{"id":"legislation-interpretation-act-2021","name":"Legislation Interpretation Act 2021","slug":"legislation-interpretation-act-2021","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"sa","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":105751,"registerId":"sa-legislation-interpretation-act-2021-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Legislation Interpretation Act 2021","content":"South Australia\nLegislation Interpretation Act 2021\nAn Act to provide general rules for the interpretation of Acts and legislative instruments of the State, to define certain terms used in the Acts and legislative instruments of the State and for other purposes.\n\nContents\nPart 1—Preliminary\n1\tShort title\n3\tApplication of Act\nPart 2—Definitions and rules about the meaning of words\n4\tStandard definitions\n5\tReferences to professions registered under Health Practitioner Regulation National Law\n6\tDefinitions to be read in context\n7\tParts of speech and grammatical forms\n8\tInclusion of digital material\n9\tWords relating to gender\n10\tUse of singular and plural\n11\tMeaning of may, must and shall\n12\tMeaning of expressions used in legislative instruments\n13\tReferences to signing or execution of documents\nPart 3—General interpretative provisions\n14\tInterpretation best achieving purpose or object\n15\tInterpretation so as not to exceed legislative power\n16\tUse of extrinsic material in interpretation \n17\tAct or instrument deemed always speaking\n18\tAbrogation of presumption that re-enactment etc constitutes Parliamentary approval of prior interpretation\n19\tMaterial that is part of Act or instrument\n19A\tAmending Act or instrument to be construed as part of amended Act or instrument\n20\tUse of examples\n21\tThings to be done by Governor to mean by Governor with advice of Executive Council\n22\tDetermining whether Act or instrument binds Crown\n23\tDate of establishment of State\n24\tDeclaration of validity of laws made before Australia Acts\n25\tActs taken to be public Acts\n26\tNo requirement for separate enacting words\nPart 4—Commencement, amendment, replacement, repeal and expiry\n27\tCommencement of Acts\n28\tTime of commencement\n29\tExpiry\n30\tTime of expiry\n31\tUse of headings to indicate amending provisions\n32\tEffect of repeal, amendment or expiry\n33\tSaving of administrative acts and instruments when provisions replaced\n34\tAmendment or repeal of Act in session in which it was passed\nPart 5—Citation and references\n35\tCitation and references to other enactments\n36\tReferences to amended or replaced Acts, legislative instruments and provisions\nPart 6—Functions and powers\n37\tPerformance of functions\n38\tPerformance of functions under provision before commencement\n39\tCertain meetings etc may occur remotely\n40\tPower to make instrument includes power to amend or repeal\n41\tPowers of appointment\n42\tGender balance in nomination of persons for appointment to statutory bodies\n43\tPowers of delegation\nPart 7—Time, distance, age and amounts\n44\tCalculating time\n45\tReferences to time\n46\tPart-day public holidays and periods of time\n47\tReferences to number of sitting days\n48\tMeasuring distance\n49\tAttaining particular age\n50\tRounding down of monetary amounts\nPart 8—Documents provided under an Act\n51\tService of documents\n52\tCompliance with forms\nPart 9—Penalties and proceedings for offences\n53\tPenalties\n54\tStandard scales for penalties and expiation fees\n55\tFines etc to be paid into Treasury\n56\tReferences to offences\n57\tWho may proceed for recovery of penalties\n58\tInterpretation of references to summary proceedings, complaints etc\n59\tOffences punishable under more than 1 law\nPart 10—Miscellaneous\n60\tRegulations\nSchedule 1—Transitional provisions\nPart 7—Transitional provisions\n24\tBills introduced before commencement of section 19\n25\tReferences to time\nLegislative history\n\nThe Parliament of South Australia enacts as follows:\nPart 1—Preliminary\n1—Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the Legislation Interpretation Act 2021.\n3—Application of Act\n\t(1)\tSubject to subsection (3), the provisions of this Act apply—\n\t(a)\tto this Act; and\n\t(b)\tto every other Act; and\n\t(c)\tto every legislative instrument.\n\t(2)\tThis Act applies to an Act or a legislative instrument whether made before or after the commencement of this Act.\n\t(3)\tThe application of this Act, or a provision of this Act, to an Act or a legislative instrument, or to a provision of an Act or a legislative instrument, is subject to a contrary intention.\nPart 2—Definitions and rules about the meaning of words\n4—Standard definitions\nIn every Act and legislative instrument—\nAct means—\n\t(a)\tan Act of the Parliament of South Australia or an Act or ordinance of some earlier legislative authority in South Australia; or\n\t(b)\tan Act of the Imperial Parliament that has been received into the law of South Australia or applies to South Australia by paramount force;\nADI means an authorised deposit‑taking institution within the meaning of the Banking Act of the Commonwealth;\nadministrative unit has the same meaning as in the Public Sector Act 2009;\naffidavit, in all cases where persons are allowed by law to affirm or to declare instead of swearing, includes affirmation or declaration;\namend includes the following, whether effected expressly or by implication:\n\t(a)\tomit;\n\t(b)\tinsert;\n\t(c)\tsubstitute;\n\t(d)\talter;\n\t(e)\tvary;\nappoint includes reappoint;\nAS or Australian Standard or AS/NZS or Australian/New Zealand Standard followed (in any of those cases) by a number, or a number accompanied by a reference to a calendar year, means the standard so designated that is published by or under the authority of Standards Australia (alone or jointly with others);\nAustralia means the Commonwealth of Australia and, when used in a geographical sense, includes Norfolk Island, the Territory of Christmas Island and the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands, but does not include any other external Territory;\nAustralia Acts means—\n\t(a)\tthe Australia Act 1986 of the Commonwealth; and\n\t(b)\tthe Australia Act 1986 of the United Kingdom;\nAustralian citizen means a person who is an Australian citizen under the provisions of the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 of the Commonwealth;\nbank means an ADI that is permitted under the Banking Act of the Commonwealth to assume or use—\n\t(a)\tthe word \"bank\", \"banker\" or \"banking\"; or\n\t(b)\tany other word (whether or not in English) that is of like import to a word referred to in paragraph (a);\nbank cheque or banker's cheque means a cheque that an ADI draws on itself;\nbank holiday means a day that is, under the Public Holidays Act 2023, a bank holiday;\nBanking Act of the Commonwealth or Banking Act (Cwth) means the Banking Act 1959 of the Commonwealth, as amended from time to time and includes an Act enacted in substitution for that Act;\nbuilding society means an ADI that is permitted under the Banking Act of the Commonwealth to assume or use—\n\t(a)\tthe expression \"building society\"; or\n\t(b)\tany other expression (whether or not in English) that is of like import to the expression referred to in paragraph (a);\nbusiness day means a day that is not—\n\t(a)\ta Saturday or Sunday; or\n\t(b)\ta public holiday (other than a part‑day public holiday—see section 46);\ncalendar month means one of the 12 months of the calendar year;\ncalendar year means a period of 12 months beginning on 1 January;\ncertified mail includes registered post;\ncommencement, in relation to an Act or a legislative instrument, or a provision of an Act or a legislative instrument, means the day or time on which the Act, legislative instrument or provision comes into operation;\nCommonwealth means the Commonwealth of Australia and, when used in a geographical sense, includes Norfolk Island, the Territory of Christmas Island and the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands, but does not include any other external Territory;\nconfer, in relation to a function, includes give and impose;\ncontravene includes fail to comply with;\ncouncil or local council means a council within the meaning of the Local Government Act 1999;\nCourt of Appeal means the Court of Appeal established as a division of the Supreme Court;\ncredit union means an ADI that is permitted under the Banking Act of the Commonwealth to assume or use—\n\t(a)\tthe expression \"credit union\"; or\n\t(b)\tany expression (whether or not in English) that is of like import to the expression referred to in paragraph (a);\nCrown means the Crown in right of South Australia;\ndata storage device means an article or thing that is used for storing and retrieving data (whether internal or external to a computer);\nday means a period of 24 hours ending at the stroke of midnight;\nDepartment or department of a Minister or of the Public Service, government department or public department means an administrative unit within the meaning of the Public Sector Act 2009;\nDistrict Court means the District Court of South Australia;\ndocument includes—\n\t(a)\tanything on which there is writing; and\n\t(b)\tany record; and\n\t(c)\tanything on which there are marks, figures, symbols or perforations having a meaning for persons qualified to interpret them; and\n\t(d)\tanything from which sounds, images or writing can be reproduced with or without the aid of anything else; and\n\t(e)\ta map, plan, drawing or photograph;\nDPP means the Director within the meaning of the Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1991;\nentity includes a person, a partnership and an unincorporated body;\nestate, in relation to land, includes any estate or interest, easement, right, title, claim, demand, charge, lien or encumbrance in, over, to, or in respect of, the land;\nexternal Territory means a Territory, other than an internal Territory, where an Act makes provision for the government of the Territory as a Territory;\nfinancial