Legislation Act 2001

The laws in force in the ACT consist of the written law and various unwritten laws known as the principles and rules of common law and equity.

The written law of the Territory consists primarily of laws, known as Acts, made by the Legislative Assembly. It also includes regulations, rules of court and other legislative instruments made under specific powers given by Acts. (Written laws made under an Act are commonly called ‘subordinate’ or ‘delegated’ legislation.)

Before self-government, ordinances made by the Governor-General under the Seat of Government (Administration) Act 1910 (Cwlth) were the main form of legislation made for the ACT. Most of the ordinances in force at self-government have been converted into Acts (see the Self‑Government Act, s 34). However, the Governor-General has power to make ordinances for the ACT on a limited number of topics (see Seat of Government (Administration) Act 1910 (Cwlth), s 12).

The written laws in force in the ACT also include the Commonwealth Constitution, Commonwealth Acts, and regulations and other legislative instruments made under Commonwealth Acts. As a general rule, Commonwealth Acts and legislative instruments apply in the ACT in the same way as they apply in other parts of Australia. Commonwealth Acts and instruments prevail over the Acts made by the Legislative Assembly to the extent to which they are inconsistent (see Self‑Government Act, s 28).

Certain Acts of New South Wales and the United Kingdom also formed part of the written laws in force in the ACT. Because of the Interpretation Act 1967, s 65, these are now taken to be laws made by the Legislative Assembly as if they had been enacted by the Assembly. (Section 65 has expired, but its previous operation was saved–see s 65 (3)). These Acts are listed in sch 1.