FED Protection from Strip Searches for Persons Under 18

Crimes Amendment (Prohibiting the Strip Searching of Children) Bill 2026

Independent Bill

18 Aug 2026: MPs in the first house are debating whether this bill is a good idea in principle.

Senate

House of Representatives

Assent

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Topics

child safety criminal justice juvenile rights police powers strip searches youth justice

Introduced by: Senator Lidia Thorpe (IND)

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

Police and officials cannot strip search people under 18; this includes partial strip searches.
The ban applies to people under 18 who are suspected of a crime; it also applies to those under arrest or in custody.
The ban covers people under 18 visiting or associated with someone in custody.
This prohibition overrides any other Commonwealth, State, or Territory law.
Any existing or future laws that allow strip searches of people under 18 are of no effect.