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 |
18 February 2009 |
31k |
118k |
| |
Presentation and form of legislation |
|
|
|
| 1.1 |
Long and short title of Bills and references to proposed Acts |
1 May 2006 |
61k |
107k |
| 1.2 |
Portfolio for cover page of Bill |
5 December 2008 |
24k |
77k |
| 1.3 |
Commencement provisions |
2 May 2007 |
220k |
326k |
| 1.4 |
Amending Forms Manual |
1 May 2006 |
13k |
67k |
| 1.5 |
Definitions |
18 January 2008 |
83k |
167k |
| 1.6 |
Asterisking to identify defined terms |
1 May 2006 |
73k |
132k |
| 1.7 |
Numbering and lettering |
1 May 2006 |
25k |
77k |
| 1.8 |
Special rules for Tax Code drafting |
1 May 2006 |
253k |
410k |
| |
Usage (including plain English)
|
|
|
|
| 2.1 |
English usage, gender-specific and gender-neutral language, grammar, punctuation and spelling |
16 September 2008 |
29k |
3.2M |
| 2.2 |
Use of various expressions in Bills |
16 September 2008 |
110k |
2.3M |
| |
Content |
|
|
|
| 3.1 |
Constitutional law issues |
29 September 2008 |
161k |
209k |
| 3.2 |
Taxation |
1 May 2006 |
70k |
122k |
| 3.3 |
Application of Acts in relation to various maritime and external areas |
1 May 2006 |
44k |
90k |
| 3.4 |
Conferral and exercise of powers (including by Governor-General) |
1 May 2006 |
42k |
97k |
| 3.5 |
Offences, penalties, self-incrimination, secrecy provision and enforcement powers |
13 November 2007 |
93k |
150k |
| 3.6 |
Statutory and other bodies |
26 September 2008 |
401k |
522k |
| 3.7 |
Tribunals and other administrative bodes--protection and liabilities of witness and contempt |
15 January 2008 |
28k |
85k |
| 3.8 |
Subordinate instruments |
1 April 2008 |
89k |
448k |
| 3.9 |
Evidence and proof (including oaths and affirmations) |
1 May 2006 |
42k |
98k |
| 3.10 |
Bills that refer to or affect Australian governments or jurisdictions |
1 May 2006 |
81k |
121k |
| 3.11 |
Implementing Commonwealth agreements (including treaties and conventions etc.) |
1 May 2006 |
44k |
394k |
| 3.12 |
Mentioning money appropriated by the Parliament |
4 March 2008 |
41k |
87k |
| 3.13 |
References to cases in notes |
1 May 2006 |
16k |
69k |
| 3.14 |
References to the Parliament |
2 May 2007 |
18k |
75k |
| |
Procedural matters |
|
|
|
| 4.1 |
Dealings with instructors |
2 May 2007 |
34k |
87k |
| 4.2 |
Referral of Bills to other agencies |
26 June 2009 |
54k |
4.7M |
| 4.3 |
Amendments requiring consultation with States and Territories under an intergovernmental agreement |
1 May 2006 |
104k |
166k |
| 4.4 |
Statute law revision amendments |
27 August 2008 |
68k |
128k |
| 4.5 |
Legal advice on issues arising during drafting |
4 December 2008 |
103k |
135k |
| 4.6 |
Legislation Approval Process |
17 February 2009 |
158k |
223k |
| 4.7 |
Clerk's and Chairman's amendments |
17 January 2008 |
32k |
85k |
| 4.8 |
Parliamentary amendments--various matters |
15 November 2007 |
32k |
91k |
| 4.9 |
Sections 53 and 56 of the Constitution--Bills and parliamentary amendments |
1 May 2006 |
84k |
387k |
| 4.10 |
Presentation of Bills for Royal Assent |
1 May 2006 |
60k |
103k |
