Finding Commonwealth Legislation

Online

Commonwealth bills, explanatory memoranda and second reading speeches can be obtained from TimeBase LawOne, ComLaw or the Parliament of Australia Bills site. The transcripts of parliamentary debates and proceedings of committees at both Commonwealth and State levels are known as Hansards. Hansards also provide the text of second reading speeches.

To see how to search for Commonwealth Bills through TimeBase have a look a this podcast iPhone or web version.

To see how to search for Commonwealth Bills through the Commonwealth of Australia Parliamentary website have a look at this podcast iPhone or web version.

Commonwealth Acts as made and Reprints are again available through TimeBase and also ComLaw. From the Legal Research Guide, select the Legislation tab and then under Commonwealth Legislation choose ComLaw.

ComLaw holds statutes and subordinate legislation from 1973 onwards and bills from 1996 onwards. This is a podcast iPhone or web version of how to search Comlaw for current Commonwealth Acts.

Print

Like Queensland legislation, it is often easier to go to the shelves to find Commonwealth legislation in print.

Commonwealth Acts in their original form are in the Statutes/Reports section at KZC41.A3.

Reprints of Commonwealth Acts are in the Statutes/Reports section at KZC41.A32.

Commonwealth Bills are located in the Statutes/Reports section at KZC40.A8.

Individual acts are not listed in the catalogue although commentary can occasionally be found by searching on an Act's title.