Legislation

Step 1. Ascertain the jurisdiction

The jurisdiction is indicated by an abbreviation in brackets at the end of the citation.

example: No 12 of 2008 (Qld) - Jurisdiction is Queensland

example: Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) - Jurisdiction is Commonwealth of Australia

Step 2. Decide if the citation is to an Act as Passed, or to a Reprint

Act as Passed citation: No 12 of 2008 (Qld)

Reprint citation: Copyright Act 1968 (Cth)

However a recent Act cited by its short title e.g. Tattoo Parlours Act 2013 (Qld) could refer to an Act as Passed. If the Act has not been amended  it will only exist as an Act as Passed.

Step 3. Find the Act online: see box below

Hint: Different jurisdictions and websites may use different terminology for Acts as Passed and Reprints

Act as Passed (Queensland) example: No.12 of 2008 (Qld)

Go to OQPC www.legislation.qld.gov.au > Acts as Passed. Select 2008 to find a table of Acts as Passed for that year, listed in order of the Act number. Locate Act No. 12.

Click on the title of the Act to open the text as it was when first passed by parliament.

Reprint (Queensland) example: Family Services Act 1987 (Qld)

Go to OQPC www.legislation.qld.gov.au > Current Legislation.

Navigate through the alphabet to locate the Family Services Act 1987 and click on the Act title to view the full text.

CHECK CURRENCY: Make a note of the 'Current as at..' date on the title page of the Reprint. (You may notice on the title page of older historical versions of reprints that the currency information states 'Reprinted as in force at ..' date and may also include a Reprint number.) See Information about reprints on the OQPC website.

CHECK AUTHORITY: To confirm that the version of the Act you are viewing is authorised, check that the statement ‘Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel’ appears under the copyright statement at the end of the document. See more information about authority on the OQPC website.

Act as Passed (Commonwealth) examples:

Go to Federal Register of Legislation

For an Act as Passed citation like this: No.55 of 1974 (Cth) select
Acts > Numbered Acts by year. Click 1974 to see a list of Acts which were passed by parliament in that year. Locate Act No.55 of 1974 in the list.

For an Act as Passed from a citation like this: Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) select
Acts > As Made A-Z then navigate the alphabet to find the Act by title.

Reprint (Commonwealth) example: Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth)

Go to Federal Register of Legislation > Acts > Current then navigate the alphabet, and click on the Act title to open the current compilation of the Freedom of Information Act 1982.

CHECK CURRENCY: Note the currency statement on the title page of the Act compilation when you open it.

CHECK AUTHORITY: On the Federal Register of Legislation website, the Australia symbol with a red tick  indicates that this online version of the Act is authoritative. 

To locate laws pertaining to other jurisdictions, please contact the Law Libary.