HouseDivision 3 · 1 Apr 2026

Commonwealth Parole Board Bill 2025 - Consideration of Senate Message - Agree with amendments and pass bill

Passed93 aye · 33 no

What this vote was about

The majority voted in favour of a motion to agree with the amendments made to the bill in the Senate. Since this means the bill in its final form has now been agreed to in both the Senate and the House, it can now become law.

What do these amendments do?

According to the supplementary explanatory memorandum (which is a document prepared by the Government, who introduced the bill and amendments):

The purpose of these amendments ... is to ensure the Commonwealth Parole Board can continue to discharge its functions in circumstances where it is not appropriate that the Chair or Deputy Chair of the Board participate in making a decision or either is not available.

[They] remove the ability of the Chair of the Commonwealth Parole Board (the Board) to request the Secretary of the Department to participate as a member of the Board in a meeting of the Board, or in making a decision without a meeting. It removes the ability for the Secretary to delegate this function to senior executive officers in the Department.

The amendments instead allow the Chair to request a sessional member to participate in a meeting or in making a decision of the Board in the capacity of the Chair or the Deputy Chair in specified circumstances.

What does the bill do?

The bill was introduced alongside the Commonwealth Parole Board Bill 2025. According to the bills digest, which is a nonpartisan document prepared by the parliamentary library:

The Commonwealth Parole Board Bill 2025 and the Commonwealth Parole Board (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025 establish an independent Commonwealth Parole Board that will make parole decisions for federal offenders. The Parole Board will:

be constituted by a Chair, Deputy Chair and at least 3 sessional members, who will have expertise in relevant parole-related matters

have the power to make, amend, revoke or rescind parole for federal offenders

be authorised to request relevant information from relevant persons (as prescribed by the rules) and, where relevant, disclose information to relevant persons including law enforcement officials

have discretion in exercising its functions and powers.

Context written by They Vote For You volunteers (ODbL), reproduced unchanged.

Message between the chambers: The two chambers exchange messages when they disagree over amendments to a bill. This vote decides whether to accept the other chamber's position or insist on its own.

Related bills

Commonwealth Parole Board Bill 2025

By party

Party	Aye	No
Australian Labor Party	85	0
Liberal–National Coalition	1	32
Independent	6	0
Australian Greens	1	0
Centre Alliance	0	1

Every vote

AYE (93)

NO (33)

Other divisions this sitting day

What the House divided on around this vote, in order.

1 Apr 2026Motions - New South Wales: Roads - Adjourn debateHouse 81–16
1 Apr 2026Business — Consideration of LegislationHouse 41–88