Last week’s legislative agenda included legislation relating to home ownership and education, as well as two Private Members’ Bills. Parliament also passed the third tranche of the Adult Crime, Adult Time laws and two Appropriation Bills.
Bills introduced this sitting
- Civil Liability (Holding Institutions Accountable for Child Abuse) Amendment Bill 2026
On 22 April 2026, the Civil Liability (Holding Institutions Accountable for Child Abuse) Amendment Bill 2026 was introduced by the Shadow Attorney-General, Shadow Minister for Justice and Shadow Minister for Housing, Homelessness and Home Ownership Meaghan Scanlon and referred to the Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee for detailed consideration.
The Bill seeks to provide another avenue for victim-survivors to seek redress through the courts for the abuse that they have suffered.
The Bill proposes to amend the Civil Liability Act 2003 to:
- allow institutions to potentially be held vicariously liable, including retrospectively, for claims of abuse of children under their care, supervision, control, or authority, by extending the definition of persons associated with an institution to include persons in a relationship akin to employment by the institution; and
- allow courts to set aside and reconsider certain prior settlements for child abuse claims, where it would be just and reasonable to do so.
The closing date for submissions to the Committee is to be announced. The Committee is scheduled to table its report on 22 October 2026.
Useful Resources:
- Education and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
On 23 April 2026, the Education and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 was introduced and referred to the Education, Arts and Communities Committee for detailed consideration.
The Bill proposes several administrative reforms across the education and arts sectors, including:
- reforms to support continuity of education through legislative recognition of Education and Training Centres (ETCs) in youth detention settings and re-engagement supports for children and young people, and clarify information sharing required to enable referral into education re-entry and transition services programs
- reforms to legislation supporting the operation of the Non-State Schools Accreditation Board and the non-state schooling sector
- enabling an expanded model for the international delivery of the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) by allowing accredited non-state schools in Queensland to partner with overseas schools to deliver the QCE, with program governance shifting to the Queensland Curriculum Assessment Authority (QCAA) to strengthen consistent approval, assurance and oversight
- implementation of operational and governance efficiency reforms for the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT)
- reforms to deliver administrative efficiencies and improved governance arrangements for Queensland’s Arts Statutory Bodies; and
- minor and technical amendments.
The closing date for submissions to the Committee is Friday, 8 May 2026. The Committee is scheduled to table its report on Friday,12 June 2026.
Useful Resources:
- Home Ownership and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
On 23 April 2026, the Home Ownership and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 was introduced and referred to the Governance, Energy and Finance Committee for detailed consideration.
The purpose of the Bill is to amend the Duties Act 2001, First Home Owner Grant and Other Home Owner Grants Act 2000 and Land Tax Act 2010 to clarify the application of revenue and grants legislation for participants of the Queensland Boost to Buy and Commonwealth Help to Buy shared equity programs, from 15 December 2025 and 5 December 2025 respectively.
Other objectives of the Bill include expanding the concept of ‘vacant land’ for the purposes of the transfer duty first home vacant land concession, updating certain exemptions to reflect recent legislative changes, and correcting minor drafting errors to ensure the legislation operates as intended.
The closing date for submissions to the Committee is Friday, 8 May 2026. The Committee is scheduled to table its report on Friday,12 June 2026.
Useful Resources:
- Summary Offences (Protection of the Australian Flag) Amendment Bill 2026
On 22 April 2026, the Summary Offences (Protection of the Australian Flag) Amendment Bill 2026 was introduced by the Member for Traeger Robert Katter and referred to the Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee for detailed consideration.
The Bill seeks to protect the Australian National Flag as a national symbol of shared civic significance and to prohibit the burning of an Australian flag in certain circumstances.
The Bill proposes to amend the Summary Offences Act 2005 to create a specific offence relating to burning an Australian flag in a public place where a reasonable person would consider the conduct likely to provoke public disorder, intimidate any person, or cause significant offence to members of the community.
Submissions to the Committee are invited, with a closing date to be announced. The Committee is scheduled to table its report on 22 October 2026.
Useful Resources:
Bills passed this sitting
- Expanding Adult Crime, Adult Time and Taking a Strong Stance on Drugs and Anti-Social Behaviour Amendment Bill 2026
On 24 April 2026, Parliament passed the Expanding Adult Crime, Adult Time and Taking a Strong Stance on Drugs and Anti-Social Behaviour Amendment Bill 2026, with amendments.
During the parliamentary committee inquiry, QLS made a submission and appeared before the Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee represented by Damian Bartholomew, Chair of the QLS Children’s Law Committee and Kristen Hodge, Co-chair of the QLS First Nations Legal Policy Committee. QLS appeared with the Bar Association of Queensland.
Both organisations reiterated their long‑held opposition to widening the adult‑crime sentencing framework for young offenders. QLS noted the reforms do not account for children’s vulnerability and cognitive development.
We also raised concerns about the narrowing of the Police Drug Diversion Program including that any reduction in accessibility of police-led drug diversion programs is a counterproductive move that ignores effective, data-based outcomes.
For more details on the Bill and our appearance before the Committee, please read QLS Proctor.
Technical amendments were made to the Bill before it was passed, to substitute references to a 2012 regulation with the Police Powers and Responsibilities Regulation 2026, which was made after the Bill was introduced and superseded the 2012 regulation.
Useful Resources:
- Bill
- Explanatory Speech
- Explanatory Notes
- Statement of Compatibility
- AinC govt agreed
- AinC exp note
- AinC statement of compatibility
- Appropriation (Parliament) (Supplementary 2024-2025) Bill 2025 and Appropriation (Supplementary 2024-2025) Bill 2025
On 23 April 2026, the Appropriation (Parliament) (Supplementary 2024-2025) Bill 2025 and Appropriation (Supplementary 2024-2025) Bill 2025 were passed.
The Appropriation (Supplementary 2024-2025) Bill 2025 provides supplementary appropriation for unforeseen expenditure that occurred in the 2024-25 financial year. The Appropriation (Parliament) (Supplementary 2024-2025) Bill 2025 provides supplementary appropriation for the Legislative Assembly and parliamentary service for unforeseen expenditure that occurred in the 2024-25 financial year.
Useful Resources:
Appropriation (Supplementary 2024-2025) Bill 2025
Appropriation (Parliament) (Supplementary 2024-2025) Bill 2025
Subordinate legislation
Subordinate Queensland Legislation notified in 2026 is available online.
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 currently scheduled to next sit from 12 to 14 May 2026.
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