Drafting Direction No. 1.5 Definitions Note: This Drafting Direction contains references to the drafter”. It is a reference to the senior person who is “head responsible for matters of drafting policy. This form is used to enable the Drafting Directions to be applied in other organisations. In OPC the head drafter is FPC for Bills and the PLC for instruments. Document release 3.4 Reissued October 2016 Contents Part 1—Introduction 2 Part 2—One expression, one meaning 2 The principles 2 The exceptions 3 Applying the principles 4 Part 3—Qualifying definitions (“unless the contrary intention appears”) 4 No qualifying 4 Reasons to avoid qualifying 4 Part 4—Defining acronyms and initialisms 5 using acronyms 5 Acceptable acronyms 5 Using legislationspecific acronyms: 2 approaches to defining 6 First approach—only the acronym is used 6 Second approach—both the acronym and full term are used 6 Defined terms that include an acronym 6 Part 5—Using definitions instead of incorporating other legislation 7 Background 7 Problems with approach “incorporation” 7 Using definitions instead of incorporation 7 Part 6—Referring to existing definitions or meanings 7 Background 7 Consider repeating the definition 8 Definitions that rely on the making of a decision, judgement or legislative instrument 8 Signpost definitions—attracting a meaning that a term has in another provision or other legislation 9 see definitions [provision]” “: 9 the meaning of” and the same meaning as in” “Within “Has 9 defined in” and defined by” “As “As 10 the meaning given by” “Has 10 a meaning affected by” “Has 10 the meaning given by” “Within 10 Part 7—Other matters 11 Conjunction use in definitions 11 Attachment A—Other matters relating to definitions 12
Drafting Direction No. 1.5 Definitions Note: This Drafting Direction contains references to the “head drafter”. It is a reference to the senior person who is responsible for matters of drafting policy. This form is used to enable the Drafting Directions to be applied in other organisations. In OPC the head drafter is FPC for Bills and the PLC for instruments. Document release 3.4 Reissued October 2016 Contents Part 1—Introduction 2 Part 2—One expression, one meaning 2 The principles 2 The exceptions 3 Applying the principles 4 Part 3—Qualifying definitions (“unless the contrary intention appears”) 4 No qualifying 4 Reasons to avoid qualifying 4 Part 4—Defining acronyms and initialisms 5 using acronyms 5 Acceptable acronyms 5 Using legislationspecific acronyms: 2 approaches to defining 6 First approach—only the acronym is used 6 Second approach—both the acronym and full term are used 6 Defined terms that include an acronym 6 Part 5—Using definitions instead of incorporating other legislation 7 Background 7 Problems with “incorporation” approach 7 Using definitions instead of incorporation 7 Part 6—Referring to existing definitions or meanings 7 Background 7 Consider repeating the definition 8 Definitions that rely on the making of a decision, judgement or legislative instrument 8 Signpost definitions—attracting a meaning that a term has in another provision or other legislation 9 “: see [provision]” definitions 9 “Within the meaning of” and “Has the same meaning as in” 9 “As defined in” and “As defined by” 10 “Has the meaning given by” 10 “Has a meaning affected by” 10 “Within the meaning given by” 10 Part 7—Other matters 11 Conjunction use in definitions 11 Attachment A—Other matters relating to definitions 12
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