year means a period of 12 months starting on 1 July;\nfriendly society means a body that is a friendly society for the purposes of the Life Insurance Act 1995 of the Commonwealth;\nforeign country means any country (whether or not an independent sovereign state) outside Australia and the external Territories;\nfunction includes power and duty and, accordingly, references to the performance of a function include the exercise of a power and the performance of a duty;\nGazette, Government Gazette or South Australian Government Gazette means the South Australian Government Gazette (including any supplement to that gazette) printed or published, or purporting to be printed or published, by the Government Printer of the State;\ngender identity means the gender‑related identity, appearance or mannerisms or other gender‑related characteristics of a person (whether by way of medical intervention or not), with or without regard to the person's designated sex at birth;\nGovernor-in-Chief, Governor or Lieutenant-Governor means the Governor of the State or other officer for the time being administering the Government of the State;\nHealth Practitioner Regulation National Law means—\n\t(a)\tthe Health Practitioner Regulation National Law—\n\t(i)\tas in force from time to time, set out in the schedule to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009 of Queensland; and\n\t(ii)\tas it applies as a law of South Australia, another State or a Territory (with or without modification); or\n\t(b)\tthe law that substantially corresponds to the law referred to in paragraph (a);\nHis Majesty or Her Majesty, the King or the Queen means His Majesty the King, or Her Majesty the Queen, Sovereign for the time being of Australia, and includes the predecessors and the heirs and successors of the King or Queen;\nindividual means a natural person;\ninternal Territory means the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory or the Jervis Bay Territory;\nintersex status means the status of having physical, hormonal or genetic features that are—\n\t(a)\tneither wholly female nor wholly male; or\n\t(b)\ta combination of female and male; or\n\t(c)\tneither female nor male;\nJervis Bay Territory means the Territory referred to in the Jervis Bay Territory Acceptance Act 1915 of the Commonwealth;\njustice means a justice of the peace for South Australia (however appointed), and includes a special justice;\nland includes—\n\t(a)\ta building or structure affixed to land; and\n\t(b)\twaters and airspace over land; and\n\t(c)\tthe bed of any body of waters; and\n\t(d)\tsubsoil and subterranean waters;\nlegislative instrument means—\n\t(a)\ta regulation, rule, by‑law or statute made under an Act; or\n\t(b)\ta proclamation, notice, order or other instrument made by the Governor or a Minister under an Act and published in the Gazette or under the Legislation Revision and Publication Act 2002; or\n\t(c)\ta code or standard made, approved or adopted under an Act; or\n\t(d)\tany other instrument of a legislative character made or in force under an Act; or\n\t(e)\tany other instrument of a kind prescribed by the regulations;\nMagistrates Court means the Magistrates Court of South Australia;\nmajor indictable offence means any indictable offence classified by statute as a major indictable offence;\nmake, in relation to an instrument, includes issue and grant;\nMinister means—\n\t(a)\twhen used in an Act—the Minister of the Crown to whom the administration of the Act has been committed by the Governor, or in whom the administration of the Act is otherwise vested; and\n\t(b)\twhen used in a legislative instrument—the Minister of the Crown to whom the administration of the Act under which the legislative instrument was made has been committed by the Governor, or in whom the administration of that Act is otherwise vested,\nand includes a Minister of the Crown for the time being discharging the duties of that Minister or acting in the exercise of powers or functions delegated by that Minister;\nminor indictable offence means any indictable offence classified by statute as a minor indictable offence;\nmonth means a period starting at the beginning of any day of one of the calendar months and ending—\n\t(a)\timmediately before the beginning of the numerically corresponding day of the next calendar month; or\n\t(b)\tif there is no such corresponding day occurring in the next calendar month, at the end of that next calendar month;\nmotor vehicle has the same meaning as in the Motor Vehicles Act 1959;\nNorthern Territory means the Northern Territory of Australia;\noath, in all cases where persons are allowed by law to affirm or to declare instead of swearing, includes affirmation or declaration;\noffice includes position and role;\nParliament means the Parliament of the State;\npart‑day public holiday means a part of a day that is, under section 4 or 5(1)(b) of the Public Holidays Act 2023, a part‑day public holiday;\nperson includes a body corporate as well as an individual;\npolice force means South Australia Police under the Police Act 1998;\npolice officer means any member of South Australia Police under the Police Act 1998;\nprescribed means—\n\t(a)\twhen used in an Act—prescribed by the Act or by a legislative instrument made, or to be made, under the Act; and\n\t(b)\twhen used in a legislative instrument—prescribed by the Act under which the legislative instrument was made, by the legislative instrument itself or by some further legislative instrument made, or to be made, under the Act under which the legislative instrument was made;\nproclamation means a proclamation made by the Governor and published in the Gazette or under the Legislation Revision and Publication Act 2002;\npublic holiday means—\n\t(a)\ta day that is, under the Public Holidays Act 2023, a public holiday; or\n\t(b)\tsubject to section 46—a part‑day public holiday;\nPublic Service or public service means the Public Service under the Public Sector Act 2009;\nregulation, rule or by-law means—\n\t(a)\twhen used in an Act—a regulation, rule or by‑law made under the Act in which the expression is used; or\n\t(b)\twhen used in a legislative instrument—a regulation, rule or by‑law made under the Act under which the legislative instrument was made;\nrepeal includes revoke;\nSAPOL means South Australia Police;\nsitting day, in relation to a House of Parliament, means a day on which the House actually sits (provided that, in a case where the sittings of a House on a particular day continue after midnight on that day and into the following day before the House stands adjourned, that portion of the following day prior to the adjournment of the House will be counted as a continuation of the preceding sitting day and not as a new sitting day);\nSouth Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal or SACAT means the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal established under the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013;\nSouth Australian Employment Tribunal or SAET means the South Australian Employment Tribunal established under the South Australian Employment Tribunal Act 2014;\nspecial justice means a justice who has been appointed as a special justice;\nStandards Association of Australia includes Standards Australia;\nStandards Australia means Standards Australia Limited ACN 087 326 690, or any body to which Standards Australia Limited is a successor in law or that is a successor in law to Standards Australia Limited;\nstatutory declaration means—\n\t(a)\ta declaration made under the Oaths Act 1936; or\n\t(b)\ta declaration made outside the State—\n\t(i)\tunder a law in force in the place where the declaration is made, being a law that renders the declarant liable to a criminal penalty for a false declaration; and\n\t(ii)\tbefore a person who has authority under that law to take declarations;\nstatutory instrument has the same meaning as legislative instrument;\nsummary offence means any offence classified by statute as a summary offence;\nSupreme Court means the Supreme Court of South Australia;\nswear, in all cases where persons are allowed by law to affirm or to declare instead of swearing, includes affirm or declare;\nthe State or this State means the State of South Australia;\nthis Act, when used in an Act, includes legislative instruments made under the Act in which the expression is used;\nUnited Kingdom means the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;\nwriting includes any visible form in which words, figures, drawings or symbols may be reproduced or represented;\nyear means a period starting at the beginning of any day of a calendar year and ending—\n\t(a)\timmediately before the beginning of the corresponding day of the next calendar year; or\n\t(b)\tin the case of a period starting at the beginning of 29 February in a leap year—at the end of 28 February occurring in the next calendar year;\nYouth Court means the Youth Court of South Australia.\n5—References to professions registered under Health Practitioner Regulation National Law\n\t(1)\tA reference in an Act or a legislative instrument within the ambit of column 1 of the following table will have effect as if it were the corresponding reference in column 2 of the table.