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Find a second reading speech using the Parliamentary Library's ParlInfo site, 'Second reading speeches for a bill'. Type in the name of the Bill or keyword. Enter a date range to limit your search.
Amendment: Change or alteration to existing legislation or acts.
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.
Bills digests: Bills Digests are written to assist members of Parliament when they consider a bill. Bills Digests reflect the relevant legislation as introduced and do not canvass subsequent amendments or developments.
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.
Explanatory memorandum: A paper which explains the purpose and details of bills or regulations, usually in a simple and non-technical way.
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.
Second reading speech: The second stage of a Bills progress through each house of Parliament. It contains the majority of the debate about a proposed law.
A Bill is a proposal for a law or a change to an existing law. A bill becomes law (an Act) when agreed to in identical form by both houses of Parliament and assented to by the Governor-General. (Parliament of Australia)
For more information see Bills and Laws factsheet (Parliamentary Education Office)
Bills Digests are written to assist members of Parliament when they consider a bill. Bills Digests reflect the relevant legislation as introduced and do not canvass subsequent amendments or developments.
Explanatory Memoranda are publications that explain the content of a Commonwealth Bill or Regulation. It uses simple, non-legal terms and may be used to interpret legislation.
Since 1982, Explanatory Memoranda (EM) accompany every Commonwealth Government Bill introduced into the Parliament
Online:
In print at the State Library:
1901 to 1982, there was no easy way of knowing if Explanatory Memoranda had been produced for a particular Bill. The online Index to Explanatory Memoranda now makes it possible to know if an EM was produced.
