Formats of Acts
Principal Acts are first published as Numbered Acts. Some Principal Acts are subsequently amended and reproduced as compilations.
Numbered Acts
Once a Bill receives Royal Assent it is allocated a sequential number for that year, as a unique identifier for the Act. Numbered Acts (also known as Sessional Acts, Acts As Made or Acts by Year) are available on the official government legislation websites.
Example:
Act No. 6 of 2018
Act No. 6 of 2018 is the number allocated to the Oath and Affirmations Act 2018 (Vic). As this Act was the 6th Act passed by the Victorian Parliament in 2018. Since 1986, Victorian Acts have been numbered in sequential order based on the year they passed within, and the order resets every year.
Note
Often an Act is referred to by this number, particularly when cross referenced within legislation.
Current compilations of Principal Acts
As a Principal Act is subsequently amended, the official government website will reissue a new version of the Act incorporating all amendments. For Commonwealth Acts on the Federal Register of Legislation these are reissued as compilations. For Victorian Acts on the Victorian Legislation website these are reissued as versions.
Historical compilations of Principal Acts
Prior to online compilations the government publisher would publish reprint formats of Principal Acts.
If the compilation is not available on the official government legislation website, some libraries still maintain a historical print collection of legislation.
If undertaking historical legislative research, you may need to view historical print format of legislation.
Reprinted Acts or Incorporated Acts
A reprinted or incorporated Act is one where provisions of amending Acts were inserted into the Principal Act. The government printer had the authority to publish reprinted official versions of legislation. The reprint will consist of the original act and incorporate all subsequent amendments.
Since 1 January 2019, the Victorian government discontinued publishing reprinted legislation. As compilations are available under Acts in force section on the Victorian Legislation website.
Consolidated Acts
Prior to publishing reprints, the government produced consolidated bound volumes of Acts. Consolidated Acts brought together all earlier Acts in force on a particular subject into one Act. These earlier Acts were superseded by the consolidated Act and repealed. Rather than creating a new law, consolidating Acts were a restatement of existing law. After the consolidated Act went through the legislative process of being passed by Parliament, it was given a new Act number.
In Victoria consolidated Acts were published in the years 1864/65, 1890, 1915, 1928/9, 1958. After 1958, the Victorian government changed to producing reprinted Acts.
Example:
Act No. 6344/1958
Act No. 6344/1958 is the Property Law Act 1958 (Vic). This was the 6344th Act passed by the Victorian Parliament. Prior to 1986, Victorian Acts were sequentially numbered regardless of the year that they were published. This was an Act that consolidated the law relating to conveyancing and the law of property as at 30 September 1958. The Act then repealed the previous consolidation of the Property Law Act 1928 (Vic).