Some laws are more significant than others, in that they set out enduring legal principles and frameworks that affect a large part of the Australian community. Among the most significant laws on the Federal Register are:

To find one of the many other titles available on the Federal Register, use the Search field at the top of every page.

Choose a category for information and where to find it on the Federal Register of Legislation.

To browse the categories for which tips are available, go to the Glossary.

Australia's ten Territories are home to over half a million Australians. Each territory has different legal origins, and a different relationship with the Australian Government. Choose the territory you are interested in for details of its laws and governance:

In the past, the Australian Government has also administered territory in Nauru, New Guinea and Papua. These territories have since become the independent nations of Nauru and of Papua New Guinea.

For more information about how Australia acquired its external territories - that is, all territories except the ACT, the NT and Jervis Bay Territory - please see Alan Kerr's book A Federation In These Seas .

*these two territories are jointly administered and are also known as the Indian Ocean Territories (IOTs)

The Federal Register of Legislation does not cover all sources of Australian law. To browse other sources of Australian law, choose a jurisdiction and type of information:

Commonwealth of Australia	Parliament	Legislation	Caselaw	Gazettes	More
New South Wales	Parliament	Legislation	Caselaw	Gazettes	More
Victoria	Parliament	Legislation	Caselaw	Gazettes	More
Queensland	Parliament	Legislation	Caselaw	Gazettes	More
Western Australia	Parliament	Legislation	Caselaw	Gazettes	More
South Australia	Parliament	Legislation	Caselaw	Gazettes	More
Tasmania	Parliament	Legislation	Caselaw	Gazettes	More
Australian Capital Territory	Parliament	Legislation	Caselaw	Gazettes	More
Northern Territory	Parliament	Legislation	Caselaw	Gazettes	More
Norfolk Island	Parliament	Legislation	Caselaw	Gazettes	More

Many jurisdictions are working together to harmonise their legislation, and harmonised or 'model' laws have been developed and enacted on more than 80 issues. A list of the issues and associated Acts is available from the Australasian Parliamentary Counsel’s Committee website .

Work is continuing on other issues through bodies including the Council of Australian Governments (COAG)  and the Law, Crime and Community Safety Council (LCCSC) .