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Australia became an independent nation on 1 January 1901. The British Parliament passed legislation allowing the six Australian colonies to govern in their own right as part of the Commonwealth of Australia. For more information see Australia’s federation.
Acts (of Parliament): The law made by parliament and often referred to as an Act of Parliament. Sometimes referred to as a statute or legislation.
Amendment: Change or alteration to existing legislation or acts.
As made: Acts as originally passed by parliament without amendments. Also referred to as Sessional Acts or Acts as passed.
Commencement: An act comes into force 28 days after it is assent to, or on a day or days to be appointed by proclamation. A clause, stating whether the act comes into force by assent or proclamation, usually appears at the beginning of each bill.
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.
In force: Current Acts or regulations. Currently in force.
Point in time: Point in time legislative research means establishing the content of an Act at a specific date or point in time. Point in time Act is used interchangeably with the term Historical Act or Reprint.
Regulations (Statutory Rules): A law made under the authority of an Act of Parliament. Regulations are 'delegated' or 'subsidiary' legislation. Other delegated legislation includes rules, ordinances, by-laws and codes. Also known as Statutory Rules.
Royal Assent: The signing of a bill by the Governor-General, which is the last step in making a bill into an Act of Parliament, or law.
An Act to Constitute the Commonwealth of Australia - 9th July 1900
To learn more about the Australian Constitution, visit The Australian Constitution page by the Parliamentary Education Office.
Search the Library catalogue to find printed copies of the Australian Constitution in our collection.
Examples of search terms:
To find an Act which was in force at a specific date (point in time)
Online (1901+)
In print at the State Library (1901+)
TIP: To reconstruct the Act as it applied at the date relevant to your research, try the publication Federal statutes annotations which is available at the State Library. This will list the amendments to each section of an Act. It will help you trace amendments to an act from the date of the reprint to the date relevant to your research.
Developed by LIAC, State Library of NSW