\n\nTable\nColumn 1\nColumn 2\nchiropractor\na person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to practise in the chiropractic profession (other than as a student)\ndental practitioner\na person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to practise in the dental profession (including, if appropriate, a dental therapist, dental hygienist, dental prosthetist or oral health therapist but not including a student)\ndentist\na person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law—\n\t(a)\tto practise in the dental profession as a dentist (other than as a student); and\n\t(b)\tin the dentists division of that profession\nenrolled nurse\na person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law—\n\t(a)\tto practise in the nursing profession as a nurse (other than as a student); and\n\t(b)\tin the enrolled nurses division of that profession\nlegally qualified medical practitioner\na person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to practise in the medical profession (other than as a student)\nmedical practitioner\na person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to practise in the medical profession (other than as a student)\nmidwife\na person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to practise in the midwifery profession as a midwife (other than as a student)\nnurse\na person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to practise in the nursing profession as a nurse (other than as a student)\noccupational therapist\na person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to practise in the occupational therapy profession (other than as a student)\noptometrist\na person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to practise in the optometry profession (other than as a student)\nosteopath\na person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to practise in the osteopathy profession (other than as a student)\npharmacist\na person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to practise in the pharmacy profession (other than as a student)\nphysiotherapist\na person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to practise in the physiotherapy profession (other than as a student)\npodiatrist\na person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to practise in the podiatry profession (other than as a student)\npsychologist\na person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to practise in the psychology profession (other than as a student)\nregistered nurse\na person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law—\n\t(a)\tto practise in the nursing profession as a nurse (other than as a student); and\n\t(b)\tin the registered nurses division of that profession\n\t(2)\tA reference in an Act or a legislative instrument to a registered health practitioner will have effect as if it were a reference to a health practitioner registered in the relevant health profession under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law.\n\t(3)\tIf a regulation is made under section 4(4) of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (South Australia) Act 2010 that modifies the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (South Australia) text, the Governor may, by regulation under this Act, make any amendments to the table in subsection (1) that are considered by the Governor to be necessary to ensure that the modification has proper effect under the law of South Australia.\n6—Definitions to be read in context\nDefinitions in an Act or a legislative instrument apply to the construction of the Act or instrument except in so far as a contrary intention appears.\n7—Parts of speech and grammatical forms\nIf a word or phrase is defined, other parts of speech and grammatical forms of the word or phrase have, unless the contrary intention appears, corresponding meanings.\n8—Inclusion of digital material\n\t(1)\tIf any type of information or material is capable of being produced in digital form, a word that describes the information or material in its physical form includes a reference to the information or material in its digital form.\n\t(2)\tWithout limiting subsection (1), a reference to—\n\t(a)\taudiotape, photograph, videotape or other word in the form of a verb describing the capture or recording of images or sounds by an audio recording, cinematographic, photographic or videorecording device includes a reference to the capture or recording of images or sounds by a digital device;\n\t(b)\tan audiotape, photograph, videotape or other word in the form of a noun describing the item on which images or sounds captured or recorded by an audio recording, cinematographic, photographic or videorecording device are stored or reproduced includes a reference to a digital data storage device;\n\t(c)\ta book, paper, plan or other word in the form of a noun describing an item on which there is writing includes a reference to a digital data storage device;\n\t(d)\ta record includes information stored in a digital form by means of a digital data storage device.\n\t(3)\tIf a person who keeps information in a digital form is required under an Act or a legislative instrument—\n\t(a)\tto produce the information or a document containing the information to a body or person; or\n\t(b)\tto make the information or a document containing the information available for inspection by a body or person,\nthen, unless the body or person otherwise authorises—\n\t(c)\tthe requirement obliges the person to produce or make available for inspection, as the case may be, a document that reproduces the information in a form capable of being understood by the body or person; and\n\t(d)\tthe production to the body or person of the document in that form complies with the requirement.\n9—Words relating to gender\n\t(1)\tEvery word implying a particular gender will be construed as including every other gender and will also be applicable to an individual who does not identify as having any particular gender.\n\t(2)\tEvery word implying a particular gender will be construed as including a body corporate as well as an individual.\n\t(3)\tEvery phrase consisting of a masculine pronoun and a feminine pronoun joined by the conjunction \"or\" will be construed as applicable to a body corporate as well as an individual.\n10—Use of singular and plural\n\t(1)\tEvery word in the singular will be construed as including the plural.\n\t(2)\tEvery word in the plural will be construed as including the singular.\n\t(3)\tEvery word in the plural or singular will be construed as including a body corporate as well as an individual.\n11—Meaning of may, must and shall\n\t(1)\tIf, in an Act or a legislative instrument, the word \"may\" or a similar expression is used in conferring a function, the entity on which the function is conferred has a discretion as to whether or not to perform it. \n\t(2)\tHowever, if an Act or a legislative instrument specifies that an entity \"may not\" perform a function, the entity is prohibited from performing it.\n\t(3)\tIf, in an Act or a legislative instrument, the word \"must\" or \"shall\" (or a similar expression) is used in conferring a function, the entity on which the function is conferred is required to perform it. \n\t(4)\tThis section only applies to an Act or a legislative instrument passed after 1 January 1873.\n12—Meaning of expressions used in legislative instruments\nExpressions used in a legislative instrument or other instrument made under an Act have the same meaning as they have in the Act (as in force from time to time).\n13—References to signing or execution of documents\nIf an Act or a legislative instrument requires or authorises a document to be signed or executed by a person and the person is a body corporate, the Act or legislative instrument will be taken to authorise—\n\t(a)\tthe affixing of the common seal of the body to the document, or the signing of the document on behalf of the body, in accordance with the Act (whether or not of this State) under which the body is incorporated; or\n\t(b)\tthe signing or execution of the document in any other manner permitted by law.\nNote—\nIn relation to signing of electronic documents, see the Electronic Communications Act 2000.\nPart 3—General interpretative provisions\n14—Interpretation best achieving purpose or object\n\t(1)\tIn interpreting a provision of an Act or a legislative instrument, the interpretation that best achieves the purpose or object of the Act or the instrument (whether or not that purpose or object is expressly stated in the Act or instrument) is to be preferred to any other interpretation.\n\t(2)\tThis section does not operate to create or extend any criminal liability.\n15—Interpretation so as not to exceed legislative power\n\t(1)\tAn Act or a legislative instrument is to be interpreted as operating to the full extent of, but so as not to exceed, the legislative power of the State.\n\t(2)\tA legislative instrument made under an Act is to be interpreted as operating to the full extent of, but so as not to exceed, the power to make the instrument conferred by the Act.\n\t(3)\tIf a provision of an Act or a legislative instrument would, but for this section, be interpreted as being in excess of power, the provision is valid to the extent to which it is not in excess of power.\n16—Use of extrinsic material in interpretation \n\t(1)\tIn the interpretation of a provision of an Act or a legislative instrument, if any material not forming part of the Act or instrument is capable of assisting in the ascertainment of the meaning of the provision, consideration may be given to that material—\n\t(a)\tto confirm that the meaning of the provision is the ordinary meaning conveyed by the text of the provision (taking into account its context in the Act or instrument and the purpose or object underlying the Act or instrument and, in the case of a legislative instrument, the purpose or object underlying the Act under which the instrument was made); or\n\t(b)\tto determine the meaning of the provision—\n\t(i)\tif the provision is ambiguous or obscure; or\n\t(ii)\tif the ordinary meaning conveyed by the text of the provision (taking into account its context in the Act or instrument and the purpose or object underlying the Act or instrument and, in the case of a legislative instrument, the purpose or object underlying the Act under which the instrument was made) leads to a result that is manifestly absurd or is unreasonable.