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Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
[s 52]
Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
Part 8 Amendment of Criminal Code
52 Amendment of s 450F (Animal valuers and valuations)
(1) Section 450F(1) and (2)—
omit, insert—
(1) The chief executive may appoint a person as an
animal valuer to determine the value of an animal
for the purposes of a provision of this Code.
(2) Section 450F(3)(b), from ‘qualifications,’ to ‘experience’—
omit, insert—
eligibility and suitability requirements
(3) Section 450F(3)(c), ‘fees’—
omit, insert—
remuneration
(4) Section 450F(3)(f), (g) and (k)—
omit.
(5) Section 450F(3)(l), ‘meetings of panels and’—
omit, insert—
the
(6) Section 450F(3)(m), ‘panels’—
omit, insert—
animal valuers
(7) Section 450F(3)(r)(ii)—
omit.
(8) Section 450F(3)(r)(iii)—
renumber as section 450F(3)(r)(ii).
(9) Section 450F(3)(h) to (s)—
renumber as section 450F(3)(f) to (p).
(10) Section 450F(3)—
renumber as section 450F(2).
Clause 1
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Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
[s 53]
Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
Part 8 Amendment of Criminal Code
53 Amendment of s 468 (Injuring animals)
(1) Section 468(6), definition prescribed penalty units, paragraph
(a), ‘10 penalty units’—
omit, insert—
20 penalty units
(2) Section 468(6), definition prescribed penalty units, paragraph
(b), ‘8 penalty units’—
omit, insert—
16 penalty units
54 Amendment of s 469 (Wilful damage)
Section 469, punishment in special cases—
insert—
14 Valuable metal item and disruption to public
facility or infrastructure
If—
(a) the property in question is a valuable metal
item; and
(b) the destruction or damage disrupts the
operation or use of a public facility or
infrastructure;
the offender commits a crime and is liable to
imprisonment for 14 years.
15 Valuable metal item and endangering persons
If—
(a) the property in question is a valuable metal
item; and
(b) the destruction or damage endangers, or is
likely to endanger, the life or health of a
person;
Clause 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Clause 10
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Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
[s 54]
Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
Part 8 Amendment of Criminal Code
the offender commits a crime and is liable to
imprisonment for 25 years.
16 Valuable metal item and disasters
If the property in question is a valuable metal item
and any of the following apply—
(a) the offence is committed in an area in which
disaster operations are being undertaken
under the Disaster Management Act 2003 to
the extent—
(i) the operations are being undertaken
during the phase mentioned in the
Disaster Management Act 2003,
section 4A(a)(iii); and
(ii) the operations are being undertaken in
anticipation of a natural disaster;
(b) the offence is committed during a natural
disaster;
(c) the offence is committed in an area that—
(i) is a declared area for a disaster
situation under the Disaster
Management Act 2003; or
(ii) was, immediately before the offence
was committed, a declared area for a
disaster situation under the Disaster
Management Act 2003;
the offender commits a crime and is liable to
imprisonment for 25 years.
17 Telecommunication cable and disruption to
public facility or infrastructure
If—
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14
15
16
17
18
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Section retrieval-0004 - Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 - Document excerpt 4 | Zoe
Page 38
Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
[s 54]
Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
Part 8 Amendment of Criminal Code
(a) the property in question is a cable used for
telecommunication; and
(b) the destruction or damage disrupts the
operation or use of a public facility or
infrastructure;
the offender commits a crime and is liable to
imprisonment for 14 years.
18 Telecommunication cable and endangering
persons
If—
(a) the property in question is a cable used for
telecommunication; and
(b) the destruction or damage disrupts the
operation or use of a public facility or
infrastructure; and
(c) the life or health of a person is endangered,
or is likely to be endangered, because of the
disruption;
the offender commits a crime and is liable to
imprisonment for 25 years.
19 Telecommunication cable and disasters
If the property in question is a cable used for
telecommunication and any of the following
apply—
(a) the offence is committed in an area in which
disaster operations are being undertaken
under the Disaster Management Act 2003 to
the extent—
(i) the operations are being undertaken
during the phase mentioned in the
Disaster Management Act 2003,
section 4A(a)(iii); and
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2
3
4
5
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9
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Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
[s 55]
Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
Part 8 Amendment of Criminal Code
(ii) the operations are being undertaken in
anticipation of a natural disaster;
(b) the offence is committed during a natural
disaster;
(c) the offence is committed in an area that—
(i) is a declared area for a disaster
situation under the Disaster
Management Act 2003; or
(ii) was, immediately before the offence
was committed, a declared area for a
disaster situation under the Disaster
Management Act 2003;
the offender commits a crime and is liable to
imprisonment for 25 years.
