State and territory legislation and government

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visitors are kindly advised that this website includes images, sounds and names of people who have passed.

All users should be aware that some topics or historical content may be culturally sensitive, offensive or distressing, and that some images may contain nudity or are of people not yet identified. Certain words, terms or descriptions may reflect the author's/creator's attitude or that of the period in which they were written, but are now considered inappropriate in today's context.

Key to library resources

Access anywhere with a library card In the Library (or anywhere with a Library card for NSW residents)
Available to access in the library Only in the Library
Publicly available online Publicly available

Queensland

Online resources

Access Queensland Acts and Regulations, Bills, Explanatory Notes (ENs), Parliamentary debates (Hansard) and Government gazettes online.

  • all current
  • 1963+
  • 1867-1951
  • Queensland Legislation
  • Queensland Legislation
  • AustLII
Publicly available - you don't need a Library card

Repealed Legislation
Acts and Regulations (no longer in force)

all Queensland Legislation Publicly available - you don't need a Library card
Regulations (in force)
(browse under name of the enabling Act)
all current Queensland Legislation Publicly available - you don't need a Library card
Bills and Explanatory Notes 1992+ Queensland Legislation Publicly available - you don't need a Library card
  • 1860+
  • 1990+
  • Queensland Parliament
  • Queensland Parliament
Publicly available - you don't need a Library card
  • 2003+
  • 1859-1900
  • Queensland Government
  • Text Queensland
Publicly available - you don't need a Library card

Print resources

Find Queensland Acts and Regulations, Bills, Explanatory Notes (ENs), Parliamentary debates (Hansard), Government gazettes and Parliamentary papers in the Library. You will need to request these resources from our stack storage.

 

Publication Years Call Number Location Key
Acts (Statutes) 1990 N346.941/1

Onsite Storage. Fill in Stack request slip to access.

Only in the Library

  1963 - 1989 T0348604

Offsite Storage. Ask staff.

Only in the Library

  1938 - 1963 T0348605 Offsite Storage. Ask staff.

Only in the Library

  1888 - 1936 T0405449 Offsite Storage. Ask staff.

Only in the Library

  1860 - 1887 Q345.941/A Onsite Storage. Fill in Stack request slip to access.

Only in the Library

Consolidated Acts

1828 - 1962

14 volumes (1962 reprint)

content list -

See catalogue record

N346.1/1 Onsite Storage. Fill in Stack request slip to access.

Only in the Library

 

1828-1936

11 volumes (1936 reprint)

content list -

See catalogue record

1936 reprint series Offsite Storage. Various call numbers. Ask staff.

Only in the Library

Regulations     Not held by the State Library of NSW

Only in the Library

Hansard (Record of proceedings) 1960/61 - 2012 T0405885 Offsite Storage. Ask staff.

Only in the Library

  1922 - 1959/60 T0405416 Offsite Storage. Ask staff.

Only in the Library

  1877 - 1921 T0405813 Offsite Storage. Ask staff.

Only in the Library

  1864 - 1876 T/RAV/FM4/7 Onsite Storage. Fill in Stack request slip to access.

Only in the Library

Government Gazettes 1859/60 - 1991; 1993 - 2011 TQ040907 Offsite Storage. Ask staff.

Only in the Library

Parliamentary Papers

1960/61 - 1986; 1988/89 - 2011

(incomplete)

TQ079714 Offsite Storage. Ask staff.

Only in the Library

  1902 - 1959/60 TQ078877 Offsite Storage. Ask staff.

Only in the Library

 

Glossary

Acts: The law made by parliament and often referred to as an Act of Parliament. Sometimes referred to as a statute or legislation.

As made (Acts and regulations): Acts as originally passed by parliament without amendments. Also referred to as Sessional Acts or Acts as passed.

Bills: A draft of a new Act or a draft of an amendment to alter an existing Act. Statutes or Acts of Parliament, start life as a Bill. A Bill must pass through a process of 2 readings in both upper and lower houses of Parliament before it becomes law.

Consolidated Acts: Consolidated Acts incorporate amendments made by other legislation since the original legislation was made. A consolidated Act refers to the combination of a number of Acts of Parliament into one codifying statute. This term is commonly used for electronic versions of legislation.

Explanatory Notes: The Explanatory Note provides an explanation about the purpose of the bill.

Government Gazettes: A gazette is an official publication for the purpose of notifying the actions and decisions of the government. All Australian governments (Commonwealth, State and Territory) publish official gazettes.

Point in time: Point in time legislative research means establishing the content of an Act at a specific point in time. Point in time Act is used interchangeably with the term Historical Act or Reprint.

Regulations: Regulations are made under the authority of an Acts. Regulations contain details necessary to carry out specific matters relating to the Act. Regulations are 'delegated' or 'subsidiary' legislation. Other delegated legislation includes rules, ordinances and by-laws.

Repealed (Act or Regulation): Refers to legislation that is no longer in force.

Researching QLD historical legislation

Queensland Law – Queensland Historical Legal Collection

  • Commencement legislation 1793–1867 (for Queensland)
  • Lands legislation 1833–1910 (for Queensland)
  • Criminal Code 1899 Queensland: preparatory and extrinsic materials
  • Letters Patent establishing the boundaries of Queensland (including Proclamations, Legislative Assembly resolutions, maps)
  • Public Acts of Queensland 1828–1936
  • Local Personal & Private Acts of Queensland 1828–1936

Researching QLD government Gazettes

Consolidated index to the Queensland Government Gazettes

Available at the State Library of New South Wales, Family history LG2

Qld State Archives

Offsite storage

State Library material held at offsite storage will be available after 4pm the next weekday. Call (02)9273 1414 to request in advance.

Need to know more?

Legal information at the Library

This Guide has been developed by staff of the Legal Information Access Centre (LIAC), State Library of NSW. The State Library holds an extensive collection of case law, legislation and looseleaf publications.