\n\t(2)\tWithout limiting the effect of subsection (1), the material that may be considered in accordance with that subsection in the interpretation of a provision includes the following:\n\t(a)\tall matters not forming part of the Act or instrument that are set out in the document containing the text of the Act or instrument as printed or published by the Government Printer or as published under the Legislation Revision and Publication Act 2002;\n\t(b)\tany relevant report of a Royal Commission, Law Reform Commission, committee of inquiry or other similar body that was laid before either House of the Parliament before the provision was enacted or made;\n\t(c)\tany relevant report of a committee of the Parliament or of either House of the Parliament before the provision was enacted or made;\n\t(d)\tany treaty or other international agreement that is referred to in the Act;\n\t(e)\tany explanatory memorandum relating to the Bill for the Act, or any other relevant document, that was laid before, or furnished to the members of, either House of the Parliament by a Minister or other member of Parliament introducing the Bill before the provision was enacted or made;\n\t(f)\tthe speech made to a House of Parliament by a Minister or other member of Parliament on the occasion of the moving by that Minister or member of a motion that the Bill for the Act be read a second time in that House;\n\t(g)\tany document (whether or not a document to which a preceding paragraph applies) that is declared by the Act to be a relevant document for the purposes of this section;\n\t(h)\tany relevant material in the Minutes of Proceedings or the Votes and Proceedings of either House of Parliament or in any official record of debates in Parliament or either House of Parliament.\n\t(3)\tIn determining whether consideration should be given to any material, or in considering the weight to be given to any material, regard must be had, in addition to any other relevant matters, to—\n\t(a)\tthe desirability of persons being able to rely on the ordinary meaning conveyed by the text of the provision (taking into account its context in the Act or instrument and the purpose or object underlying the Act or instrument and, in the case of a legislative instrument, the purpose or object underlying the Act under which the instrument was made); and\n\t(b)\tthe need to avoid prolonging legal or other proceedings without compensating advantage.\n17—Act or instrument deemed always speaking\nAn Act or a legislative instrument will be considered as speaking at all times, and every provision of an Act or a legislative instrument, whether expressed in the present or the future tense, will be applied to the circumstances as they arise, so that effect may be given to each provision according to its spirit, true intent and meaning.\n18—Abrogation of presumption that re-enactment etc constitutes Parliamentary approval of prior interpretation\nThe enactment or re‑enactment of a provision of an Act that has been construed in a particular manner (judicially or otherwise) in this State or elsewhere creates no presumption that Parliament has sanctioned or approved that construction.\n19—Material that is part of Act or instrument\n\t(1)\tExcept as provided in subsection (2), everything appearing in an Act or a legislative instrument is part of the Act or instrument.\n\t(2)\tSubsection (1) does not apply to—\n\t(a)\tanything described as an editorial note; or\n\t(b)\tmaterial appearing under the heading \"Legislative History\"; or\n\t(c)\tan appendix setting out a table of divisional penalty and expiation fee amounts that specifies that it is for convenience of reference only.\n19A—Amending Act or instrument to be construed as part of amended Act or instrument\nAn Act or legislative instrument that amends another Act or legislative instrument must be construed with the other Act or instrument as part of that other Act or instrument.\n20—Use of examples\nAn example included in an Act or a legislative instrument—\n\t(a)\tis not exhaustive; and\n\t(b)\tmay extend, but does not limit, the meaning of the provision of the Act or legislative instrument to which it relates.\n21—Things to be done by Governor to mean by Governor with advice of Executive Council\nIf, in an Act passed, or a legislative instrument made, after 1 January 1873, the Governor is authorised or required to do any act, matter or thing, it will be taken to mean that the act, matter or thing may or must be done by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Executive Council.\n22—Determining whether Act or instrument binds Crown\n\t(1)\tSubject to subsection (2), an Act passed, or a legislative instrument made, after 20 June 1990 will, unless the contrary intention appears (either expressly or by implication), be taken to bind the Crown, but not so as to impose any criminal liability on the Crown.\n\t(2)\tIf an Act passed, or a legislative instrument made, after 20 June 1990 amends an Act passed, or a legislative instrument made, before that date, the question whether the amendment binds the Crown will be determined in accordance with subsection (3).\n\t(3)\tAn Act passed, or a legislative instrument made, on or before 20 June 1990 will only be taken to bind the Crown if the Act or instrument expressly, or by necessary implication, binds the Crown.\n\t(4)\tIf an Act or a legislative instrument, or a provision of an Act or a legislative instrument, (whether passed or made before or after 20 June 1990) binds the Crown but not so as to impose any criminal liability on the Crown, the Crown's immunity from criminal liability extends (unless the contrary intention is expressed) to an agent of the Crown in respect of an act within the scope of the agent's obligations.\n\t(5)\tIf an Act or a legislative instrument, or a provision of an Act or a legislative instrument, (whether passed or made before or after 20 June 1990) does not bind the Crown, the Crown's immunity extends (unless the contrary intention is expressed) to an agent of the Crown in respect of an act within the scope of the agent's obligations.\n\t(6)\tFor the purposes of this section—\n\t(a)\ta reference to the Crown extends not only to the Crown in right of this State but also (so far as the legislative power of the State permits) to the Crown in any other capacity; and\n\t(b)\ta reference to an agent of the Crown extends to an instrumentality, officer or employee of the Crown or a contractor or other person who carries out functions on behalf of the Crown; and\n\t(c)\tan agent acts within the scope of the agent's obligations if the act is reasonably required for carrying out of obligations or functions imposed on, or assigned to, the agent.\n23—Date of establishment of State\nThe State is taken to have been established on 28 December 1836.\n24—Declaration of validity of laws made before Australia Acts\nEach provision of an Act or a legislative instrument enacted or made, or purporting to have been enacted or made, before the commencement of the Australia Acts is as valid as it would have been, and has the same effect as it would have had, if the Australia Acts had been in operation at the time of its enactment or making or purported enactment or making.\n25—Acts taken to be public Acts\nAn Act passed after 1 January 1873 is taken to be a public Act.\n26—No requirement for separate enacting words\nThere is no requirement for a provision or portion of an Act to have separate enacting words in order to have effect as a substantive enactment.\nPart 4—Commencement, amendment, replacement, repeal and expiry\n27—Commencement of Acts\n\t(1)\tAn Act that contains no provision fixing the date of its commencement, or providing for the fixing of that date, comes into operation on the day on which it is assented to by, or on behalf of, the Crown.\n\t(2)\tIf a Bill is reserved for the signification of Her Majesty's assent, the Bill will be taken, for the purposes of subsection (1), to have been assented to on the day on which the assent is notified by proclamation in the State.\n\t(3)\tIf an Act provides that the Act comes into operation on a day to be fixed by proclamation, or that any provisions of the Act come into operation on a day to be fixed by proclamation, then, unless the contrary intention appears, the Governor may by proclamation—\n\t(a)\tfix a day or time for the Act or provisions to come into operation; or\n\t(b)\tfix different days or times for different provisions of the Act to come into operation; or\n\t(c)\tsuspend the operation of specified provisions of the Act until a day or time or days or times to be fixed by subsequent proclamation or proclamations.\n\t(4)\tFor the purposes of subsection (3), a reference to a provision of an Act extends to—\n\t(a)\ta part of a provision; and\n\t(b)\ta provision to be inserted into another Act by the Act.\n\t(5)\tThe Governor may, by subsequent proclamation made before the day or time fixed by proclamation under subsection (3) for an Act or provision to come into operation, amend the proclamation to fix a different day or time for the Act or provision to come into operation.\n\t(6)\tSubject to subsection (7), an Act or a provision of an Act passed—\n\t(a)\tafter the commencement of this subsection; or\n\t(b)\twithin the period of 2 years before the commencement of this subsection,\nthat is to be brought into operation by proclamation will be taken to come into operation on the second anniversary of the date on which the Act was assented to by, or on behalf of, the Crown unless brought into operation before that second anniversary.\n\t(7)\tSubsection (6) does not apply to an Act or a provision of an Act if the Act or provision provides that that subsection does not apply (or, if the Act or provision was enacted before the commencement of that subsection, that section 7(5) of the Acts Interpretation Act 1915 does not apply).\nNote—\nIn relation to commencement of legislative instruments see the Legislative Instruments Act 1978.\n28—Time of commencement\nIf an Act or a legislative instrument, or a provision of an Act or a legislative instrument, comes into operation on a particular day, the Act or instrument, or the provision, comes into operation at the beginning of that day.\n29—Expiry\nAn Act or a legislative instrument may include a provision specifying a day on which the Act or instrument (or any provision of the Act or instrument) expires.