonwealth's Disability Support for Older Australians Program become reportable deaths.
- State Coroner can delegate less complex functions to registrars and deputy registrars
- Any coroner can investigate natural deaths in custody or from police operations, not just the State Coroner or Deputy
- Deaths of people receiving disability support under the DSOA Program become reportable deaths requiring investigation
- Coroners can now state in their findings that they have referred a matter to the DPP or Crime and Corruption Commission
Stock offence penalties
Increases minimum prescribed fines for nine stock-related offences to recognise the seriousness of rural crime and the losses suffered by primary producers.
- Minimum fines for most stock offences increase from 4 to 10 penalty units
- Minimum fines for stealing stock, killing animals with intent to steal, and injuring animals increase from 10 to 20 penalty units
- Animal valuation framework modernised for sentencing purposes
Media access to court listings
Gives police and court registrars a legislative basis to share alleged offender details with accredited media organisations so they can attend criminal proceedings, supporting open justice.
- Police must disclose offender information to accredited media where a media release has been issued about charges
- Court registrars across all three court levels can disclose listing information to accredited media
- Penalty of 20 penalty units for unauthorised on-disclosure of alleged offender information
- Liability protections for those who disclose information honestly and without negligence
Court jurisdiction and civil enforcement
Doubles the District Court's civil monetary limit and allows lower courts to issue enforcement warrants that previously required the Supreme Court.
- District Court civil jurisdiction increases from $750,000 to $1.5 million from 1 January 2027
- District Court and Magistrates Court can now issue enforcement warrants with charging orders and stop orders
- Improved regional access to justice — District Court sits in 31 locations compared to 10 for the Supreme Court
Other amendments
Includes repeal of the Brisbane Casino Agreement Act, correcting casino exclusivity provisions for two-up games, updating Monarch references, expanding the Integrity Commissioner's powers, and various technical fixes.
- Brisbane Casino Agreement Act 1992 repealed following closure and licence surrender of Treasury Brisbane casino
- RSL two-up games on ANZAC Day retrospectively validated back to 2016
- Integrity Commissioner can give and receive verbal advice on minor ethics matters
- Justices of the Peace oath updated to reference King Charles III
- Retired judges can serve as acting Land Court members until age 78
- Queensland participates in the Commonwealth Cyber Security Scheme with RTI Act exemptions
Bill Journey
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Sectors Affected
Classified using AGIFT/ANZSIC Australian government standards