Drafting Directions are instructions that are issued by First Parliamentary Counsel. They cover a wide range of topics related to drafting. All drafters are required to comply with the directions. This ensures a consistent approach is taken to amendments.
The Drafting Directions have been reorganised into a subject-based series and you can download individual documents from the following table.
| No. |
Title |
Date of issue |
PDF |
RTF |
| |
Index of Drafting Directions |
16 January 2012 |
26k |
151k |
| |
Presentation and form of legislation |
|
|
|
| 1.1 |
Long and short title of Bills and references to proposed Acts |
1 May 2006 |
48k |
160k |
| 1.2 |
Portfolio for cover page of Bill |
16 January 2012 |
39k |
123k |
| 1.3 |
Commencement provisions |
16 May 2011 |
184k |
612k |
| 1.4 |
Amending Forms Manual |
1 May 2006 |
9k |
96k |
| 1.5 |
Definitions |
18 January 2008 |
51k |
235k |
| 1.6 |
Asterisking to identify defined terms |
1 May 2006 |
49k |
200k |
| 1.7 |
Numbering and lettering |
1 May 2006 |
24k |
105k |
| 1.8 |
Special rules for Tax Code drafting |
1 May 2006 |
140k |
528k |
| |
Usage (including plain English)
|
|
|
|
| 2.1 |
English usage, gender-specific and gender-neutral language, grammar, punctuation and spelling |
9 February 2010 |
47k |
202k |
| 2.2 |
Use of various expressions in Bills |
12 October 2010 |
69k |
279k |
| |
Content |
|
|
|
| 3.1 |
Constitutional law issues |
21 February 2011 |
90k |
307k |
| 3.2 |
Taxation |
1 May 2006 |
50k |
178k |
| 3.3 |
Application of Acts in relation to various maritime and external areas |
30 June 2010 |
42k |
148k |
| 3.4 |
Conferral and exercise of powers (including by Governor-General) |
1 May 2006 |
37k |
135k |
| 3.5 |
Offences, penalties, self-incrimination, secrecy provision and enforcement powers |
12 October 2010 |
62k |
238k |
| 3.6 |
Statutory and other bodies |
21 February 2011 |
189k |
773k |
| 3.7 |
Tribunals and other administrative bodes--protection and liabilities of witness and contempt |
15 January 2008 |
33k |
132k |
| 3.8 |
Subordinate instruments |
1 April 2008 |
62k |
247k |
| 3.9 |
Evidence and proof (including oaths and affirmations) |
1 May 2006 |
37k |
145k |
| 3.10 |
Bills that refer to or affect Australian governments or jurisdictions |
1 May 2006 |
52k |
182k |
| 3.11 |
Implementing Commonwealth agreements (including treaties and conventions etc.) |
17 August 2010 |
38k |
813k |
| 3.12 |
Mentioning money appropriated by the Parliament |
4 March 2008 |
34k |
126k |
| 3.13 |
References to cases in notes |
1 May 2006 |
12k |
96k |
| 3.14 |
References to the Parliament |
2 May 2007 |
12k |
96k |
| |
Procedural matters |
|
|
|
| 4.1 |
Dealings with instructors |
2 May 2007 |
29k |
122k |
| 4.1A |
Complexity Flag System |
29 April 2011 |
71k |
178k |
| 4.2 |
Referral of Bills to other agencies |
21 February 2011 |
70k |
350k |
| 4.3 |
Amendments requiring consultation with States and Territories under an intergovernmental agreement |
21 February 2011 |
74k |
272k |
| 4.4 |
Statute law revision amendments |
27 August 2008 |
48k |
865k |
| 4.5 |
Legal advice on issues arising during drafting |
4 December 2008 |
60k |
858k |
| 4.6 |
Legislation Approval Process |
1 October 2010 |
89k |
349k |
| 4.7 |
Clerk's and Chairman's amendments |
12 October 2010 |
35k |
162k |
| 4.8 |
Parliamentary amendments--various matters |
15 November 2007 |
30k |
792k |
| 4.9 |
Sections 53 and 56 of the Constitution--Bills and parliamentary amendments |
1 May 2006 |
61k |
1016k |
| 4.10 |
Presentation of Bills for Royal Assent |
14 December 2009 |
46k |
822k |