\n30—Time of expiry\nIf an Act or a legislative instrument, or a provision of an Act or a legislative instrument, is expressed to expire, lapse or otherwise cease to have effect on a particular day, or to remain or continue in force or otherwise have effect until a particular day, the Act or instrument, or the provision, continues to have effect until the end of the specified day.\n31—Use of headings to indicate amending provisions\n\t(1)\tIn an Act, a provision under a heading referring to the amendment of a specified Act or a legislative instrument amends the Act or instrument so specified.\n\t(2)\tIn a legislative instrument made by an authority, a provision under a heading referring to the amendment of a specified legislative instrument made by the same authority amends the instrument so specified.\n32—Effect of repeal, amendment or expiry\n\t(1)\tThis section applies if an Act or a legislative instrument, or a provision of an Act or a legislative instrument—\n\t(a)\tis repealed or amended; or\n\t(b)\texpires.\n\t(2)\tThe repeal, amendment or expiry of the Act, legislative instrument or provision does not—\n\t(a)\trevive anything not in force or existing at that time; or\n\t(b)\taffect the previous operation of the Act, instrument or provision or anything duly done or suffered under it; or\n\t(c)\taffect any direct amendments made by the Act, instrument or provision; or\n\t(d)\taffect any right, interest, title, power or privilege created, acquired, accrued, established or exercisable, or any status or capacity existing, under the Act, instrument or provision; or\n\t(e)\taffect any duty, obligation, liability or burden of proof imposed, created or incurred, or any penalty, forfeiture or punishment incurred or imposed or liable to be incurred or imposed, under the Act, instrument or provision; or\n\t(f)\taffect any investigation, legal proceeding or remedy in respect of anything mentioned in paragraph (d) or (e).\n\t(3)\tAn investigation, legal proceeding or remedy mentioned in subsection (2)(f) may be commenced, continued or enforced, and a penalty, forfeiture or punishment mentioned in subsection (2)(e) may be imposed, as if the Act, legislative instrument or provision had not been repealed or amended or had not expired.\n\t(4)\tIf an office, court, tribunal or body would, apart from this section, cease to exist by reason of the repeal, amendment or expiry, then, for the purpose of instituting, continuing or enforcing any such investigation, legal proceeding or remedy, the office, court, tribunal or body continues in existence (and, if necessary, new appointments may be made to it) as if the repeal or amendment had not been effected, or as if the expired Act, legislative instrument or provision had not expired (as the case may be).\n\t(5)\tAn Act or a legislative instrument, or a provision of an Act or a legislative instrument, will, despite its repeal, amendment or expiry, continue in force for the purposes of continuing and completing any act, matter or thing commenced or in progress under that Act, instrument or provision if there is no substituted Act, instrument or provision adapted to its continuance and completion.\n\t(6)\tThe repeal, amendment or expiry of the Act, legislative instrument or provision does not—\n\t(a)\taffect the continued operation of a provision enacted or made by that Act, instrument or provision that is of a savings or transitional nature; or\n\t(b)\tend the validating effect of a provision enacted or made by that Act, instrument or provision that validates anything that is or may otherwise be invalid.\n\t(7)\tIn this section—\nlegal proceeding includes any proceeding pursuant to an Act or law whether of a judicial or administrative nature.\n33—Saving of administrative acts and instruments when provisions replaced\n\t(1)\tIf an Act or a legislative instrument, or a provision of an Act or a legislative instrument, is replaced, an administrative act done in accordance with it (as in force before it was replaced and not being an administrative act the effect of which was exhausted) will be regarded as an administrative act done for the purposes of the replacement Act, instrument or provision if it is not inconsistent with the Act, instrument or provision as in force after it is replaced.\n\t(2)\tIf—\n\t(a)\ta legislative instrument or other instrument is in force under a provision of an Act; and\n\t(b)\tthe Act, or the provision of the Act, is replaced by a subsequent Act or provision that contains or provides a power to make instruments to the same or similar effect,\nthe instrument will, subject to the subsequent Act or provision, remain in force as if the subsequent Act or provision had been in force when the instrument was made and the instrument had been made under that Act or provision.\n\t(3)\tAn Act or a legislative instrument, or provision of an Act or a legislative instrument, will be taken to have been replaced if it has been repealed or superseded by a later Act, instrument or provision that deals with the same matter (whether it deals with the matter in the same manner or not and whether it deals only with the matter or with other matters also).\n34—Amendment or repeal of Act in session in which it was passed\nAn Act may be amended or repealed in the session of Parliament in which it was passed.\nPart 5—Citation and references\n35—Citation and references to other enactments\n\t(1)\tAn Act or a legislative instrument of this jurisdiction may be cited by—\n\t(a)\tits short title; or\n\t(b)\tits short title abbreviated by omitting reference to any year except the year in which it was passed.\n\t(2)\tAn Act or a legislative instrument of any other jurisdiction may be cited by its short title or by any method authorised by, or commonly used in, the legislation of that other jurisdiction, together with a reference to the jurisdiction.\n\t(3)\tA reference in an Act or a legislative instrument to an Act of this or any other jurisdiction includes a reference to legislative instruments made or in force under that Act.\n\t(4)\tA reference in an Act or a legislative instrument to a portion or provision of an Act of this or any other jurisdiction includes a reference to—\n\t(a)\tlegislative instruments made or in force under that portion or provision of that Act; and\n\t(b)\tlegislative instruments made or in force under some other portion or provision of that Act that are connected to the portion or provision mentioned in paragraph (a).\n\t(5)\tNothing in this section renders unlawful or ineffective any citation or reference that is not made in a manner authorised by this section.\n36—References to amended or replaced Acts, legislative instruments and provisions\n\t(1)\tThis section applies to a reference in an Act or a legislative instrument to—\n\t(a)\tan Act, or a provision of an Act, of this or any other jurisdiction; or\n\t(b)\ta legislative instrument, or a provision of a legislative instrument, of this or any other jurisdiction.\n\t(2)\tThe reference is a reference to that Act, legislative instrument or provision as amended from time to time and, if it is replaced (within the meaning of section 33(3)), as replaced and amended from time to time.\nPart 6—Functions and powers\n37—Performance of functions\n\t(1)\tIf an Act or a legislative instrument confers a function on a person or body, the function may be performed from time to time as occasion requires.\n\t(2)\tIf an Act or a legislative instrument confers a function on the holder of a particular office, the function may be performed by the person for the time being holding or performing the duties of the office.\n\t(3)\tIf an Act or a legislative instrument confers a function on a body, the performance of the function is not affected merely because of a vacancy in the membership of the body or a defect in the appointment of a member.\n38—Performance of functions under provision before commencement\n\t(1)\tIf—\n\t(a)\ta provision of an Act that has passed, or a legislative instrument that has been made, is not yet in operation; and\n\t(b)\tit is expedient that a function conferred on a person or body by the provision be performed before it comes into operation,\nthe function may be so performed before the provision comes into operation.\n\t(2)\tSubject to subsection (3), anything created, granted, issued, done or made under or pursuant to a provision by virtue of subsection (1) will take effect when the provision comes into operation and not before.\n\t(3)\tIf the function that is performed is the appointment of a person to a specified office or the establishment of a specified body—\n\t(a)\tthe appointed person may act in the office or the established body may meet and perform its functions with the same entitlement to remuneration or allowances as if the provision were in operation; but\n\t(b)\tany function performed by that person or body pursuant to subsection (1) does not take effect until the relevant provision comes into operation.\n39—Certain meetings etc may occur remotely\n\t(1)\tIf an Act or a legislative instrument requires that a meeting occur or that some other transaction take place that requires 2 or more persons to be physically present, the requirement will be taken to be satisfied if the persons meet, or the transaction takes place, remotely using 1 or both (including a combination) of the following means of communication:\n\t(a)\taudio visual;\n\t(b)\taudio.\n\t(2)\tHowever, subsection (1) does not apply to a requirement that a person be physically present to witness the signing, execution, certification or stamping of a document or to take any oath, affirmation or declaration in relation to a document.\n\t(3)\tSubsection (1) does not apply to a meeting or transaction, or meeting or transaction of a class, prescribed by the regulations.\n\t(4)\tA person who participates in a meeting in accordance with this section is taken to be present at the meeting, and to form part of any quorum for the meeting, even if the person is not physically present at the same place as another person participating in the meeting.