Up to 15 Years Jail for Using the Internet or Phone Networks to Make Technology for Child Abuse Material

FED Up to 15 Years Jail for Using the Internet or Phone Networks to Make Technology for Child Abuse Material

Criminal Code Amendment (Using Technology to Generate Child Abuse Material) Bill 2025

Independent Bill

3 Mar 2026: This bill has lapsed and is no longer under discussion.

House of Representatives

Senate

Assent

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Topics

artificial intelligence child abuse material child protection child safety criminal justice data privacy data scraping law enforcement online safety

Introduced by: Kate Chaney MP (IND)

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

A person commits a crime if they use a carriage service to download, supply, or access technology designed mainly to create child abuse material, carrying a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

A person commits a crime if they scrape or distribute data to train or create technology designed mainly to create child abuse material, carrying a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

People are not criminally responsible if their conduct is for a public benefit; this includes enforcing laws, investigating crimes, administering justice, or conducting research approved in writing by the AFP Minister.

Law enforcement, intelligence, or security officers are not criminally responsible if their actions are reasonable for their official duties.

The Debate

What different members said when this bill was debated:

Kate Chaney IND

“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. Overview This is a bill to make it an offence to download child-sexual-abuse-material generators. Right now, it is possible to access and download these sickening technologies from websites, app stores and the dark web.”

Official source →

Zali Steggall IND

“I second the Criminal Code Amendment (Using Technology to Generate Child Abuse Material) Bill 2025. This is a really important specific amendment to the Criminal Code introduced by the member for Curtin. I really commend her for addressing this because, all too often, big reform can be difficult in this place.”