Acts
- What is an Act?
- How do I obtain a copy of an Act?
- What is a proclamation?
- How do I find out when an Act commenced?
- How can I find out when the commencement of an Act is going to be proclaimed?
- Where is a proclamation published?
- How do I find out whether an Act has been amended?
- How do I find out if an Act is still in force?
1. What is an Act?
An Act is a Bill that has been passed by both Houses of Parliament, and has received the Royal Assent.
There are two sorts of Acts - new Principal Acts and Amending Acts.
2. How do I obtain a copy of an Act?
3. What is a proclamation?
A proclamation is a legal instrument made by the Governor in Council (that is, the Governor with the advice of Ministers) and published in the Victorian Government Gazette.
Proclamations can be made for a number of purposes. Where an Act so provides, a proclamation can be used to set the date for the commencement of an Act or a provision of an Act.
4. How do I find out when an Act commenced?
The commencement provision of an Act is usually section 2.
Sometimes the whole Act commences at the same time. Sometimes different provisions commence at different times.
The most common commencement times are:
- day after Royal Assent
- on a specified date (which may be retrospective)
- on a day or days to be fixed by proclamation
- immediately before or after the commencement of another provision in that Act or another Act
If there is no commencement provision in the Act, it will commence in accordance with section 10A (4) of the Interpretation of Legislation Act 1984 on The Victorian Law Today).
5. How can I find out when the commencement of an Act is going to be proclaimed?
For any information about when an Act is to be proclaimed, you should contact the responsible Department.
For confidentiality reasons OCPC is not able to advise you when an Act or a provision of an Act will be proclaimed.
OCPC can give advice once a proclamation has been made. For details of commencements see Commencement Information in Publications on this website.
6. Where is a proclamation published?
Proclamations are published in the Victorian Government Gazette.
Information relating to proclamations can be obtained electronically by consulting:
7. How do I find out whether an Act has been amended?
You can obtain this information electronically by consulting:or by consulting the following hard copy publications:
For hard copy availability, see
General Questions No.3.
8. How do I find out if an Act is still in force?
You can obtain this information electronically by consulting:or by consulting the following hard copy publications:
For hard copy availability, see
General Questions No.3.
