Bill
High Seas Biodiversity Bill 2026
passed, as at 2026-04-08. Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water portfolio.
- Sponsor
- Not recorded
- Portfolio
- Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
Recorded stages
- introduced — 2026-02-04
- second reading — 2026-02-04
- second reading — 2026-03-23
- second reading — 2026-03-23
- committee — 2026-03-23
- third reading — 2026-03-23
- introduced — 2026-03-24
- second reading — 2026-03-26
- second reading — 2026-03-30
- other — 2026-03-31
- other — 2026-03-31
- second reading — 2026-03-31
- second reading — 2026-03-31
- third reading — 2026-03-31
- passed — 2026-03-31
- royal assent — 2026-04-08
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 2026-02-04.
The bill would turn Australia's commitments under a global ocean biodiversity treaty into domestic law.
It creates a new regulatory system covering marine genetic resources, area-based management tools and environmental impact assessments for waters beyond any country's control.
The compliance framework would adopt standard provisions from the Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Act 2014, with minor modifications.
- Implements obligations from Parts II, III and IV of the BBNJ Agreement into Australian law.
- Establishes a modern compliance and enforcement framework using standard Commonwealth regulatory powers.
- Allows information collected under the bill to be shared with state, territory and other Australian Government bodies.
- Provides legislative authority for Commonwealth spending to implement the BBNJ Agreement.
Australian government agencies, industries such as tourism, fishing and aquaculture, and individuals operating in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
Sources
em
em revised
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frl act