Acts Interpretation Act 1931

Subject to subsection (2), in the interpretation of a provision of an Act, consideration may be given to extrinsic material capable of assisting in the interpretation – if the provision is ambiguous or obscure, to provide an interpretation of it; or if the ordinary meaning of the provision leads to a result that is manifestly absurd or is unreasonable, to provide an interpretation that avoids such a result; or in any other case, to confirm the interpretation conveyed by the ordinary meaning of the provision.

In determining whether consideration should be given to extrinsic material, and in determining the weight to be given to extrinsic material, regard is to be given to – the desirability of a provision being interpreted as having its ordinary meaning; and the undesirability of prolonging legal or other proceedings without compensating advantage; and other relevant matters.

In this section – extrinsic material in relation to a provision of an Act, means material not forming part of the Act, including – material that is set out in the document containing the text of the Act as printed by the Government Printer; and a relevant report of a Royal Commission, Law Reform Commission or Commissioner, board or committee of inquiry, or a similar body, that was laid before either House of Parliament before the provision concerned was enacted; and a relevant report of a committee of Parliament or of either House of Parliament that was made to Parliament or that House of Parliament before the provision was enacted; and a treaty or other international agreement that is mentioned in the Act; and any explanatory note, clause note or memorandum relating to the Bill that contained the provision, or any other relevant document, that was laid before, or given or otherwise made available to the members of, either House of Parliament by the member bringing in the Bill before the provision was enacted; and the speech made to a House of Parliament by a member of the House in moving a motion that the Bill be read a second time; and relevant material in the Votes and Proceedings of either House of Parliament or in any official record of debates in Parliament or either House of Parliament; and a document that is declared by an Act to be a relevant document for the purposes of this section; ordinary meaning means the ordinary meaning conveyed by a provision having regard to its context in the Act and to the purpose or object of the Act.