Translating and Interpreting Services Bill 2025

The majority voted against an amendment to the usual second reading motion, which is "that the bill be a read a second time" (parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill). Had it been successful, it would have added the words below to the usual motion.

Amendment text

At the end of the motion, add ", but the Senate:

(a) notes that:

(i) translation should be an essential service in a multicultural society, and

(ii) the Albanese Government has committed to the principles of the Multicultural Framework Review; and

(b) calls on the Government to implement the findings of the Multicultural Framework Review, released in 2024, as it relates to translation services, including:

(i) establishing a fully funded capacity within the existing Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) national business unit to deliver general interpreting and translation services with a core workforce of Australian Public Service staff, and

(ii) providing additional funding to the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) to address critical workforce quality and gaps, including within the TIS".