Legislation Act 2003

This Act provides for public access to Commonwealth Acts, legislative instruments and notifiable instruments. The Act also regulates other matters relating to legislative instruments and notifiable instruments.

Acts, legislative instruments and notifiable instruments, compilations and associated documents and information are registered on the Federal Register of Legislation. The public has online access (through an approved website) to authorised versions of registered Acts, instruments and compilations, and to associated documents and information.

The First Parliamentary Counsel maintains the Register and the approved website. The First Parliamentary Counsel is given the power to make editorial changes and some other changes to registered Acts and instruments in preparing compilations, if those changes do not change the effect of the Acts or instruments.

For legislative instruments and notifiable instruments, the Act deals with commencement, interpretation, incorporation of external material by reference and drafting standards.

Rule-makers for legislative instruments must undertake appropriate and reasonably practicable consultation before the instruments are made. Generally, legislative instruments must be tabled in both Houses of Parliament and are generally subject to disallowance by either House.

Legislative instruments and notifiable instruments (or provisions of those instruments) are automatically repealed if they merely provide for the amendment, repeal or commencement of Acts or other instruments. Legislative instruments are generally repealed automatically (sunsetted) no more than 10 years after being registered.