Bills introduced this Queensland Parliamentary sitting include the Breach Bail, Go to Jail and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026.
This Bill was introduced into Queensland Parliament on 27 August 2026 and referred to the Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee for detailed consideration.
It implements the government’s Breach Bail, Go to Jail policy by introducing a new offence of committing particular offences while on bail, unlawfully at large or failing to appear, carrying a mandatory minimum sentence of one year detention or imprisonment, to be wholly served in a detention centre or corrective services facility.
It also introduces a new bail threshold for a defendant who is charged with certain serious offences while on bail, unlawfully at large or failing to appear, making it more difficult for those defendants to be granted bail.
Both the new offence and new bail threshold apply to youths who commit, or are charged with, a “significant offence”. A “significant offence” is an offence listed in section 175A of the Youth Justice Act 1992 and is known as an “Adult Crime, Adult Time” offence.
For adults, the new offence and new bail threshold apply to those who commit, or are charged with, a “prescribed offence” set out at new Schedule 1 of the Bail Act 1980. Prescribed offences include all significant offences as well as additional serious offences committed by adults (including coercive control and child sex offences).
The closing date for submissions is Monday, 7 September 2026. The committee is due to table its report on Friday, 16 October 2026.
Useful resources:
- Bill
- Explanatory Notes
- Statement of Compatibility
- Explanatory Speech
- Statement of Exceptional Circumstances
Queensland Protection Commission Bill 2026
This Bill was introduced into Queensland Parliament on 26 August 2026 and referred to the Education, Arts and Communities Committee for detailed consideration.
It proposes reforms in response to the Child Death Review Board’s review of system responses to child sexual abuse. It seeks to establish a new independent safeguarding framework in Queensland by creating the Queensland Protection Commissioner and the Queensland Protection Commission (QPC) as the state’s dedicated child safeguarding body. The Bill replaces the Queensland Family and Child Commission, consolidates key safeguarding functions, and strengthens oversight of child protection and vulnerable person safeguarding across Queensland.
The Bill also aims to improve the effectiveness of safeguarding systems by:
- bringing the Reportable Conduct Scheme, Child Safe Standards, working with children checks, and disability worker screening under a single regulator;
- enhancing information sharing between these functions;
- retaining the independent Child Death Review Board with support from the QPC;
- increasing penalties for certain child safety and screening-related offences; and
- strengthening Queensland’s worker screening framework to support national reforms and participation in the National Continuous Checking Capability pilot program.
The closing date for submissions is Friday, 18 September 2026. The committee is due to table its report on Friday, 9 October 2026.
Useful resources:
Brisbane Airport Rail Link (Airtrain) Buy Back Amendment Bill 2026 – Private Members’ Bill
This Bill was introduced into Parliament by Michael Berkman on 26 August 2026. It was referred to the State Development, Infrastructure and Works committee for detailed consideration.
The Bill seeks to facilitate the state’s termination of the existing agreement with Airtrain Citylink Limited, currently owned by USS Axle Pty Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of a UK-based superannuation company. The agreement has granted Airtrain Citylink exclusive rights to operate public passenger rail services to and from Brisbane Airport since 2001 and is due to remain in effect until 2036. The Bill also aims to reduce AirTrain fares, capping them at 50 cents per journey.
The closing date for submissions and report due date are yet to be announced.
Useful resources:
Bills passed this sitting
State Development and Public Works Organisation (Critical Minerals) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
This Bill was passed with amendment on 26 August 2026.
The objectives of the amendments to be moved during consideration in detail of the Bill are to:
- preserve the integrity of recent reforms by prohibiting certain types of renewable energy projects from being declared State strategic projects;
- ensure a sensible approach to policy development for data centres by excluding the possibility of significant regulatory facilitation via State strategic project declaration;
- protect prime agricultural land by guaranteeing the need to obtain and comply with a regional interests development approval for certain projects;
- clarify how the regulating instrument to be used for State Development Area (SDA) assessable development, applies to SDA-related development declared by the Coordinator General;
- clarify that other Acts or laws that would ordinarily regulate development do not apply to the extent they regulate the development that has been declared as SDA-related development by the Coordinator-General.
QLS made a written submission to the Parliamentary inquiry considering this Bill and appeared at the public hearing. The Society was represented by President Peter Jolly, First Nations Legal Policy Committee co-chair Kristen Hodge and Planning and Environmental Law Committee member Gerard Timbs.
QLS expressed its support regulation that facilitated investment and major projects but raised concerns the proposed laws would significantly expand executive powers while reducing important safeguards. Read more about our appearance in this Proctor article.
Useful resources:
- Bill
- Explanatory Notes
- Statement of Compatibility
- Explanatory Speech
- AinC Agreed
- AinC Explanatory Notes
- AinC Statement of Compatibility
Health Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
This Bill was passed without amendment on 27 August 2026.
The Bill amends the:
- Hospital and Health Boards Act 2011 to enable Queensland Health to directly acquire land compulsorily and by resumption agreement, for a health infrastructure purpose
- Mental Health Act 2016 to make various changes in relation to the operation of the Mental Health Act including for the safety of staff and patients in authorised mental health services
- Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2024 to restrict the affiliation of pharmacy businesses with supermarket businesses in the online environment
- Public Health Act 2005 to require external providers delivering the School Immunisation Program to share student information with Hospital and Health Services for particular purposes (where requested) and introduce the ability for more granular reporting requirements for pathology request notifiable conditions to be prescribed
- Public Health Regulation 2018 to prescribe hepatitis C as a pathology request notifiable condition for ribonucleic acid tests only
- Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998 to change the forfeiture process for seized illicit tobacco and illicit nicotine products.
QLS made an initial written submission and supplementary submission to the Parliamentary inquiry, focusing on the Bill’s amendments to the Mental Health Act 2016. The Society recommended additional safeguards to ensure new mental health detention powers are used only in limited circumstances and with appropriate protections for patient rights.
QLS also advocated for guaranteed legal representation in forensic order reviews and stronger privacy safeguards around the sharing of personal information with Commonwealth authorities.
Useful resources:
Appropriation Bill 2026 and Appropriation (Parliament) Bill 2026
These Bills were passed by Parliament on 25 August 2026.
The Appropriation Bill 2026 provides for:
- appropriation for 2026-27 to fund the cost of delivering departmental services, administered items and equity adjustment in that year; and
- supply for 2027-28 to allow normal operations.
The Appropriation (Parliament) Bill 2026 provides for:
- appropriation for 2026-27 to fund the cost of providing the services, equity adjustment and administered items of the Legislative Assembly and parliamentary service in that year; and
- supply for 2027–28 to allow the normal operations of the Legislative Assembly and parliamentary service to continue until the 2027-28 Appropriation (Parliament) Bill receives assent.
Useful resources:
Appropriation Bill 2026
Appropriation (Parliament) Bill 2026
Subordinate legislation
Subordinate Queensland Legislation notified in 2026 is available online.
Of note, the Transport Legislation (E-mobility Use) Amendment Regulation 2026 was published on 21 August 2026. The regulation details exemptions for riding electrically power-assisted cycle (EPAC) or personal mobility devices without a valid licence, prescribes characteristics and limitations for legacy and special purpose EPAC, and prescribes the maximum fee to be paid for verifying that a vehicle is a legacy or special purpose EPAC.
Queensland Government Gazette
The Queensland Government Gazettes for 2026 are available online.
Parliamentary sitting dates
As indicated on the parliamentary website, the Queensland Parliament is scheduled to next sit from 15 to 17 September 2026.
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