Bill
Automated Decision-Making (Safeguards and Transparency) Bill 2026
before parliament, as at 2026-09-07.
- Sponsor
- Kate Chaney
- Portfolio
- Not recorded
Recorded stages
- introduced — 2026-09-07
- second reading — 2026-09-07
Divisions
No divisions recorded. Most questions are decided on the voices; this does not establish that a bill was unopposed.
Plain-language summary
Written by a model from the explanatory memorandum; not the record, as at 2026-09-07.
This bill would set mandatory safeguards for significant automated administrative action by Commonwealth government bodies.
Agencies would have to assess risks, explain automated decisions to affected people and maintain human accountability, with stronger controls for high-risk uses.
The framework would regulate automation authorised by other laws rather than grant a new power to automate decisions.
- Prohibits unlawful automation and generally prevents automation of discretionary judgements, subject to specified exceptions.
- Requires risk assessments before covered administrative action is automated.
- Requires notice and meaningful explanations when a person is affected by an automated decision.
- Requires human override capability for high-risk automation and preserves avenues for reviewing decisions.
- Creates a public register of systems and gives the Commonwealth Ombudsman review and audit functions.
People affected by significant Commonwealth decisions, government agencies and relevant officials or contractors are affected.
Sources
em
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