Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Approval of Overseas Service) Bill 2020

Stage by Stage

Summaries in reported speech - not a transcript. In date order, both chambers.

1. Wednesday 25 March 2026 · Senate

   Second Reading

   The Senate debated a Greens bill requiring parliamentary approval before deploying the Australian Defence Force into overseas warlike actions. The government and opposition opposed the measure, arguing that executive decision-making is essential for national security and that existing scrutiny mechanisms are sufficient. Greens senators and an independent crossbencher supported the bill, citing public demand for democratic oversight and criticizing recent deployments to the Middle East as undemocratic and based on false premises. The debate highlighted deep divisions over the balance between executive power and parliamentary accountability in foreign policy.

   Outcome: The bill was debated but the transcript does not state the final vote result.

   Read the full summary