ACT Government considers first bail reform in 20 years

The ACT Government is considering the Bail Amendment Bill 2026, marking the first major reform to the Bail Act 1992 in two decades. The proposed legislation could require court decision-makers to account for an accused person’s history of bail compliance.

However, concerns have been raised regarding a lack of comprehensive data to support these changes. The Standing Committee on Legal Affairs has recommended that the government commit to collecting both administrative and qualitative data to assess the impact of the reforms. Victim of Crimes Commissioner Julie Ford noted that officials currently rely on informal information and data from the court process, which limits the ability to understand trends in bail grants, refusals, and breach rates.

Currently, the ACT Government’s primary source of information is the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which provides limited insight into the specific circumstances and effectiveness of bail decisions.