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Australian Guide to Legal Citation 4th Edition

Guidance on using the Australian Guide to Legal Citation referencing style

Acts of Parliament

Acts of Parliament

See AGLC Part II — Domestic Sources > 3 Legislative Materials > rule 3.1

 

Acts of Parliament are also known as Acts or statutes. The Australian Guide to Legal Citation ('AGLC') elements for referencing statutes are shown below.
 

Elements

Title Year (Jurisdiction Abbreviation) Pinpoint
Evidence Act 1977 (Qld) s 8. 
  • Title in italics — use the short title if available
  • Year — year in which the Act originally passed parliament in italics
  • Jurisdictions are abbreviated in line with AGLC rule 3.1.3, eg (Cth), (Qld), (NSW) etc, and appear within parentheses
  • Include pinpoint reference/s if referring to specific provisions. Use the prefix abbreviation for the highest level of the provision, eg s 12(2) not sub-s 12(2). However, do not include the overarching chapter, part, division or subdivision that the section/s falls within. Only use these components as the pinpoint when referring to an entire chapter, part, division or subdivision, eg pt 3 div 5 (see rule 3.1.4 for more examples)
  • Formatting single pinpoint references (rule 3.1.4)
    • cite a single section using a single lower case s followed by a space and then the number, eg s 12
    • subsection and/or paragraph numbers appear within parentheses after the section number, eg s 12(2)(a) 
  • Formatting multiple section pinpoint references (rule 3.1.5)
    • non-consecutive sections, use two lower case ss’s followed by a space and then the numbers separated by a comma, eg ss 12, 15
    • consecutive sections, use two lower case ss’s followed by a space and then the numbers separated by an en-dash, eg ss 12–15 or 45–8.
       

Examples

1 Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) s 3.

2 Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 (Qld) ss 9, 12(2).

3 Water Act 2000 (Qld) ss 26–7.

4 Charities Act 2013 (Cth) Preamble.  [example of a pinpoint reference to an Act preamble]

Constitutions

Constitutions

See AGLC Part II — Domestic Sources > 3 Legislative Materials > rule 3.6

 

If it's clear which constitution is being cited, reference the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia as either:

  • Australian Constitution
  • Commonwealth Constitution or
  • Constitution.

Whichever option you use, ensure the title is italicised. Add a pinpoint reference to a specific provision/s, as required.

Alternatively, to reference the Australian Constitution within its enacting legislation, use:

5 Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 (Imp) 63 & 64 Vict, c 12.

Reference state constitutions in the same format as regular statutes.

UK & Imperial Acts

UK and Imperial Acts

See AGLC Part V — Foreign Domestic Sources > 24 United Kingdom > rule 24.2


Modern United Kingdom legislation is referenced in line with Australian legislation rules in Australian Guide to Legal Citation ('AGLC') 3.1.1–3.1.2. For Acts before 1 January 1963, include the regnal year and chapter.
 

Elements

Title Year (Jurisdiction Abbreviation) Regnal Year and Chapter Pinpoint
New South Wales Act 1823 (Imp) 4 Geo 4, c 96, s 1. 
  • Jurisdiction — AGLC rule 24.2.2 outlines which abbreviations to use, eg (UK) for UK Parliament 1 January 1963 onwards and the optional (Imp) for UK Parliament sitting as the Imperial Parliament before 1 January 1963.
  • Regnal year and chapter — include for Acts before 1 January 1963 in the format:  Year(s) of Reign | Monarch's Name | Regnal Number of Monarch. This is generally noted on the legislation. Use the prefix c before the chapter number. See AGLC rule 24.2.3 for monarchs' name abbreviations and further explanation.

 

Examples

6 Human Rights Act 1998 (UK) s 12.

7 Factories Act 1961, 9 & 10 Eliz 2, c 34.

8 Australian Courts Act 1828, 9 Geo 4, c 83, s 14.

9 Magna Carta 1297, 25 Edw 1, c 9.