House of Representatives

Explanatory Memorandum

(Circulated by authority of the Minister for Justice and Customs, Senatory the Honourable Chris Ellison)

Schedule 1 - Computer offences

This Schedule inserts new computer offences into the Criminal Code and repeals the existing outdated computer offences in the Crimes Act. The Schedule also replaces all references in Commonwealth legislation to the existing computer offences with references to the new computer offences.

Crimes Act 1914

Item 2

This Item repeals Part VIA of the Crimes Act, which contains the existing Commonwealth computer offences. The offences in Part VIA will be replaced by the proposed new computer offences inserted into the Criminal Code by Item 4 of this Schedule. The reasons for the repeal of individual offences are discussed below in relation to the new offences.