Bill
Combatting Illicit Tobacco Bill 2026
passed, as at 2026-08-26. Home Affairs portfolio.
- Sponsor
- Not recorded
- Portfolio
- Home Affairs
Recorded stages
- introduced — 2026-03-26
- second reading — 2026-03-26
- second reading — 2026-05-14
- second reading — 2026-06-04
- second reading — 2026-06-22
- other — 2026-08-19
- second reading — 2026-08-19
- other — 2026-08-19
- second reading — 2026-08-19
- committee — 2026-08-19
- third reading — 2026-08-19
- introduced — 2026-08-20
- second reading — 2026-08-20
- second reading — 2026-08-20
- third reading — 2026-08-20
- passed — 2026-08-20
- royal assent — 2026-08-26
Divisions
- Colin Boyce The question is that the amendment moved by the member for Kooyong be agreed to. — 2026-08-19, House of Representatives: negative, ayes 10, noes 67
- Milton Dick The question now is that the amendment moved by the member for Canning be agreed to. — 2026-08-19, House of Representatives: negative, ayes 41, noes 84
- Katy Gallagher I move: That this bill be now read a first time. Question agreed to. Bill read a first time. Sue Lines I will now deal with the second reading amendment circulated by One Nation. The question is that the amendment on sheet 3860 be agreed to. _One Nation's circulated amendment—_ At the end of the motion, add ", but the Senate: (a) notes that: (i) organised crime now accounts for up to 80% of sales of tobacco products, (ii) law enforcement is overwhelmed by the scale of the illicit tobacco industry leading to widespread violence and property damage, (iii) law-abiding citizens and small businesses in proximity to illicit tobacco outlets are in physical and financial danger, (iv) organised crime is facilitating cigarette sales to children, and (v) the very high rate of tobacco excise has broken the compact between the government and the public to each treat the other fairly; and (b) calls on the Government to: (i) reduce the excise rate of tobacco products by 75%, effective immediately, (ii) maintain the lower rate until organised crime has been controlled, (iii) cancel indexation of the excise rate for three years, (iv) direct the Office of the eSafety Commissioner to use their existing powers to take down websites offering direct sales of illicit tobacco products, and (v) return tobacco excise to a more sensible level once organised crime has been controlled". — 2026-08-20, Senate: negative, ayes 27, noes 36
Plain-language summary
Written by a model from the explanatory memorandum; not the record, as at 2026-08-26.
The bill would give law enforcement agencies stronger powers to investigate and penalise illegal tobacco activities.
It would raise criminal penalties for offences under customs, excise and tax laws, and improve the proceeds of crime regime to seize assets from illicit tobacco trading.
The explanatory memorandum states the bill does not create major new powers but clarifies and strengthens existing information-gathering and confiscation mechanisms.
- Increase criminal penalties for offences related to importing, possessing, producing or selling illicit tobacco under the Customs Act, Excise Act and Taxation Administration Act.
- Make the proceeds of crime regime more effective at confiscating the profits and instruments of illicit tobacco crime.
- Enable broader use of investigatory powers such as computer access and surveillance for illicit tobacco offences.
Criminal actors involved in the illicit tobacco trade, law enforcement agencies, and the Australian community.
Sources
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frl act