Legislation - Primary source
What is legislation and why do you use it?
"Legislation consists of Acts of Parliament and subordinate (or delegated) legislation made under Acts of Parliament. The term legislation can refer to a single law (also known as a statute) or a collection of laws. Members of the Parliament are referred to as legislators, persons who make laws. Collectively they constitute a legislature, a body that makes laws."
Office of Parliamentary Council, 2019, Understanding legislation
Sign up for an account through the Federal Register of Legislation to receive email notifications regarding updates or changes to Commonwealth law.
Legal Research Skills: An Australian Law Guide - Legislation by Publication Date: 2024This section of the ebook introduces legislation and the legislative process, and provides guidance in how to find Commonwealth legislation and legislation from Australian states and territories.
The legislative process
Flip the cards in the following interactive to learn about the legislative process.
See this information sheet from the Parliament of Australia for more information on making laws.
Where can I find Australian legislation?
Lawlex: Searches State, Territory and Commonwealth legislation websites, which links to associated legislative material such as bills, subordinate legislation, second reading speeches and gazette notices.
South Australian Legislation: Includes information about the making, commencement, operation, variation or cessation of legislation and other instruments made under legislation.
Subject Index to South Australian Legislation: A freely available website providing a subject index to SA Acts and links to the SA Legislation website.
Federal Register of Legislation: Contains legislation of the Commonwealth and non-self governing territories, including Bills, explanatory memorandas (plain English version of the bill) plus the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments (including regulations and statutory rules).
AustLII: A freely available database containing full text legislation.
Lexis Advance: Contains legal publications relating to Australia and New Zealand, including case reports, legislation, and analytical material. Select Advance search > Legislation.
Need guidance searching the Australian legislation databases? Consult the following:
- Finding Australian LegislationThis interactive video demonstrates how to search the major Australian legislation databases Lawlex, the Federal Register of Legislation, AustLII and SA Legislation.
- LawLex Premium HelpStep by step guidance on searching and browsing legislation and bills via Lawlex Premium.
- LexisNexis Practical Guidance Tutorial: LawNow and Legislation CitatorsThis video shows how to navigate to and utilize Lexis Advanced's LawNow feature- a citator report for each Act and Provision which consolidates references, cases citing and legislative history.
- Lexis Advance Tutorial: Advanced Search Legislation FormThis video explores how to find legislation via the Lexis advanced search.
Where can I find legislation in jurisdictions other than Australia?
- WorldLIIA free, non-profit global legal research facility that provides access to databases. These include decisions of international Courts and Tribunals, databases from a number of Asian countries and South Africa.
- New Zealand LegislationActs, Bills, Legislative Instruments and additional papers from New Zealand Parliament.
- UK LegislationAccess all UK legislation since 1988 and most pre-1988 legislation, delivered by the National Archives.
- Parliament of CanadaGovernment and private members bills before Parliament and their status before the House of Commons and the Senate.
- Canada GazetteThe “official newspaper” of the Government of Canada since 1841, it publishes all laws and regulations, proposed regulations, government and some private sector notices.
- Justice Laws WebsiteContains all Canadian Consolidated Acts and Regulations.
- EUR-LexAccess European Union Law - Collections include Treaties, International agreements, Consolidated legislation and Case law.
- United States Legislative InformationFind out about the US Congress and access all Federal legislation since 1993.
How do I reference an Australian Act of Parliament?
| Example | Crimes Act | 1958 | (Vic) | s 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Element | Title | Year | Jurisdiction | Pinpoint |
| Rule | 3.1.1 | 3.1.2 | 3.1.3 | 3.1.4—3.1.7 |
The correct reference for this Act is:
Crimes Act 1958 (Vic) s 3
Example adapted from the AGLC4 Guide. For more information please consult the the fourth edition of the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (AGLC4). See page 67 for how to reference legislative materials.
Where can I find parliamentary debates and second reading speeches?
Hansard is the official report of the debates and proceedings of Parliament, including second reading speeches. They are published shortly after the chamber or committee proceedings have ended. See below for links to the Commonwealth of Australia and the state Hansard reports:
Where can I find government publications?
- ParlInfoParlInfo enables everyone to search and obtain information resources about the Parliament of Australia.
- Australian government publicationsFind publications produced by the Australian government including annual reports, budget statements, legislation and parliamentary publications.