Legislation
Acts, bills, delegated legislation, constitutions, explanatory memoranda and instruments under Chapter 3.
AGLC4 Chapter 3 covers how to cite legislative materials, including Acts of Parliament, Bills, delegated legislation such as regulations and rules, constitutions, explanatory memoranda and other legislative instruments.
The citation format depends on the type of material being cited.
Acts
An Act is cited using:
- the short title of the Act;
- the year;
- the jurisdiction; and
- a pinpoint reference (if required).
The title and year are written together in italics.
Title of Act year (Jurisdiction) pinpoint.
Jurisdiction abbreviations
The jurisdiction identifies the Parliament that enacted the legislation. Common abbreviations are:
| Jurisdiction | Abbreviation |
|---|---|
| Commonwealth | Cth |
| New South Wales | NSW |
| Victoria | Vic |
| Queensland | Qld |
| South Australia | SA |
| Western Australia | WA |
| Tasmania | Tas |
| Northern Territory | NT |
| Australian Capital Territory | ACT |
Multiple legislative pinpoints
If you are citing multiple provisions of an Act:
- use the abbreviation for the highest level of provision cited;
- use an en dash (–) for consecutive provisions; and
- separate non-consecutive provisions with commas.
Do not use and before the final provision.
Number ranges
Section ranges are shortened where possible.
However, where sections contain letters or decimal numbers, write the numbers in full.
Definitions in legislation
If a term is defined in a provision, cite the section containing the definition.
Where the definition itself has a number, cite it like an ordinary section. Where the definition is not separately numbered, include the defined term in round brackets.
Title of Act year (Jurisdiction) s section number (definition of ‘term’).
Short titles for parts of legislation
Sometimes you need to refer only to a particular part of an Act, Bill or delegated legislation. In that situation, you can create a short title for that portion of the legislation.
The short title appears after the pinpoint, is italicised, and is introduced only once in a citation.
After introducing the short title, later pinpoints refer to provisions within that specific part, not the entire Act.
Bills
A Bill is a proposed law and has not yet been passed. The main difference from an Act is that the Bill title is not italicised, and pinpoints refer to clauses, not sections.
Title of Bill year (Jurisdiction) pinpoint.
Delegated legislation
Delegated legislation includes materials made under authority given by an Act, such as regulations, rules and other legislative instruments.
These are cited similarly to Acts, including an italicised title and year. The pinpoint abbreviation changes depending on the type of instrument.
| Material | Pinpoint |
|---|---|
| Regulations | reg / regs |
| Rules | r / rr |
Constitutions
The Australian Constitution has its own citation format. It is cited by the title Australian Constitution and the relevant section. No year or jurisdiction is included.
Foreign constitutions are cited according to the rules for foreign jurisdictions.
Explanatory memoranda
An explanatory memorandum explains a Bill and assists with understanding its purpose and operation.
It is cited using the words Explanatory Memorandum, the title of the Bill, the year and jurisdiction, and the page pinpoint. The Bill title is not italicised.
Important: a second reading speech is not an explanatory memorandum. It is part of Hansard and is cited under the rules for parliamentary materials.
Explanatory Memorandum, Title of Bill year (Jurisdiction) pinpoint.
Other legislative materials
AGLC4 also covers several materials that sit alongside legislation.
Gazettes
Government notices published in official gazettes.
Government rulings and determinations
Examples include tax rulings and broadcasting determinations.
Rules made by non-government bodies
For example, stock exchange rules.
Court practice notes
Practice notes issued by courts are also covered by this section.
Quick identification guide
| If you are citing | Use |
|---|---|
| Passed legislation | Act format |
| Proposed legislation | Bill format |
| Regulations or rules made under an Act | Delegated legislation format |
| Australian Constitution | Constitution format |
| Explanation of a Bill | Explanatory Memorandum format |
| Government notices or similar materials | Other legislative materials format |
Related Index entries
Act (statute)BillDelegated legislationAustralian ConstitutionExplanatory MemorandumGazette noticeOrder or ruling of a government bodyRules of non-government bodies (ASX Listing Rules)Practice note / practice directionLast reviewed 4 August 2026