The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security said after scrutinising the legislation that the Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure Protection) Bill 2022 could now be sent to the Senate for a vote this week.

The first tranche was passed in November last year after the PJCIS had recommended that it be separated into two parts as under:

"Bill One for rapid passage – to expand the critical infrastructure sectors covered by the Act, introduce government assistance measures to be used as a last resort in crisis scenarios as well as mandatory reporting obligations; and

"Bill Two for further consultation – including declarations of systems of national significance, enhanced cyber-security obligations and positive security obligations which are to be defined in delegated legislation."

The following amendments were suggested:

The Senate now has to consider the laws before it rises this week.