Acts Interpretation Act 1973

No. 79 of 1973

AN ACT

To amend the Acts Interpretation Act 1901–1966.

[Assented to 19 June 1973]

BE IT ENACTED by the Queen, the Senate and the House of Representatives of Australia, as follows:—

Short title and citation.

1. (1) This Act may be cited as the Acts Interpretation Act 1973.

(2)  The Acts Interpretation Act 1901–1966 is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.

(3)  The Principal Act, as amended by this Act, may be cited as the Acts Interpretation Act 1901–1973.

Commencement.

2. (1.) Subject to sub-section (2), this Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

(2)  Sub-section 4(2) shall come into operation on a date to be fixed by Proclamation.

3.  After section 16b of the Principal Act the following section is inserted:—

References to Stipendiary Magistrate and Magistrate.

“16c. (1) Where, in an Act, reference is made to a Stipendiary Magistrate, the reference shall be read as including a reference to any Magistrate in respect of whose office an annual salary is payable.

“(2)  Where, in an Act passed after the date of commencement of this section, reference is made to a Magistrate, the reference shall, unless the contrary intention appears, be read as a reference to—

(a) a Chief, Police, Stipendiary, Resident or Special Magistrate; or

(b) any other Magistrate in respect of whose office an annual salary is payable.”.

Constitutional and official definitions.

4. (1)  Section 17 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by omitting paragraphs (a) and (b) and substituting the following paragraph:—

“(a) ‘Australia’ or ‘the Commonwealth’ means the Commonwealth of Australia and, when used in a geographical sense, does not include an external Territory;”; and

(b) by inserting after paragraph (p) the following paragraphs:—

“(pa) ‘Territory’ or ‘Territory of Australia’ means a Territory referred to in section 122 of the Constitution, and includes a Territory administered by Australia under a Trusteeship Agreement;

“(pb) ‘The Jervis Bay Territory’ means the Territory referred to in the Jervis Bay Territory Acceptance Act 1915;

“(pc) ‘The Northern Territory’ means the Northern Territory of Australia;

“(pd) ‘External Territory’ means a Territory, not being an, internal Territory, for the government of which as a Territory provision is made by any Act;

“(pe) ‘Internal Territory’ means the Australian Capital Territory, the Jervis Bay Territory or the Northern Territory;”.

(2)  Section 17 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting paragraph (m) and substituting the following paragraph:—

“(m) ‘The Gazette’ means the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette published before the date of commencement of sub-section (2) of section 4 of the Acts Interpretation Act 1973 or the Australian Government Gazette published on or after that date;”.

5.  After section 17 of the Principal Act the following section is inserted:—

Government Printer of Australia.

“17a.  For the purposes of an Act in which reference is made to a paper or document purporting to be printed by the Government Printer, the words ‘Government Printer of Australia’ appearing on a paper or document shall be deemed to refer to the Government Printer.”.