55 Amendment of s 552BB (Excluded offences)
(1) Section 552BB, table, entry for section 398, column 3—
insert—
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8
9
10
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12
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14
Clause 15
16
17
Page 40
Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
[s 55]
Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
Part 8 Amendment of Criminal Code
(2) Section 552BB, table, entry for section 433, column 3—
insert—
(3) Section 552BB, table, entry for section 469, column 3, from
‘or 7’—
omit, insert—
4 The offender is liable to
punishment under clauses 17
(Stealing valuable metal item
or component), 18 (Stealing
valuable metal item or
component and disruption to
public facility or
infrastructure), 19 (Stealing
valuable metal item or
component and endangering
persons), 20 (Stealing valuable
metal item or
component—disasters), 21
(Stealing telecommunication
cable and disruption to public
facility or infrastructure), 22
(Stealing telecommunication
cable and endangering persons)
or 23 (Stealing
telecommunication
cable—disasters).
2 The offender is liable to 20
years imprisonment under
section 433(1), penalty,
paragraph (aa).
3 The offender is liable to 16
years imprisonment under
section 433(1), penalty,
paragraph (ab).
1
2
3
4
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Page 41
Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
[s 56]
Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
Part 9 Amendment of District Court of Queensland Act 1967
, 7 (Other things of special value), 14 (Valuable
metal item and disruption to public facility or
infrastructure), 15 (Valuable metal item and
endangering persons), 16 (Valuable metal item
and disasters), 17 (Telecommunication cable and
disruption to public facility or infrastructure), 18
(Telecommunication cable and endangering
persons) or 19 (Telecommunication cable and
disasters).
Part 9 Amendment of District Court of
Queensland Act 1967
56 Act amended
This part amends the District Court of Queensland Act 1967.
57 Amendment of s 14 (Retirement of judges)
Section 14(2)—
insert—
(c) a retired Supreme Court judge or retired
District Court judge appointed as a reserve
judge under section 18(1) remains a reserve
judge until the judge’s appointment ends.
58 Amendment of s 18 (Reserve judges)
Section 18(3)(b)(i), ‘retired’—
omit, insert—
retired Supreme Court judge or retired
59 Insertion of new s 18B
After section 18A—
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Clause 12
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Clause 14
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Clause 21
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Clause 25
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Page 42
Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
[s 60]
Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
Part 9 Amendment of District Court of Queensland Act 1967
insert—
18B Declaration about when reserve judge enters
on duties of office
(1) This section applies in relation to each
appointment of a person as a reserve judge under
section 18, whether or not the person has
previously been appointed as a reserve judge.
(2) To remove any doubt, it is declared, for the
Constitution of Queensland 2001, section 59(2),
that the person enters on the duties of office as a
reserve judge only when the person starts to
undertake the duties under the person’s first
engagement under section 18A after the
appointment is made.
60 Insertion of new ss 40A and 40B
After section 40—
insert—
40A Disclosure of alleged offender information to
accredited media entities
(1) A registrar may disclose alleged offender
information to an accredited media entity.
(2) The accredited media entity may use the alleged
offender information only to the extent necessary
to enable the entity to attend a court proceeding
relating to the offence.
(3) A person who gains, or has access to, alleged
offender information disclosed to an accredited
media entity under this section must not—
(a) intentionally disclose the name of the
alleged offender to anyone, other than under
this section; or
(b) recklessly disclose the name of the alleged
offender to anyone.
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2
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Clause 15
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Page 43
Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
[s 60]
Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
Part 9 Amendment of District Court of Queensland Act 1967
Maximum penalty—20 penalty units.
(4) However, the person may disclose the name of the
alleged offender to another person (the recipient)
if—
(a) the recipient is an employee, contractor or
agent of the accredited media entity; and
(b) the disclosure is necessary to enable the
recipient, or another employee, contractor or
agent of the accredited media entity, to
attend a court proceeding relating to the
offence.
(5) Also, the person may disclose the name of the
alleged offender—
(a) if the name of the alleged offender is
lawfully accessible to the public in
connection with the offence; or
(b) in compliance with a lawful process
requiring production of documents to, or
giving evidence before, a court or tribunal;
or
(c) to the extent the disclosure is otherwise
required or permitted under an Act or law.
(6) In this section—
accredited media entity means an entity listed as
an accredited media entity in the Supreme Court’s
media accreditation policy.
alleged offender means an adult who has been
charged with an offence by a police officer.
alleged offender information means the
following information about an alleged offender
for an offence—
(a) the name of the alleged offender;
(b) the charges brought against the alleged
offender for the offence;
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Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
[s 61]
Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
Part 9 Amendment of District Court of Queensland Act 1967
(c) details of court proceedings for the offence,
including the proposed date, location and
court file number;
(d) any reference number assigned by the police
service to the alleged offender in relation to
the offence.
40B Protection from liability
(1) This section applies if a person, acting honestly
and without negligence, discloses alleged
offender information to an accredited media
entity under section 40A(1).
(2) The person is not liable civilly, criminally or
under an administrative process for disclosing the
information.
(3) If subsection (2) prevents civil liability attaching
to a person, the liability attaches instead to the
State.
