Introduction
The Queensland Legislation Handbook outlines relevant policies, recommendations, information, and procedures for the making of law in the form of Acts of Parliament or subordinate legislation.
The Queensland Legislation Handbook is part of the Governing Queensland suite of handbooks that supplies information about:
- the roles of Cabinet and the Executive Council (Queensland Cabinet Handbook and Queensland Executive Council Handbook)
- the roles and responsibilities of Ministers and Ministerial staff (Queensland Ministerial Handbook)
- the processes of drafting and approving laws (Queensland Legislation Handbook and Parliamentary Procedures Handbook).
The Queensland Legislation Handbook is particularly designed to help departmental policy or instructing officers to work effectively with the Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel (OQPC). This handbook outlines what is needed in drafting instructions for Acts of Parliament and subordinate legislation. Various other procedures associated with developing legislation are also included.
OQPC is responsible for drafting all Queensland government Bills and subordinate legislation (except exempt subordinate legislation) and drafts private members’ Bills as required. OQPC also drafts government and private member amendments for use during Parliament’s consideration of a Bill. In providing these services, OQPC provides advice on alternative ways of achieving policy objectives and on the application of fundamental legislative principles.
This handbook is mainly about the production of government legislation and, for the sake of simplicity, only occasionally mentions the preparation of legislation for private members.
The Legislation website at www.legislation.qld.gov.au provides information about the publication of legislation and related legislative information by OQPC.
Correspondence about The Queensland Legislation Handbook should be addressed to:
The Parliamentary Counsel
Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel
PO Box 15185, City East, Qld 4002 Australia
Alternatively, email comments to: legislation.queries@oqpc.qld.gov.au.
The Queensland Legislation Handbook can be accessed on the Internet via the Department of the Premier and Cabinet’s website at www.premiers.qld.gov.au in the Publications section.