Summary heading

Bill Assent Files

Function and purpose

From 1901 to 1998, the series is comprised of records containing manuscript drafts, proof and final copies (with manuscript amendments) of Bills as at their first and subsequent readings, and related correspondence. In some cases, a copy of the resulting Act is enclosed. Many of the files are in the form of a brown paper bundle containing material for one Bill.

The records document the function of preparing Bills for Parliament, exercised by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel (formerly the Parliamentary Drafting Division) of the Attorney-General'sDepartment.

From 1998, the series includes records relating to the arrangement and introduction of Bills and amendments to Bills, and Royal Assent of legislation including:

1.      legislation approval process copies of draft legislation;

2.      legislation approval process memoranda;

3.      printed copies of Bills;

4.      copies of appropriation messages and notices for introduction;

5.      Royal Assent copies of legislation; and

6.     Royal Assent certificates including letters to theAttorney-General and Governor-General.

Related legislation

Parliamentary Counsel Act 1970

Using the series

   Language of material

   Physical characteristics

   System of arrangement and control

      Records within this series have been controlled by different systems over time.

At creation Bill Assent Files are arranged in alphabetical order. Following enactment of the Bill, the files are controlled in an annual single number series where the number is taken from the Act number assigned to the legislation on Assent. At the end of each year where an election is held, theremaining Bill Assent Files, i.e. those of lapsed Bills, are numbered sequentially continuing from the last Act number of that year and are incorporated into the series.

Between 1901 and 1937, it appears that the records were kept in two alphabetical sequences for each year. One for Acts and another for lapsed Bills. From 1938 until 1963, the records were given a Bill file number from an annual single number sequence as they were created. However, it is unclear if records created during this period were kept in either numerical or alphabetical order.

From 1964 to 1998, records were assigned an annual single number with year prefix, using the year of creation. From 1998, an annual single number with year suffix system of control was imposed. Enacted Bills are controlled using the Act number and lapsed Bills are assigned an Act number at the end of the election year where an election is held.

Relationships with other records

Finding aids

Access conditions

        Series history

            Up until 1998, the series contained all records relating to a Bill’s passage through Parliament, including material relating to the editorial process. After 1998, editorial material was separated from the records. The series now only documents the introduction of Bills and amendments and the Royal Assent process.

Provenance

Records in this series up to 1950 were previously held in archivalcustody as CP157/4 and CP285/4. These accessions were cancelled when therecords were returned to the Department on 6 May 1957.

Immediate source ofacquisition

Custodial history

Quantity in agency custody

The Office of Parliamentary Counsel retains 5 years’ worth of BillAssent Files in custody (including current year). After this time they aretransferred to the National Archives of Australia (NAA).

Disposal history

Following authorisation of the 2008 records authority for the Office ofParliamentary Counsel, editorial materials have been separated from the recordsand were given a temporary retention period as they are sentenced according toentry 20046 which states:

Records documenting the passage of draft Bills and amendments throughOPC’s editorial process and activities associated with printing final versionsof Bills and amendments including:

1.      editorial cover sheets and the editorial workflowinformation on OPC’s Bills information system

2.      editorially checked versions of Bills andamendments showing editor’s corrections

3.      editorially cleared versions of Bills andamendments for printing

4.     emails documenting the readiness of Bills andamendments for printing and clearance after printing.

Publication note

Additional information

End notes

Sources