Criminal Code (Defence of Dwellings and Other Premises—Castle Law) Amendment Bill 2026

Queensland Criminal Code (Defence of Dwellings and Other Premises—Castle Law) Amendment Bill 2026

Queensland Criminal Code (Defence of Dwellings and Other Premises—Castle Law) Amendment Bill 2026 Contents Page 1 Short title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2 Code amended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 3 Replacement of s 267 (Defence of dwelling) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 267 Defence of dwelling or other premises . . . . . . . . . . . 4 4 Insertion of new pt 9, ch 115 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Chapter 115 Transitional provision for Criminal Code (Defence of Dwellings and Other Premises—Castle Law) Amendment Act 2026 772 Use of force in defence of dwelling or other premises 6

2026 A Bill for An Act to amend the Criminal Code for particular purposes

[s 1] Criminal Code (Defence of Dwellings and Other Premises—Castle Law) Amendment Bill 2026 Page 4 Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel The Parliament of Queensland enacts— 1 Short title This Act may be cited as the Criminal Code (Defence of Dwellings and Other Premises—Castle Law) Amendment Act 2026. 2 Code amended This Act amends the Criminal Code. 3 Replacement of s 267 (Defence of dwelling) Section 267— omit, insert— 267 Defence of dwelling or other premises (1) It is lawful for the owner or occupier of a dwelling or other premises, and a person helping the owner or occupier or acting under the owner’s or occupier’s direction, to use force against another person (the intruder) if the person using the force reasonably believes the force is necessary to prevent the intruder from— (a) unlawfully entering the dwelling or other premises; or (b) unlawfully remaining in the dwelling or other premises. (2) However, this section does not authorise the use of force that is intended or is likely to cause the death of, or grievous bodily harm to, the intruder unless— (a) the intruder— (i) enters or attempts to enter the dwelling or other premises in the night; or 1 Clause 2 3 4 5 Clause 6 7 Clause 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

[s 4] Criminal Code (Defence of Dwellings and Other Premises—Castle Law) Amendment Bill 2026 Page 5 Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel (ii) uses or threatens to use actual violence; or (iii) is or pretends to be armed with a dangerous or offensive weapon or instrument, or a noxious substance; or (iv) is in company with 1 or more persons; or (v) damages, or threatens or attempts to damage, any property; or (b) the person using the force reasonably believes that— (i) the intruder is attempting to enter, or to remain in, the dwelling or other premises with intent to commit an indictable offence in the dwelling or other premises and the force is necessary to prevent the commission of the offence; or (ii) the use of the force is necessary to prevent the death of, or bodily harm to, the person or another person. 4 Insertion of new pt 9, ch 115 Part 9— insert— Chapter 115 Transitional provision for Criminal Code (Defence of Dwellings and Other Premises—Castle Law) Amendment Act 2026 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Clause 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30