Hidden camera glasses could be paused at the border
Some glasses, earbuds and watches now hide a camera. People near the wearer may not know they are being filmed. This private bill would block most of these from being brought into Australia for 12 months, with a way in for disability aids.
Official name: Wearable Recording Devices (Import Control) Bill 2026
- For 12 months, you could not bring in a hidden camera you wear, unless you get written permission.
- It covers things like smart glasses, earbuds, watches, pins and jewellery that can film video.
- Devices that only record sound are not covered. Normal cameras worn on a strap are not meant to be covered.
- When deciding on permission, the government must think about whether the device helps someone with a disability.
- Senator David Shoebridge brought it into the Senate on 14 October 2026.
Who it affects
- People who get filmed in public, at work or at home: Fewer hidden cameras would come into the country for a year.
- People who want to buy smart glasses from overseas: They would need written permission to bring them in for 12 months.
- People with a disability who use wearable cameras: The government must think about their needs when it decides on permission.
- Shops that bring in smart glasses or camera earbuds: They would need permission for each import and could have to follow set conditions.
Cameras you cannot see
Senator David Shoebridge brought this bill into the Senate on 14 October 2026. The Senate is the second house of Parliament.
It is a private bill. That means a member of Parliament brought it in, not a minister.
Some new gadgets have a small camera built in. Smart glasses are one example. Some earbuds now have cameras too.
The senator's notes on the bill say these can film people in secret. The people nearby often cannot tell. The notes say there is already a lot of proof that this is happening. It happens in public, at work and in private places.
The notes also say our privacy laws were not built for this kind of gadget. The bill would pause imports for one year. That would give Parliament time to fix the privacy laws.
The import ban
The bill changes a set of rules about goods that cannot come into Australia. Those rules are called the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956.
A new rule would ban bringing in a wearable recording device. The only way around it is written permission.
Permission would come from the Minister for Home Affairs. The minister runs the border. A public servant in the minister's department could also give it, if the minister says so in writing.
What counts as a hidden camera
A device is covered if it ticks three boxes. It can make a video or picture. It is made to be worn or carried on your body or clothes. And a normal person could not easily tell it has a camera.
The bill lists many shapes these gadgets can take. They include glasses, earbuds, earpieces, watches, pins, buttons, badges and clips. They also include pendants, brooches and other jewellery, and hats.
Devices that only record sound are not covered.
The notes say action cameras worn on a strap, like a GoPro, are not meant to be covered. That is because they are cameras you can see, not hats or glasses.
Getting permission
When the minister decides on permission, they must ask one question. Is the device meant to be used as a disability aid? That is a tool that helps a person with a disability.
The meaning comes from an existing law, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. Some people with poor sight or hearing use wearable tech that would fit the bill's meaning.
The minister can also think about any other matter that is relevant. The notes say a request will not fail just because the device is not a disability aid.
Say a person who is blind uses camera glasses that read signs out loud. They could ask for permission. The minister would have to weigh that use.
Permission can come with conditions. It can set a time to meet them, before or after the goods arrive. If the holder breaks a condition, the minister can cancel the permission in writing.
Ends after 12 months
The ban only covers goods that arrive after it starts. Gadgets already in Australia are not affected.
The new rule cancels itself 12 months after it starts. So does the rule about which goods it covers.
The notes say this gives the government time to plan a lasting answer. They say it avoids a ban that has no end date.
Waiting in the Senate
The ban would start the day after the bill is signed into law by the Governor-General. The Governor-General is the King's representative.
On 14 October 2026 the senator brought the bill into the Senate. He also moved the vote on its main idea that day. That vote has not been held yet.
The Senate would need to pass the bill. Then the House of Representatives would need to pass it too. Private bills often wait a long time and many never get a vote.
Its journey through Parliament
| 14 Oct 2026 | Senate: Introduced and read a first time |
| 14 Oct 2026 | Senate: Second reading moved |