Macquarie Street building temporarily closed for refurbishment. Read more

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Key to library resources

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Notice

ACCESS THE COLLECTION

Temporary closure of the Macquarie Street building

The Macquarie Street building, including the Bashir Reading Room, is temporarily closed for a major refurbishment until late 2025.

During the building work, all reading room services (except study rooms and the Children’s Library), along with a temporary bookshop and cafe, are available in the Mitchell building.

To access collection material please visit the temporary Bashir Reading Room in the Mitchell building or visit the Special Collections area in the Mitchell Library Reading Room to request original material.

For more information and FAQs, visit Transforming the Macquarie Street building.

Victoria

Online resources

Access Victorian Acts and Regulations, Bills, Explanatory Memoranda, Parliamentary debates (Hansard) and Government gazettes online

Publication Years Website Key
Acts and Regulations (in force) – select Victorian Law today All current Victorian legislation
  • Acts (as made) – select Victorian Statute Book
  • Acts (as made) 
  • Acts (repealed – no longer in force)
  •  
  • 1996+
  •  
  • 1851-1995
  •  
  • 1997+
  • Victorian legislation
  • AustLII
  •  
  • AustLII
  • 1996+
  • 1997+
  • Victorian legislation
  • AustLII
  • 1996+
  • 1967+
  • 1967+
  • Victorian legislation
  • AustLII
  • AustLII
  • 1991+
  • 1956–1999
  • Parliament of Victoria
  • Parliament of Victoria
  • 1836+
  • via National Library Research Guide

Print resources

Victorian Acts and Regulations, Bills, Explanatory Memoranda, Parliamentary debates (Hansard) and Government gazettes held by the Library. You will need to request these resources from our stack storage.

Publication Years Call number Key
Acts
  • 1988+
  • 1851–1922; 1959–1987
  • 1915; 1917–1921; 1923–1958
  • 1901–1914; 1916; 1922
Consolidated Acts (Statutes)
  • consolidated as at 1929
  • consolidated as at 1915
  • consolidated as at 1898
  • consolidated as at 1890
  • consolidated as at 1866
Regulations
(Statutory Rules)
  • 1962–1976; 1991–1996
  • 1936–1961
Parliamentary Debates
(Hansard)		 1982–2010 (incomplete)
Legislative Assembly		 N328.94502/2
Parliamentary Debates
(Hansard)		 1982–2010 (incomplete)
Legislative Council		 N328.94502/3
Parliamentary Debates
(Hansard)
  • 1961–1982
  • 1958–1960
  • 1866–1958
  • 1856–1865 (incomplete)

 

1851 to present

 

 

 

 
Government Gazette
  • 1987+
  • 1846-1986 (incomplete)
  • 1851-1960

Glossary

Acts (Statutes): 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 (Statutes): 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 Memoranda: The Explanatory Memorandum 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 (Statutory Rules): 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.

Victorian government publications research guide by State Library of Victoria

Use this guide to find Victorian Parliamentary documents, such as:

  • Votes & proceedings PDF copies for each parliament from 1851 to present
  • Tabled documents

Need to know more?

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.

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.