David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday the member for Brisbane asked me about the availability of government regulations in hard copy, both for members and senators and for the public.

In relation to the provision of delegated legislation to members and their staff, generally the Table Office can provide members with hard copies of regulations—now more formally known as select legislative instruments. A wide variety of other delegated legislation is not received in multiple copies because of the very low demand, and Table Office staff can print a copy from the Attorney-General’s Department website or direct the member to the website to view the instrument or print it. I have asked the Table Office to contact the member to resolve any further queries.

In relation to the public, I am advised that hard copies of delegated legislation registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments can be purchased from CanPrint Communications in Canberra. However, as such legislation is constantly being revised and updated there is always the possibility that the latest printed version is not the most up-to-date, and the public need to take care to ensure that they are obtaining the current version. For this reason the usual means of accessing delegated legislation is through the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments website maintained by the Attorney-General’s Department.

Any further questions on this matter should be directed to the Attorney-General, within whose responsibility the maintenance of the website and the publication of legislation lies.