\n40—Power to make instrument includes power to amend or repeal\nA power under an Act or a legislative instrument to make an instrument (including a legislative instrument) includes a power to amend or repeal the instrument in the same way, and subject to the same conditions if appropriate for that purpose, as it was made.\n41—Powers of appointment\n\t(1)\tThis section applies if an Act or a legislative instrument authorises or requires a person (the appointer)—\n\t(a)\tto appoint a person to an office or to act in an office; or\n\t(b)\tto appoint a person to perform a function or do any other thing,\nand any form of authorisation to perform a function or do a thing is taken to be an appointment for the purposes of this section.\n\t(2)\tThe appointer may (in the appointer's discretion) do any of the following:\n\t(a)\tappoint a person by name or by reference to the title of an office held by a person;\n\t(b)\tdetermine the terms and conditions of the appointment, including remuneration and allowances (if any);\n\t(c)\tterminate or suspend an appointment;\n\t(d)\treinstate or reappoint a person whose appointment has been terminated or suspended;\n\t(e)\tappoint another person, temporarily or permanently—\n\t(i)\tif the person previously appointed is, for any reason, unable to carry out the duties of the office or position; or\n\t(ii)\tif the office or position is vacant (including where the previous appointment has been terminated or suspended).\n\t(3)\tAn authorisation or requirement in an Act or a legislative instrument to appoint a person to an office will be taken to include an authorisation to appoint a person to act in the office.\n\t(4)\tA person may be appointed to act in an office (whether pursuant to a specific authorisation or requirement in an Act or a legislative instrument or pursuant to subsection (3)) even if no appointment has ever been made to the office.\n\t(5)\tIf the holder of a particular office is appointed to do a thing, the person for the time being holding or performing the duties of that office is taken to be appointed to do that thing.\n\t(6)\tA person appointed to act in an office has all the functions of the holder of the office.\n\t(7)\tAn appointment made by the holder of a particular office does not cease to have effect merely because the appointer ceases to hold that office.\n\t(8)\tAnything done by, or in relation to, a person purporting to act in an office pursuant to an appointment is not invalid merely because—\n\t(a)\tthe occasion for the appointment had not arisen; or\n\t(b)\tthere was a defect or irregularity in connection with the appointment; or\n\t(c)\tthe appointment had ceased to have effect; or\n\t(d)\tthe occasion for the person to act had not arisen or had ceased.\n42—Gender balance in nomination of persons for appointment to statutory bodies\n\t(1)\tThis section applies if an Act or a legislative instrument provides for a member of a body to be appointed by the Governor or a Minister on the nomination of a non‑government entity.\n\t(2)\tIf the Act provides for the non‑government entity to nominate a panel of persons from which the Governor or Minister is to select a person for appointment, the Act will be taken to provide that the panel—\n\t(a)\tmust include at least 1 woman and 1 man; and\n\t(b)\tmust, as far as practicable, be comprised of equal numbers of women and men.\n\t(3)\tIf the Act does not provide for the non‑government entity to nominate a panel of persons from which the Governor or Minister is to select a person for appointment, the Act will be taken to provide that—\n\t(a)\tthe non‑government entity must nominate a panel of persons comprised of not less than twice the number of members of the body to be appointed on the nomination of the entity plus 1; and\n\t(b)\tthe panel—\n\t(i)\tmust include at least 1 woman and 1 man; and\n\t(ii)\tmust, as far as practicable, be comprised of equal numbers of women and men; and\n\t(c)\tthe Governor or Minister must select the person for appointment from the panel.\n\t(4)\tThis section does not derogate from the need to properly assess merit in selecting persons for appointment.\n\t(5)\tIn this section—\nman includes a person who identifies himself as a man regardless of the person's designated sex at birth;\nnon-government entity means a person or body other than an officer, agency or instrumentality (including a Minister) of the Crown in right of the State or the Commonwealth or another State or a Territory of the Commonwealth;\nwoman includes a person who identifies herself as a woman regardless of the person's designated sex at birth.\n43—Powers of delegation\n\t(1)\tThis section applies if an Act or a legislative instrument authorises a person or body to delegate a function.\n\t(2)\tA delegation may be made subject to conditions or limitations specified by the delegator and may be revoked at any time by the delegator.\n\t(3)\tUnless the Act or the legislative instrument expressly provides to the contrary, a delegation of the power of delegation cannot be made (and any purported delegation of all of the functions of the delegator will be read as if the delegation referred to all of the functions of the delegator other than the power of delegation).\n\t(4)\tIf a function, when exercised by a delegator, is dependent on the delegator's opinion, belief or state of mind in relation to a matter, the function, when exercised by a delegate, is dependent on the delegate's opinion, belief or state of mind in relation to that matter.\n\t(5)\tA function that has been delegated, when exercised by a delegate, will be taken to have been exercised by the delegator.\n\t(6)\tA function that has been delegated may, despite the delegation, be exercised by the delegator.\n\t(7)\tThe delegator may delegate the function to a person or body by name or by reference to the title of an office held by a person or body. \n\t(8)\tA delegation made to the holder of a particular office will be taken to be made to the person for the time being holding or performing the duties of the office.\n\t(9)\tA delegation of all the functions of a person or body under an Act or a legislative instrument, or a provision of an Act or a legislative instrument, includes any additional function given to the delegator under the Act, instrument or provision by an amendment made to it after the delegation has taken effect.\n\t(10)\tIf a function of a person or body under an Act or a legislative instrument is delegated and, after the delegation has taken effect, the scope of that function is altered by an amendment made to the Act or the instrument, the delegation is of the function as so altered.\n\t(11)\tA delegation made by, or to, the holder of a particular office does not cease to have effect merely because the person who held the office when the function was delegated ceases to do so.\n\t(12)\tThe validity of a delegation is not affected by a grammatical error, spelling error, error of punctuation, formatting error or other minor error if the scope and meaning of the delegation is readily apparent despite the error.\n\t(13)\tIn this section—\ndelegate includes sub‑delegate.\nPart 7—Time, distance, age and amounts\n44—Calculating time\n\t(1)\tA period of time referred to in an Act or a legislative instrument that is of a kind mentioned in column 2 of an item in the table below is to be calculated as set out in column 3 of that item.\n\nColumn 1\nItem\nColumn 2\nIf the period of time—\nColumn 3\nthen the period—\n1\nis expressed to occur between 2 days\nincludes both days\n2\nis expressed to begin at, on or with a specified day\nincludes that specified day\n3\nis expressed to begin on, from or after the happening of an act or event\ndoes not include the day on which the act or event occurs\n4\nis expressed to continue until a specified day\nincludes that specified day\n5\nis expressed to end at, on or with a specified day\nincludes that specified day\n6\nis expressed to begin after a specified day\ndoes not include that specified day\n7\nis expressed to end before a specified day\ndoes not include that specified day\n8\nis a period of 2 or more months expressed to begin at, on or with a specified day in a calendar month (the starting month)\nends immediately before the corresponding day of the calendar month (the ending month) that is the relevant number of calendar months after the starting month or, if there is no corresponding day, at the end of the ending month\n\t(2)\tIf an Act or a legislative instrument requires or allows a thing to be done but the last day for doing it is a day that is not a business day, then the thing may be done on the next day that is a business day.\n\t(3)\tIf no period of time is provided or allowed for doing a thing that is required to be done, the thing must be done as soon as is reasonably practicable.\n45—References to time\nA reference in an Act or a legislative instrument to time in relation to doing anything in this or any other jurisdiction is a reference to the legal time in the jurisdiction.\n46—Part-day public holidays and periods of time\nIf, for the purposes of an Act or a legislative instrument, a business day, working day or other period is expressed as excluding a public holiday, the exclusion does not extend to a part‑day public holiday unless the Act or legislative instrument expressly provides to the contrary.\n47—References to number of sitting days\nA reference in an Act or a legislative instrument to a number of sitting days of a House of Parliament is, unless the contrary intention appears, a reference to the number of those days regardless of whether the days or some of the days occur in different sessions of Parliament or in different Parliaments.\n48—Measuring distance\nIn measuring a distance for the purposes of an Act or a legislative instrument, the distance is to be measured in a straight line on a horizontal plane.\n49—Attaining particular age\n\t(1)\tA person attains a particular age expressed in years at the beginning of the relevant anniversary of the date of the person's birth.