Researching the law
Australian Legal System
This guide will help you learn about doing legal research, finding cases, legislation and commentary about the law on a subject or topic. You will also find a useful introduction to the Australian legal system.
Tags: australian legal system, cases, common law, constitution, courts, find legal answers, international law, law journals, legal definitions, legal encyclopaedias, legal research, legislation, parliament, procedural fairness and natural justice, rule of law
This guide will help you find out about the Australian legal system, doing legal research, and finding cases, legislation and commentary about the law on a subject or topic.
Overview of the Australian legal system and making law
Hot Topics - Australian Legal System, LIAC, State Library of NSW
An overview of the Australian legal system and how it developed, covering how law is made, what the law deals with and the roles of the legislature, judiciary and executive
Find Legal Answers - Courts and the legal system
Find information about courts and the legal system on the Find Legal Answers website
Parliament of NSW - How parliament works
Fact sheets on the NSW parliamentary system, including making a law, question time, and the role of a member of parliament
Parliamentary Education Office Fact Sheets
The Fact Sheets are an A–Z of the Australian Parliament. They provide detailed information about its history, processes and people, as well as its role in governing Australia
The Australian Constitution -- Federal Register of Legislation [external website]
View the latest version of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act.
Constitution Act 1902 (NSW)
View the latest version of the NSW Constitution Act
Hot Topics - Voting and elections, LIAC, State Library of NSW
This Hot Topics explains the key features of our electoral laws, who can vote, who can stand for election, and how votes are counted.
Australian Electoral Commission
Find out about voting, elections, electoral divisions, and funding, disclosure and political parties
Electoral Commission NSW
Find out about the NSW Electoral Commission's responsibilities and functions. You'll also find information on the voting and counting systems, levels of government, elections at each government level and electoral boundaries.
Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (NSW)
View the latest version of the Commonwealth Electoral Act
Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Act 1912 (NSW)
View the latest version of the Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Act 1912 (NSW)
Legal information at the Library
This guide has been developed by staff of the Legal Information Access Centre (LIAC), State Library of NSW. The State Library holds an extensive collection of case law, legislation and looseleaf publications.
LIAC provides quality legal information to NSW communities through the public library network, the dedicated Find Legal Answers website and by working collaboratively with key agencies.
How Parliament makes laws
Where do laws come from?
Watch this 10 minute video to learn how laws are made by parliament.
Discover how a Bill becomes an Act, how legislation changes over time, and why some laws are made by the Commonwealth and others by the states.
Captioned version also available.
Developed by LIAC, State Library of NSW
How courts make laws
Legislation is a major source of law. Courts are the other source.
Watch this 10 minute video to learn how laws are made by the courts.
You'll also find out about the court hierarchy, and the courts' and tribunals' jurisdictions.
About parliamentary procedure
Search the State Library catalogue to find information about parliamentary procedure. One useful publication about the Senate:
There being no objection...an Australian Senate miscellany by Tim Bryant and Brien Hallett, Department of the Senate, 2013.
State Library catalogue - Australia - politics and government
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