House of Representatives Proof Hansard, 20 August 2026: what the chamber did

The short answer

House of Representatives Proof Hansard, 20 August 2026: what the chamber did

The Proof Hansard for the House of Representatives sitting of 20 August 2026 records a full sitting day: the introduction of two new government bills (the Criminal Code Amendment (National Sport Integrity Offences) Bill 2026 and the Carbon Credits and Other Legislation Amendment (Integrity and Transparency) Bill 2026); the passage of five bills including the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment Bill 2026, the Universities Accord (Opening the Doors of Opportunity) Bill 2026, the Treasury Laws Amendment (Strengthening Accountability for Tax Adviser Misconduct and Other Measures) Bill 2026 and the Administrative and Judicial Review Legislation Amendment Bill 2026; the House's agreement to a Senate amendment to the Cash Distribution Framework Bill 2026 by division (84 votes to 34); and the reporting of Senate messages returning the three interactive gambling bills without amendment. Proof Hansard is a draft working record published quickly after the sitting; it is subject to correction and is not the authoritative record, which is the final Hansard and the Votes and Proceedings.

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The useful question is not only “what is the rule?” but also “who administers it, which document controls it, and when might it change?” That distinction prevents an accurate general explanation from becoming wrong advice in a particular election, chamber or policy setting.

Evidence review

What Proof Hansard is

Proof Hansard is the draft transcript of a chamber's proceedings, published shortly after the sitting so members and the public can read what was said while the corrections process is still under way. The proof for 20 August 2026 (chamber hansardr, volume 29178) covers the House of Representatives sitting that day.

Proof records are working drafts: members may make corrections before the final Hansard is published, and the authoritative record of decisions is the Votes and Proceedings for the House and the Journals of the Senate. This article describes the sitting from the proof table of contents and the House Live Minutes for the same day, both point-in-time official records.

The sitting began at 9 am with the appointment of members to the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence, and included two motions, questions without notice, a matter of public importance on the economy, statements by members, committee reports and the adjournment debate.

Evidence review

Bills introduced

Two new government bills were introduced and read a first time. The Attorney-General, Michelle Rowland MP, presented the Criminal Code Amendment (National Sport Integrity Offences) Bill 2026, which would create seven Commonwealth offences for match-fixing and related conduct; the second reading debate was adjourned with its resumption made an order of the day for the next sitting.

The Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Josh Wilson MP, presented the Carbon Credits and Other Legislation Amendment (Integrity and Transparency) Bill 2026, which would amend the carbon crediting, greenhouse and energy reporting, and vehicle efficiency standard legislation; its second reading debate was likewise adjourned with resumption an order of the day for the next sitting.

The Treasury Laws Amendment (Strengthening Accountability for Tax Adviser Misconduct and Other Measures) Bill 2026 concluded its second reading debate, was considered in detail with a government amendment made, and was read a third time, so it passed the House that day.

Evidence review

Bills passed by the House

The Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 was reported from the Federation Chamber, an amendment was negatived, the bill was agreed to and read a third time, so it passed the House on 20 August 2026.

The Universities Accord (Opening the Doors of Opportunity) Bill 2026 was considered in detail: amendments moved by Ms Chaney and by Ms Steggall were negatived, government amendments (1) to (17) were agreed to by division 264 (90 votes to 36), the bill as amended was agreed to and read a third time, so it passed the House.

The Administrative and Judicial Review Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 was reported from the Federation Chamber, agreed to and read a third time, so it passed the House. The Wage Justice for Early Childhood Education and Care Workers (Special Account) (Extending Support and Strengthening Safety) Bill 2026 began its second reading debate, which was interrupted in accordance with standing order 43 with resumption made an order of the day.

Evidence review

Senate messages and the Cash Distribution Framework Bill

Messages from the Senate dated 19 August 2026 were reported returning the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026, the National Self-exclusion Register (Cost Recovery Levy) Amendment Bill 2026 and the Interactive Gambling (Cost Recovery Levy) Bill 2026 without amendments or requests, completing their passage through both houses.

Message No. 161 of 20 August 2026 returned the Cash Distribution Framework Bill 2026 from the Senate with an amendment. The House ordered that the amendment be considered immediately, the Assistant Treasurer, Dr Daniel Mulino MP, moved that it be agreed to, and the question was resolved in the affirmative by division 266 (84 votes to 34). The division result is recorded in the Live Minutes; the bill page status as captured on 21 August 2026 read 'Before Reps'.

Further Senate messages were reported returning the Crimes and Other Legislation Amendment (Omnibus No. 1) Bill 2026, the Australia's Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) Amendment Bill 2026 and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025 with amendments, which the House agreed to, and eight further bills without amendments or requests, including the News Journalism Payments Bill 2026, the Cash Distribution Framework (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2026, the Customs Tariff Amendment (Incorporation of Proposals) Bill (No. 1) 2026 and the Combatting Illicit Tobacco Bill 2026.

Evidence review

Motions, committees and other business

The House dealt with a motion on domestic, family and sexual violence and a motion on the economy that was decided by division, and approved proposed public works at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation's Clayton site in Victoria, reported from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works.

The appointment of the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence was agreed to, and later in the sitting the House noted a message from the Senate concurring in the resolution of appointment. Statements by members covered electorates and policy topics, questions without notice included portfolio questions on health care, gambling, veterans' affairs, news media and digital platforms, and artificial intelligence, and the matter of public importance concerned the economy.

The day closed with an adjournment debate on electorate and community matters. Because the proof record is a draft, individual speeches and minor procedural details may be corrected before final publication.

Common questions

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