Criminal Code Amendment (National Sport Integrity Offences) Bill 2026

Ms ROWLAND (Greenway—Attorney-General) (09:40): I move: That this bill be now read a second time. The Criminal Code Amendment (National Sport Integrity Offences) Bill 2026 represents a vital step in protecting athletes, officials, and fans across all sporting codes by keeping criminal elements out of Australian sport. Sport is woven into the fabric of Australian life.

From the grassroots to the professional level, sport builds community, teaches resilience, and unites us across generations and cultures. Over 14 million Australians participate in sport-related activities annually, helping to generate approximately three per cent of our national GDP. Sport in Australia provides $83 billion in combined economic, health and educational benefits each year and makes a vital contribution towards our national identity.

Competition manipulation, or match-fixing as it is most commonly known, is not a victimless crime. It undermines the credibility of sporting competitions, defrauds the public and exposes athletes to coercion and exploitation. It can also provide a foothold for transnational crime syndicates to launder money, manipulate outcomes and target vulnerable participants in our domestic sporting codes.

In recognition of these threats to the integrity of the sports sector, the Review of Australia's sports integrity arrangements, conducted by the Hon. James Wood AO QC in 2017, recommended that Australia become a party to the Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions (the Macolin convention), supporting an effective global response to international sport integrity matters.

The Wood review also recommended that the Australian government establish national match-fixing offences. In line with these recommendations, the bill introduces a comprehensive suite of reforms that will protect Australian sport. Firstly, the bill prohibits engaging in conduct that would or would be likely to affect the outcome of a sporting event, with the intention of obtaining a benefit for, or avoiding or causing detriment that would not otherwise be due because of participation in the sporting event.

Secondly, the bill prohibits providing a benefit to another person that would tend to influence them to engage in conduct that corrupts a sporting event. Thirdly, the bill prohibits asking for, receiving or obtaining, or agreeing to receive or obtain, a benefit that would tend to influence a person to engage in conduct that corrupts a sporting event. Fourthly, the bill prohibits altering, destroying or concealing information about the corruption of a sporting event, where doing so would facilitate, conceal or disguise the obtaining of a benefit Fifthly, the bill prohibits the improper use or communication of information about conduct that corrupts a sporting event.

Sixthly, the bill prohibits the possession of information about conduct that corrupts a sporting event, where that possession is for the purposes of improperly using or communicating that information. Finally, the bill prohibits the improper use or communication of inside information. This bill imposes significant penalties for these offences—including penalties of up to 10 years' imprisonment for individuals who engage in conduct that corrupts a sporting event.

The penalties reflect the gravity of the harm that can arise from match-fixing conduct. Where sporting outcomes are manipulated, the resulting harm extends beyond the participants, potentially affecting spectators, sponsors, sporting organisations and the broader community. The implementation of these offences will mean Australia is compliant with the Macolin convention—a multilateral treaty with the key objective of preventing, detecting and sanctioning the manipulation of sports competitions.

Compliance with the Macolin convention ensures Australia is connected to our international counterparts to better combat offshore networks attempting to corrupt our sports competitions. Australia is privileged to host a variety of international sporting events in the lead-up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games. To maintain our reputation as a sport-loving nation, it is essential that Australia has effective laws that ensure the integrity of sport.

A fair, safe and strong sport sector, free from corruption, is vital to the safety and credibility of sports and their participants and to Australia's participation in the international sporting arena. We owe it to our athletes, our fans, and our future generations to ensure that the sports they play and watch are fair and decided on merit, not manipulation. I commend the bill to the chamber.

Debate adjourned.