The Office of Parliamentary Counsel (OPC) is established under the Parliamentary Counsel Act 1970.
Our functions include:
- drafting proposed laws for introduction into the Parliament
- drafting amendments of proposed laws that are being considered by the Parliament
- drafting subordinate legislation such as regulations, proclamations and other legislative instruments
- preparing compilations and reprints of Commonwealth laws
- publishing:
- laws, and proposed laws, of the Commonwealth
- compilations and reprints of Commonwealth laws
- information relating to Commonwealth laws
- preparing and publishing Government Notices Gazettes
- maintaining the Federal Register of Legislation
- promoting the legal effectiveness and clarity of legislation, including by providing advice and training in drafting matters
- other functions conferred on OPC or on the First Parliamentary Counsel under the Legislation Act 2003 and any other laws of the Commonwealth
- with Ministerial approval, providing assistance to foreign countries in relation to drafting, printing or publishing of their laws