Opened the debate
Hill moved that the bill be read a second time, arguing it would protect Australians from dangerous fake goods and safeguard genuine businesses from fraud. Hill stated that over 700,000 counterfeit items worth more than $35 million were seized in the 2024-25 financial year, highlighting the scale of the issue. The bill establishes a strict liability offence for bringing in products bearing fake trademarks, aligning with existing copyright laws. Hill emphasised that this reform targets commercial quantities of high-risk products, such as pharmaceuticals and vehicle parts, to reduce consumer safety risks. The measure allows Australian Border Force officers to issue infringement notices, providing a deterrent that impacts counterfeiters' profits without burdening small businesses with costly civil litigation.