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All users should be aware that some topics or historical content may be culturally sensitive, offensive or distressing, and that some images may contain nudity or are of people not yet identified.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.
 |
Log in as a Library member (NSW residents only) or visit the Library |
 |
Visit the Library |
 |
Freely accessible eresource |
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.