(4) This section does not apply to a person who is a
prescribed person under the Public Sector Act
2022, section 268 to the extent the person is
protected from civil liability under section 269 of
that Act.
61 Amendment of s 61 (Criminal jurisdiction if maximum
penalty more than 20 years)
Section 61(2)(b), after ‘352,’—
insert—
398,
62 Amendment of s 68 (Civil jurisdiction)
Section 68(2), definition monetary limit, ‘$750,000’—
omit, insert—
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Clause 23
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Clause 28
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Page 45
Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
[s 63]
Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
Part 10 Amendment of Evidence Act 1977
$1,500,000
63 Insertion of new s 153
After section 152—
insert—
153 Transitional provision for Justice and Other
Legislation Amendment Act 2026
(1) Section 68(2), definition monetary limit, as
amended by the Justice and Other Legislation
Amendment Act 2026, applies only in relation to
an action, matter or proceeding started after the
commencement.
(2) For subsection (1), a proceeding includes the
following—
(a) a proceeding mentioned in the Fair Trading
Act 1989, section 50;
(b) a proceeding about a retirement village
dispute under the Retirement Villages Act
1999, in relation to which section 210 of
that Act applies;
(c) a proceeding relating to a road
compensation order under the Transport
Operations (Road Use Management) Act
1995, chapter 6, part 1, division 3, in
relation to which section 164AE of that Act
applies.
Part 10 Amendment of Evidence Act
1977
64 Act amended
This part amends the Evidence Act 1977.
1
Clause 2
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Clause 28
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Page 46
Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
[s 65]
Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
Part 10 Amendment of Evidence Act 1977
65 Amendment of s 103ZI (Application for leave)
(1) Section 103ZI(a) to (c)—
omit, insert—
(a) for a summary trial or the giving of relevant
recorded evidence for the trial—must be
filed with the Magistrates Court at the place
at which the trial will be held, and served on
each other party to the trial, at least 7 days
before the trial is listed to start or evidence
is to be given; or
(b) for a committal proceeding or the giving of
relevant recorded evidence for the
proceeding—must be filed with the
Magistrates Court at the place at which the
proceeding will be held, and served on each
other party to the proceeding, at least 7 days
before the proceeding is listed to start or
evidence is to be given; or
(c) for a trial on indictment or the giving of
relevant recorded evidence for the
trial—must be filed with the Supreme Court
or District Court, as the case requires, and
served on each other party to the trial, at
least 14 days before the hearing is listed to
start or evidence is to be given.
(2) Section 103ZI—
insert—
(2) In this section—
relevant recorded evidence means—
(a) evidence by a special witness given under an
order or direction made or given under
section 21A(2)(e); or
(b) an affected child’s evidence taken at a
preliminary hearing under section 21AK.
Clause 1
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Page 47
Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
[s 66]
Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
Part 10 Amendment of Evidence Act 1977
66 Amendment of s 103ZJ (Application for leave out of time)
Section 103ZJ, ‘section 103ZI’—
omit, insert—
section 103ZI(1)
67 Amendment of s 103ZM (Determination of application for
leave during summary trial, committal proceeding or trial)
(1) Section 103ZM, heading—
omit, insert—
103ZM Deciding applications for leave under s
103ZH
(2) Section 103ZM, from ‘In the course of’ to ‘must not’—
omit, insert—
The court must not, in relation to a summary trial,
committal proceeding or trial on indictment,
68 Amendment of pt 9, hdg (Transitional and declaratory
provisions)
Part 9, heading, ‘and declaratory’—
omit, insert—
, declaratory and validating
69 Amendment of pt 9, div 17, hdg (Transitional provisions
for the Criminal Justice Legislation (Sexual Violence and
Other Matters) Amendment Act 2024)
Part 9, division 17, after heading—
insert—
Note—
See also section 184 for the meaning of originating step.
Clause 1
2
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Clause 5
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Clause 15
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Clause 20
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Page 48
Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel
[s 70]
Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026
Part 10 Amendment of Evidence Act 1977
70 Insertion of new pt 9, div 20
Part 9—
insert—
Division 20 Transitional and validation
provisions for Justice and
Other Legislation
Amendment Act 2026
184 Meaning of originating step for div 17
(1) For division 17, an originating step for a
proceeding means—
(a) the arrest of the defendant in the proceeding;
or
(b) the making of a complaint under the Justices
Act 1886, section 42 in relation to the
defendant in the proceeding; or
(c) the serving of a notice to appear on the
defendant in the proceeding under the Police
Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000,
section 382.
(2) This section does not affect a proceeding in
relation to which division 17 was applied before
the commencement of this section.
185 Criminal proceeding that relates wholly or
partly to charge for sexual offence
(1) This section applies to any of the following (a
relevant action) done before the commencement
of this section—
(a) an exercise or purported exercise of a court’s
jurisdiction in dealing with a leave
application;
Clause 1
2
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