Portfolio — 26 June 2026

Minister for Sport and Communications Anika Wells introduced the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Amendment Bill 2026, the principal legislative action in her portfolio this day [TA-260625-infras-4eb8131cfc61]. The bill targets ambush marketing and unauthorised commercial exploitation of official names, logos and images associated with major international sporting events.

Its central structural reform is a shift away from amending primary legislation each time a new event warrants protection: instead, the Minister for Sport can declare protected words and phrases via legislative instrument, making the framework faster and more adaptable to future events [TA-260625-infras-4eb8131cfc61]. The bill establishes eligibility criteria confining protection to events of genuine international significance, with the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games as the explicit near-term target [TA-260625-infras-4eb8131cfc61].

Enforcement mechanisms already on the statute book — including Australian Border Force powers to seize infringing imports and rights-holder access to court action — are preserved and sit alongside the new declaration power. The portfolio's framing positions the bill as part of a broader government commitment to protecting commercial investment in major sporting events, tying intellectual property safeguards directly to the long lead-time preparations for Brisbane 2032.