{"id":"status-of-darwin-act-1959","name":"Status of Darwin Act 1959","slug":"status-of-darwin-act-1959","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"nt","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":30530,"registerId":"nt-status-of-darwin-act-1959-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Status of Darwin Act 1959","content":"NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\nSTATUS OF DARWIN ACT 1959\nAs in force at 27 April 1982\nTable of provisions\n1 Short title ......................................................................................... 1\n2 Municipality of Darwin to be a city ................................................... 1\nENDNOTES\n\n\n\nNORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\n____________________\nAs in force at 27 April 1982\n____________________\nSTATUS OF DARWIN ACT 1959\nAn Act relating to the status of the municipality of Darwin\n1 Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the Status of Darwin Act 1959.\n2 Municipality of Darwin to be a city\n(1) The municipality of Darwin is constituted a city.\n(2) The city so constituted is named \"The City of Darwin\".\n\nENDNOTES\n1 KEY\nKey to abbreviations\namd = amended od = order\napp = appendix om = omitted\nbl = by-law pt = Part\nch = Chapter r = regulation/rule\ncl = clause rem = remainder\ndiv = Division renum = renumbered\nexp = expires/expired rep = repealed\nf = forms s = section\nGaz = Gazette sch = Schedule\nhdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision\nins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation\nlt = long title sub = substituted\nnc = not commenced\n2 LIST OF LEGISLATION\nStatus of Darwin Ordinance 1959 (Act No. 1, 1959)\nAssent date 26 January 1959\nCommenced 26 January 1959\nOrdinances Revision Ordinance 1973 (Act No. 87, 1973)\nAssent date 11 December 1973\nCommenced 11 December 1973 (s 12(2))\nAmending Legislation\nOrdinances Revision Ordinance 1974 (Act No. 34, 1974)\nAssent date 26 August 1974\nCommenced 11 December 1973 (s 3(2))\nOrdinances Revision Ordinance (No. 2) 1974 (Act No. 69, 1974)\nAssent date 24 October 1974\nCommenced 11 December 1973 (s 3)\nOrdinances Revision Ordinance 1976 (Act No. 27, 1976)\nAssent date 28 June 1976\nCommenced ss 1, 2 and 6: 28 June 1976 (s 6(2));\nss 3 and 4: 11 December 1973; s 5: 24 October 1974\nStatute Law Revision Act 1982 (Act No. 21, 1982)\nAssent date 27 April 1982\nCommenced 27 April 1982\n3 GENERAL AMENDMENTS\nGeneral amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table\nof amendments to this reprint) are made by the Interpretation Legislation\nAmendment Act 2018 (Act No. 22, 2018) to: s 1.\n\nStatus of Darwin Act 1959 3\n4 LIST OF AMENDMENTS\ns 3 amd No. 87, 1973, ss 2 and 7\nrep No. 21, 1982, s 2","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The core scope remains the same as originally intended: to declare Darwin a city and fix its name (s 2). The listed amendments and statute-law revisions noted in the endnotes relate to drafting, numbering and the repeal of non-substantive provisions (see List of Amendments; Endnotes 2–4) rather than an expansion or contraction of the Act's substantive effect."},"complexity_factors":["Single substantive provision: s 2 constitutes the municipality of Darwin as a city and names it \"The City of Darwin\" — minimal legal change.","No regulatory or fiscal effects: the Act does not impose obligations, fees, or powers on individuals or bodies (s 2).","Low administrative discretion: no delegated decision-makers or regulatory frameworks are created; the legislature makes a declarative statement (s 2).","Formal short-title provision exists (s 1) but adds no substantive content.","Amendment and revision history increases archival complexity: several Ordinances Revision Acts and the Statute Law Revision Act 1982 appear in the endnotes and list of amendments (List of Amendments; Endnotes 2–4), including amendment/repeal entries for a previously numbered s 3 (s 3 amd No. 87, 1973; rep No. 21, 1982, s 2).","Tracing historical instruments and reprints (Ordinance → Act, and later revisions) adds minor research friction though not substantive legal complexity (Endnotes)."],"plain_english_summary":"This short Act declares the municipality of Darwin to be a city and gives it the formal name \"The City of Darwin\" (s 2). It is purely declaratory: it changes municipal status and name but does not create regulatory duties, taxes, or new administrative powers, so it mainly affects legal identity and how the local authority is described in law."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains exactly as intended: a simple, one-purpose Act to confer city status on Darwin. It has not grown beyond this original purpose. The amendments listed are purely formal (updating references and removing spent provisions) and do not expand the scope."},"complexity_factors":["Only 2 operative sections (short title and substantive provision)","No defined terms","No cross-references to other legislation (except standard interpretation provisions)","No conditional logic or exceptions","Single, unambiguous operative provision: 'The municipality of Darwin is constituted a city'","Total length: approximately 100 words of substantive law"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this legislation does:**\n\nThis is a very short law that does one simple thing: it officially makes Darwin a city.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n\n- The residents and council of Darwin (now officially \"The City of Darwin\" instead of just a municipality)\n- Anyone dealing with official documents or legal matters referring to Darwin's status\n\n**Why it matters:**\n\nBefore this law, Darwin was officially just a \"municipality\" — basically a local government area. This Act upgraded Darwin to \"city\" status, which matters for:\n- **Ceremonial and official purposes**: Cities typically have mayors rather than council presidents, and the title carries prestige\n- **Administrative clarity**: It establishes the official name \"The City of Darwin\" for legal and government purposes\n- **Historical significance**: This was passed in 1959, before self-government for the Northern Territory (which came much later), showing Darwin's growth from a frontier town to a significant urban centre\n\nThe law is now largely of historical interest, as local government structures in the Northern Territory have evolved significantly since 1959."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/status-of-darwin-act-1959","history":"/api/acts/status-of-darwin-act-1959/history","analysis":"/api/acts/status-of-darwin-act-1959/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/status-of-darwin-act-1959/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/status-of-darwin-act-1959/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/status-of-darwin-act-1959/documents"}}