\n\t(2)\tIf a person was born on 29 February, subsection (1) will apply in relation to the person in each leap year and, in any year that is not a leap year, the person will attain a particular age expressed in years at the beginning of 1 March.\n50—Rounding down of monetary amounts\nAn Act or a legislative instrument providing for the calculation and payment of a tax, fee, charge or other amount must be construed as if it provided that the calculated amount, if not an exact multiple of 5 cents, is to be rounded down to the highest multiple of 5 cents that is less than that amount.\nPart 8—Documents provided under an Act\n51—Service of documents\n\t(1)\tThis section applies if an Act or a legislative instrument requires or permits a document to be served on a person (whether the expression \"serve\", \"give\", \"provide\", \"deliver\" or \"send\" or any other expression is used).\n\t(2)\tThe document may be served on an individual by—\n\t(a)\tdelivering it to the individual personally; or\n\t(b)\tleaving it at, or posting it to—\n\t(i)\tthe physical address designated by the individual for the service of documents of that kind; or\n\t(ii)\tif such an address is not so designated, the place of residence or a place of business of the individual last known to the server; or\n\t(c)\tsending it electronically to the individual in a manner designated, or agreed to, by the individual for the service of documents of that kind.\n\t(3)\tThe document may be served on a body corporate by—\n\t(a)\tleaving it at, or posting it to—\n\t(i)\tthe registered office of the body corporate; or\n\t(ii)\tanother physical address designated by the body corporate for the service of documents of that kind; or\n\t(iii)\tif such an address is not so designated, a place of business of the body corporate last known to the server; or\n\t(b)\tsending it electronically to the body corporate in a manner designated, or agreed to, by the body corporate for the service of documents of that kind.\n\t(4)\tA document is posted to an address by properly addressing, prepaying and posting the document as a letter.\n\t(5)\tUnless the contrary is proved, service of a document by posting it to an individual or a body corporate is taken to be effected at the time at which the document would be delivered in the ordinary course of post for the postal service used.\nNote—\nThe time and place of service of a document sent electronically is to be determined in accordance with the Electronic Communications Act 2000.\n52—Compliance with forms\nIf a form is prescribed or approved by or for the purposes of an Act or a legislative instrument, a form to the same effect is sufficient provided that deviations from the prescribed or approved form are not calculated to mislead.\nPart 9—Penalties and proceedings for offences\n53—Penalties\n\t(1)\tA penalty set out at the end of a provision of an Act or a legislative instrument indicates that—\n\t(a)\tan offence mentioned in the provision is punishable on finding of guilt by a penalty not exceeding the penalty so set out; or\n\t(b)\tif an offence is not mentioned in the provision, a contravention of the provision is an offence punishable on finding of guilt by a penalty not exceeding the penalty so set out.\n\t(2)\tIf the penalty for an offence—\n\t(a)\tis increased, the increased penalty applies only to offences committed after the increase takes effect; or\n\t(b)\tis reduced, the reduced penalty extends to offences committed before the reduction takes effect (if the penalty is being imposed after the reduction takes effect).\n\t(3)\tIn this section—\npenalty includes punishment.\nNote—\nSee also Expiation of Offences Act 1996 in relation to expiation fees fixed by an Act or a legislative instrument.\n54—Standard scales for penalties and expiation fees\nIf an expression in the left hand column below appears in an Act or a legislative instrument, that expression has the meaning appearing opposite it in the right hand column:\n\nDivision 1 imprisonment\na term of imprisonment not exceeding 15 years\nDivision 1 fine\na fine not exceeding $75 000\nDivision 2 imprisonment\na term of imprisonment not exceeding 10 years\nDivision 2 fine\na fine not exceeding $50 000\nDivision 3 imprisonment\na term of imprisonment not exceeding 7 years\nDivision 3 fine\na fine not exceeding $35 000\nDivision 4 imprisonment\na term of imprisonment not exceeding 4 years\nDivision 4 fine\na fine not exceeding $20 000\nDivision 5 imprisonment\na term of imprisonment not exceeding 2 years\nDivision 5 fine\na fine not exceeding $10 000\nDivision 6 imprisonment\na term of imprisonment not exceeding 1 year\nDivision 6 fine\na fine not exceeding $5 000\nDivision 6 fee\nan expiation fee of $315\nDivision 7 imprisonment\na term of imprisonment not exceeding 6 months\nDivision 7 fine\na fine not exceeding $2 500\nDivision 7 fee\nan expiation fee of $210\nDivision 8 imprisonment\na term of imprisonment not exceeding 3 months\nDivision 8 fine\na fine not exceeding $1 250\nDivision 8 fee\nan expiation fee of $160\nDivision 9 fine\na fine not exceeding $750\nDivision 9 fee\nan expiation fee of $105\nDivision 10 fine\na fine not exceeding $250\nDivision 10 fee\nan expiation fee of $80\nDivision 11 fine\na fine not exceeding $125\nDivision 11 fee\nan expiation fee of $55\nDivision 12 fine\na fine not exceeding $75\nDivision 12 fee\nan expiation fee of $30\n55—Fines etc to be paid into Treasury\nIf a fine, penalty or forfeiture is imposed or made by, or authorised to be imposed or made under, any Act, the Act will be taken to provide that the fine, penalty or forfeiture, when recovered, must be paid to the Treasurer of the State and form part of the Consolidated Account.\n56—References to offences\nA reference in an Act or a legislative instrument to an offence that is punishable by imprisonment for a specified term or more includes a reference to an offence punishable by imprisonment for life or by an indefinite term.\n57—Who may proceed for recovery of penalties\nAny person may take proceedings to recover a fine, penalty or forfeiture imposed by, or authorised to be imposed or awarded under, an Act or a legislative instrument, unless the right to take proceedings is vested by the Act or the legislative instrument in a particular officer or person.\n58—Interpretation of references to summary proceedings, complaints etc\n\t(1)\tIf an Act or a legislative instrument provides that proceedings for offences are to be dealt with, or disposed of, summarily or before a special magistrate or 1 or more justices, those offences will be dealt with under the Criminal Procedure Act 1921 as summary offences.\n\t(2)\tIf an Act or a legislative instrument provides that a pecuniary sum may be recovered summarily or before or on the award of a special magistrate or 1 or more justices, that sum may be recovered on information in proceedings under the Criminal Procedure Act 1921 and an order for payment made in any such proceedings is enforceable as if it were a fine.\n\t(3)\tA reference in an Act or a legislative instrument to a complaint (being an instrument charging a person with a summary offence) will be taken to be a reference to an information under the Criminal Procedure Act 1921 (and a reference to a complainant will be taken to be a reference to an informant under that Act).\n\t(4)\tA reference in an Act or a legislative instrument to making a complaint in respect of an offence will be taken to be a reference to laying an information under the Criminal Procedure Act 1921 in respect of an offence of the relevant class.\n\t(5)\tA reference in an Act or a legislative instrument to a complaint (being an instrument charging a person with a summary offence) other than of a kind contemplated by subsection (3) or (4) is to be construed so as to recognise that, following the commencement of the Summary Procedure (Abolition of Complaints) Amendment Act 2016, all offences are to be charged on information.\n59—Offences punishable under more than 1 law\nIf an act or omission constitutes an offence under 2 or more Acts, or both under an Act or Acts and at common law, the offender will, unless the contrary intention appears, be liable to be prosecuted and punished under either or any of those Acts or at common law, but is not liable to be punished twice for the same offence.\nPart 10—Miscellaneous\n60—Regulations\n\t(1)\tThe Governor may make such regulations as are contemplated by, or necessary or expedient for the purposes of, this Act.\n\t(2)\tThe regulations may—\n\t(a)\tbe of general or limited application; and\n\t(b)\tmake different provision according to the matters or circumstances to which they are expressed to apply; and\n\t(c)\tmake provisions of a saving or transitional nature consequent on the enactment of this Act or on the commencement of specified provisions of this Act or on the making of regulations under this Act; and\n\t(d)\tprovide that a matter or thing in respect of which regulations may be made is to be determined according to the discretion of the Minister or any other specified person or body.\nSchedule 1—Transitional provisions\nPart 7—Transitional provisions\n24—Bills introduced before commencement of section 19\n\t(1)\tDespite section 19, section headings to amending provisions do not form part of an Act if the Bill for that Act was introduced in either House of Parliament before the commencement of section 19 (regardless of whether the Bill passes the Parliament, or comes into operation, after the commencement of section 19).\n\t(2)\tIn this clause—\namending provision of an Act means a provision of an Act that amends another Act.\n25—References to time\nSection 44 does not operate to alter the period of time provided or allowed for the doing of anything under an Act or a statutory instrument if the period commenced before the commencement of this Act.\nLegislative history\nNotes\n\t•\tPlease note—References in the legislation to other legislation or instruments or to titles of bodies or offices are not automatically updated as part of the program for the revision and publication of legislation and therefore may be obsolete.