[no bill text published] Criminal offences for interfering with or ignoring the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence
Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence) Bill 2025
1st House
2nd House
Law
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence can investigate Australian defence agencies; it reports findings to the relevant Minister
The Committee must not publish evidence or documents from private proceedings without written consent
It is a criminal offence to disclose or publish evidence or documents given to the Committee
People commit an offence if they ignore a notice to attend the Committee; they face up to 6 months in prison
People, including defence agency staff, commit an offence if they fail to produce documents requested by the Committee
It is a criminal offence to improperly influence someone to stop them from appearing as a witness
Witnesses and officials cannot be forced to produce documents in court that they hold because of their job