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- Australian Legal System
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Australian Legal System
Getting started
This guide will help you find out about the Australian legal system, doing legal research, and finding cases, legislation and commentary about the law on a subject or topic.
Overview of the Australian legal system and making law
- Hot Topics - Australian Legal System, LIAC, State Library of NSW [Library website]
An overview of the Australian legal system and how it developed, covering how law is made, what the law deals with and the roles of the legislature, judiciary and executive - Find Legal Answers - Courts and the legal system [Library website]Find information about courts and the legal system on the Find Legal Answers website
- Parliament of NSW - How parliament works [external website]Fact sheets on the NSW parliamentary system, including making a law, question time, and the role of a member of parliament
- Parliamentary Education Office Fact Sheets [external website]The Fact Sheets are an A–Z of the Australian Parliament. They provide detailed information about its history, processes and people, as well as its role in governing Australia
The Constitution
- The Australian Constitution -- Federal Register of Legislation [external website]View the latest version of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act.
- Constitution Act 1902 (NSW) [external website]View the latest version of the NSW Constitution Act
Voting and elections
- Hot Topics - Voting and elections, LIAC, State Library of NSW [Library website]This Hot Topics explains the key features of our electoral laws, who can vote, who can stand for election, and how votes are counted.
- Australian Electoral Commission [external website]Find out about voting, elections, electoral divisions, and funding, disclosure and political parties
- Electoral Commission NSW [external website]Find out about the NSW Electoral Commission's responsibilities and functions. You'll also find information on the voting and counting systems, levels of government, elections at each government level and electoral boundaries.
Key legislation
- Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (NSW) [external website]View the latest version of the Commonwealth Electoral Act
- Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Act 1912 (NSW) [external website]View the latest version of the Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Act 1912 (NSW)
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.
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Find legal answers
LIAC provides quality legal information to NSW communities through the public library network, the dedicated Find Legal Answers website and by working collaboratively with key agencies.
How Parliament makes laws
Where do laws come from?
Discover in 10 minutes how a Bill becomes an Act, how legislation changes over time, and why some laws are made by the Commonwealth and others by the states.
Captioned version also available.
Developed by LIAC, State Library of NSW
How courts make laws
Legislation is a major source of law. Courts are the other source.
In this 10 minutes video you'll also find out about the court hierarchy, and the courts' and tribunals' jurisdictions.
Developed by LIAC, State Library of NSW
Captioned version also available.
About parliamentary procedure
Search the State Library catalogue to find information about parliamentary procedure. One useful publication about the Senate:
- There being no objection...an Australian Senate miscellany by Tim Bryant and Brien Hallett, Department of the Senate, 2013.
- State Library catalogue - Australia - politics and government