\n\t•\tEarlier versions of this Act (historical versions) are listed at the end of the legislative history.\n\t•\tFor further information relating to the Act and subordinate legislation made under the Act see the Index of South Australian Statutes or www.legislation.sa.gov.au.\nLegislation repealed by principal Act\nThe Legislation Interpretation Act 2021 repealed the following:\nActs Interpretation Act 1915\nLegislation amended by principal Act\nThe Legislation Interpretation Act 2021 amended the following:\nEvidence Act 1929\nLegislation (Fees) Act 2019\nLegislation Revision and Publication Act 2002\nSubordinate Legislation Act 1978\nPrincipal Act and amendments\nNew entries appear in bold.\nYear\nNo\nTitle\nAssent\nCommencement\n2021\n36\nLegislation Interpretation Act 2021\n30.9.2021\n1.1.2022 (Gazette 23.12.2021 p4619)\n2023\n39\nPublic Holidays Act 2023\n7.12.2023\nSch 1 (cl 11)—1.1.2024: s 2\n2025\n55\nStatutes Amendment (Attorney-General's Portfolio) Act 2025\n20.11.2025\nPt 5 (s 7)—20.11.2025: s 2\nProvisions amended\nNew entries appear in bold.\nEntries that relate to provisions that have been deleted appear in italics.\nProvision\nHow varied\nCommencement\nLong title\namended under Legislation Revision and Publication Act 2002\n1.1.2024\ns 2\nomitted under Legislation Revision and Publication Act 2002\n1.1.2024\ns 4\n\n\nbank holiday\namended by 39/2023 Sch 1 cl 11(1)\n1.1.2024\npart-day public holiday\namended by 39/2023 Sch 1 cl 11(2)\n1.1.2024\npublic holiday\namended by 39/2023 Sch 1 cl 11(3)\n1.1.2024\ns 19A\ninserted by 55/2025 s 7\n20.11.2025\nSch 1\n\n\nPts 1—6\nomitted under Legislation Revision and Publication Act 2002\n1.1.2024\nHistorical versions\n1.1.2024\n\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains true to its original purpose as a general interpretation statute. While it modernises extensively (adding digital provisions, gender identity definitions, remote meeting rules, and gender balance requirements), these are evolutionary updates to the core function of providing interpretation rules rather than scope creep. The Act replaces the 1915 Acts Interpretation Act and covers similar ground, updated for contemporary needs."},"complexity_factors":["Extensive defined terms list: 70+ standard definitions in section 4 alone, many with nested sub-definitions (e.g., 'bank' defined by reference to 'ADI', which references Commonwealth law)","Multiple conditional application rules: Section 3 (application subject to contrary intention), Section 11(4) (cut-off date of 1873 for 'may/must' rules), Section 21 (cut-off date of 1873 for Governor/Executive Council rule), Section 22 (cut-off date of 20 June 1990 for Crown binding rules)","Cross-referencing web: Heavy reliance on external legislation (Commonwealth Banking Act, Queensland's Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, Public Sector Act 2009, etc.)","Nested exceptions: Section 16 (extrinsic material) has primary conditions, then sub-conditions for when meaning can be determined vs confirmed, plus a list of 8 specific material types","Temporal complexity: Multiple transitional provisions dealing with Bills introduced at different times, and 'always speaking' doctrine (section 17) requiring dynamic interpretation","Table-based definitions: Section 5 uses a conversion table for health practitioner references; Section 44 uses a table for time calculations; Section 54 uses a table for penalty divisions","Crown immunity provisions (section 22) with multiple subsections covering different time periods, agents of the Crown, and criminal vs civil liability distinctions"],"plain_english_summary":"This is South Australia's **Legislation Interpretation Act 2021** — essentially the 'rulebook for reading laws'. It tells everyone (judges, lawyers, public servants, and ordinary people) how to interpret every other Act and regulation in South Australia.\n\n**What it does:**\n\n*   **Sets standard definitions** — Words like 'person', 'month', 'document', 'business day', and 'Governor' have fixed meanings across all SA laws unless a specific Act says otherwise. This stops arguments about whether 'he' includes women (it does), or whether an email counts as a 'document' (it does).\n*   **Explains grammar in laws** — 'May' means you have a choice; 'must' or 'shall' means you have no choice. Singular words include plural meanings. Gendered words include all genders.\n*   **Modernises for the digital age** — References to 'writing', 'photographs', 'tapes', and 'signing documents' automatically include digital versions (emails, PDFs, digital signatures).\n*   **Tells courts how to interpret laws** — Judges must interpret laws to achieve their purpose, can look at parliamentary speeches and reports to understand ambiguous wording, and must assume laws don't exceed Parliament's power.\n*   **Covers practical legal mechanics** — How to calculate time periods (does 'between Monday and Wednesday' include both days? Yes), how to serve legal documents (in person, by post, or electronically), how appointments and delegations work, and what happens when laws are repealed (old rights and penalties generally survive).\n*   **Standardises penalties** — Creates a 'menu' of penalty divisions (Division 1 = up to 15 years prison/$75,000 fine, down to Division 12 = $75 fine) so other Acts can just refer to 'Division 5 fine' instead of writing out the amount.\n*   **Gender balance in appointments** — Requires nomination panels for statutory bodies to include at least one woman and one man, and aim for equal numbers where practicable.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n\n*   **Everyone** who deals with South Australian law — from judges and government lawyers to business owners filling out forms and people calculating deadlines.\n*   **Government bodies** — It governs how they make appointments, delegate powers, hold remote meetings, and commence new laws.\n\n**Why it matters:**\n\nWithout this Act, every single law would need to define basic terms like 'day' or 'month'. It ensures consistency, reduces litigation over word meanings, and keeps SA law functional in a digital world. It replaced the old 1915 Acts Interpretation Act, modernising rules that were over a century old."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":8,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Act modernizes and consolidates the previous Acts Interpretation Act 1915, expanding scope to cover digital material, remote meetings, gender balance in nominations, and updated references to Commonwealth laws. It also includes new rules about part-day public holidays, rounding down monetary amounts, and service of documents by electronic means, representing a significant expansion beyond the original 1915 Act."},"complexity_factors":["Over 60 defined terms in section 4","Numerous cross-references between sections and to external acts (e.g., Health Practitioner Regulation National Law)","Conditional language with exceptions and contrary intention clauses throughout","Complex commencement and expiry provisions with multiple sub-sections and cross-references","Delegation and appointment rules with nested conditions","Transitional provisions that modify application","Use of tables for penalties and time calculation"],"plain_english_summary":"This Act sets out the default rules for understanding and applying all other South Australian laws (Acts and legislative instruments like regulations). It defines common terms (e.g., 'person' includes companies, 'month' means calendar month), explains how to count time, serve documents, calculate penalties, and interpret purpose. It also covers when laws start and stop, how to amend or repeal them, and how to delegate powers. These rules apply unless a specific law says otherwise. The Act replaces the old Acts Interpretation Act 1915 and updates rules for digital documents, remote meetings, and gender balance in appointments."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"summary":{"complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Scope assessment cannot be performed — the legislative text was not available for analysis due to a broken link. No comparison between original intent and current provisions is possible."},"complexity_factors":["No legislative content was retrievable — the source URL returned a 404 Page Not Found error","Unable to assess complexity of the actual Act without its text","Score of 1 reflects absence of analysable content, not simplicity of the underlying law"],"plain_english_summary":"## ⚠️ Content Unavailable\n\nThe legislation text for the **Legislation Interpretation Act 2021 (SA)** could not be retrieved. The link provided returned a **\"Page Not Found\"** error from the South Australian legislation website, likely due to a broken or outdated URL following a website update in March 2026.\n\n**What we do know about this Act generally:**\nThe Legislation Interpretation Act 2021 is a South Australian law that replaced the older Acts Interpretation Act 1915. It sets out the rules for how all other South Australian laws should be read and understood — essentially, it's the rulebook for reading the rulebook. It affects **everyone** whose rights or obligations are governed by SA legislation, including individuals, businesses, courts, and government agencies.\n\n**To access the actual legislation**, visit [www.legislation.sa.gov.au](https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au) and search directly for \"Legislation Interpretation Act 2021\"."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/legislation-interpretation-act-2021","history":"/api/acts/legislation-interpretation-act-2021/history","analysis":"/api/acts/legislation-interpretation-act-2021/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/legislation-interpretation-act-2021/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/legislation-interpretation-act-2021/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/legislation-interpretation-act-2021/documents"}}