Legislation: Home
Legislation Databases
- WA LegislationWA Legislation is the authorised database you should use to find WA legislation. The database also includes links to bills and other parliamentary documents.
- Federal Register of LegislationThe Federal Register of Legislation is the authorised whole-of-government website, for Commonwealth Legislation and related documents. Authorised versions are stamped with one of the following words: “Authorised version”; or “Authoritative”.
- LawNow Legislation (Lexis+)Search or browse for legislation from all Australian jurisdictions. Includes links to cases.
- Capital MonitorThis database provides a range of resources including legislation, rulings, determinations, statutory rules, gazettes. Please logout after use.
Please note: The Lawlex database includes an AI Assistant, that can be used to explore a document you are looking at. Please note that the Library does not endorse its use. As with any database AI chatbot, use it with caution, as the information provided may vary in accuracy and consistency. The use of the built in AI should not replace your Legislation research.
- LegifyLegify is a free, quick search tool that links directly to authoritative legislation, as published on the official publishers' websites for state and commonwealth jurisdictions. Just type in the legislation's title to get a link.
Finding Legislation
This Guide provides a comprehensive overview on finding different forms of Legislation (also known as Acts or Statutes) and conducting Legislative research tasks. To the left you will find links to various Legislation Databases that are available to you. The tabs in the Guide also provide information on how how Legislation is made, Bills, how to perform various Legislation tasks, where to find Delegated Legislation, how to find Extrinsic materials such as Hansard and EM's, where to find Legislation from other jurisdictions, how to monitor legislation and keep up to date!
Legislation is a primary source of law. The Encyclopaedic Australian Legal Dictionary (Lexis+) provides a useful summary of some Legislative terms. These have been provided below.
Bill
- A legislative document in the form of a proposed Act of Parliament that has not yet been passed by parliament or received royal assent.
Legislation
Statutes
1. A law or body of laws formally made or enacted. The term is often confined to those laws promulgated by a legislature (statute law or Acts of Parliament) but in its broadest sense it also encompasses law made by other bodies under the authority of Parliament (delegated legislation).
2. The process of making or enacting law.
Also known as 'lawmaking' or 'statute-making'.
See also Act of Parliament; Bill; Common Law; Delegated Legislation; Enactment; Legislative process; Promulgation
Legislative process
Constitutional law
The process by which laws are created and promulgated by the Commonwealth Parliament and respective State parliaments. Usually, a Bill is introduced into one of the houses of parliament, is passed by that house and agreed to in identical form by the other house, and receives the assent of the Crown, becoming an Act of Parliament.
See also Bill; Legislation
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Legislation Database help
- WA Legislation FAQ'sThis link provides a list of useful FAQ's in relation to the WA Legislation database.
- WA Legislation GuidesThis link points out to a list of WA Legislation Guides.
- About the Federal Register of LegislationThe Federal Register has gone through some changes. Have look at this webpage for information on the new database.
- The Federal Register Homepage NavigationThis help page provides information on how to navigate the new homepage.
- The Federal Register: Browsing and SearchingThis help page details how to search and browse the updated database.
- The Federal Register GlossaryThe glossary provides definitions of terms and concepts used on the Register.
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