Portfolio — 25 March 2026

The Minister for Home Affairs, Immigration, Cyber Security, the Arts and Leader of the House, Mr Tony Burke, used 25 March 2026 to advance two distinct but portfolio-coherent threads: a substantive critical infrastructure security reform consultation and a parliamentary tribute to a significant First Nations cultural figure.

The centrepiece of the day was the launch of public consultation on reforms to the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018, triggered by the Independent Review conducted by Dr Jill Slay AM [TA-260325-home-c1f8c4f6339d]. The Review — now formally tabled — found the SOCI Act had materially strengthened national security and resilience, established durable governance and accountability structures, and raised industry awareness of critical infrastructure risks [TA-260325-home-c1f8c4f6339d].

It returned six recommendations focused on reducing regulatory complexity and improving the Act's capacity to respond to emerging threats. The Government accepted all six in principle and structured its response in two tranches. The first tranche, open for consultation until 1 May 2026, centres on two instruments: proposed reforms to the Ministerial Directions power and an exposure draft of enhanced Risk Management Program Rules developed with industry input [TA-260325-home-c1f8c4f6339d].

The Minister framed the reform agenda in expansive terms — covering energy, water, food, healthcare, transport, financial systems and communications — and signalled that industry co-design will be the Government's working method as the threat environment and emerging technologies continue to evolve. The dual focus on Ministerial Directions and Risk Management Program Rules suggests the first tranche is aimed at the Act's operational levers: how ministers can act in a crisis and what risk obligations apply to regulated entities.

The second tranche, timing not yet specified, will address the remaining recommendations.

In the House, the Minister acting as Leader of the House paid tribute to Rhoda Roberts AO, a member of the Bundjalung Nation recognised as a media trailblazer and fierce advocate for First Nations culture [TA-260325-house-8e0b2c08f739:s003]. The tribute detailed Roberts's choreography of the Sydney Olympics opening ceremony, her leadership of First Nations programming at the Sydney Opera House, her work enabling artists through the Aboriginal National Theatre Trust, her inaugural appointment to Creative Australia's First Nations arts board, and her recent performance in My Cousin Frank.

The tribute sits squarely within the Minister's Arts portfolio responsibilities and reflects an ongoing pattern of parliamentary recognition for First Nations cultural contributions. Following the tribute, the Minister moved to allow further statements on Roberts in the Federation Chamber and referred two bills — the Export Control Amendment (Clarifying Obligations Relating to Registered Establishments) Bill 2026 and the Crimes and Other Legislation Amendment (Omnibus No. 1) Bill 2026 — to the Federation Chamber for consideration at the adjournment of second-reading debate on each [TA-260325-house-8e0b2c08f739:s007].

The two streams sit in different portfolio domains but both reflect the Minister's breadth of responsibility. The SOCI Act consultation is the day's weightier policy signal: a government-accepted independent review with a hard consultation deadline and specific exposure drafts marks a concrete legislative reform pathway, not merely a discussion paper. Policy staff tracking the Home Affairs and Cyber Security portfolios should note the 1 May 2026 deadline for the first tranche as the immediate action point.