A guide to accessing Tasmanian Government publications at our library and online.
From its founding in 1803 until 1825 the laws of Tasmania, known as Van Diemen's Land, were those of New South Wales; supplemented by Government and General Orders promulgated by the Lieutenant-Governor and Commandants.
In 1825, Van Diemen's Land became a colony under its own administration. From 1826 to 1856, the acts of the Van Diemen's Land Legislative Council were published in the Government Gazette, and occasionally printed in volumes covering a short period.
Following the establishment of the Colony of Tasmania in 1856, the acts of the Tasmanian Parliament have been published as Acts of the Parliament of Tasmania between 1856 and 1980, and then Statute law of Tasmania since 1981.
Tasmanian acts and regulations have been online in consolidated form since 1997 available through the Tasmanian Legislation website, with sessional/numbered acts on the AustLII website from 1826.
1997–
Tasmanian Legislation website provides access to Acts that were in force as at 1 February 1997 in consolidated form and Acts passed after 1 February 1997 are available as made and in consolidated form. Point-in-time searching is available on Acts from 1 February 1997.
1826–
Historical legislation including acts numerically listed with "repealed by" references available from Tasmanian Legislation website or Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII).
1998–
Tasmanian Legislation website provides access Statutory Rules made after May 1998 as made and in consolidated form. Point-in-time searching is available on statutory rules from May 1998. Consolidated regulations are also available from AustLII.
There is a subject index document (pdf) to legislation available from Tasmanian Legislation, navigate to Legislative tables > Other Information tab.
Tasmanian Legislation has a selection of user-generated interactive tables. They provide the following information about the status of Acts and subordinate legislation:
Bills before parliament
Parliament of Tasmania website has a list of Bills currently before Parliament with details of progress. For each Bill you can access the text of the Bill and key dates, with second reading speech, clause notes, and fact sheet (explanatory memoranda) available in many cases.
2002–
Annuals lists of historical Bills from 2002 onwards are available through Parliament of Tasmania website. Details of second reading speech, clause notes, and fact sheet (explanatory memoranda) available for many Bills from 2008 onwards. Historical Bills also available through AustLII, which lists Bills both alphabetically and by year.
2008–
Tasmania does not use the term 'explanatory memoranda' but their equivalent is called Fact Sheets. These are available from AustLII from 2008 onwards, listed both both alphabetically and by year. Also available through Parliament of Tasmania with details about current and historical Bills (see above).
Since the establishment of the Colony of Tasmania in 1856, the acts of the Tasmanian Parliament have been published as Acts of the Parliament of Tasmania between 1856 and 1980, and then Statute law of Tasmania since 1981. Note that the spine title since 1960 has been Tasmanian Statutes.
From 2013 State Library Victoria ceased receiving issues in print. For Acts passed after 1997 also see online resources.
1981-2013
Statute law of Tasmania. Annual volumes, later two volumes per year. 1981-1999 are held offsite.
1856/1858-1869, 1878-1980
Acts of the Parliament of Tasmania. Held offsite, contact us to arrange delivery.
1826-1855/56
Acts of the Lieutenant-Governor and Council of Van Diemen's Land. Held offsite.
1959
Tasmanian statutes 1826-1959 reprinted. Seven-volume set cumulating Tasmanian acts to 1959. Held offsite.
1936
The Public general acts of Tasmania : 1826-1936. Seven-volume set cumulating Tasmanian acts to 1936. Extensively annotated with cross-references to British legislation, relevant cases, forms, etc. Held offsite.
1901
Statutes of Tasmania from 7th George 4th (1826) to 64th Victoria (1901)/ arranged by Frederick Stops. Not available at SLV. Is available at University of Melbourne Law Library and Supreme Court Library.
1888
Statutes of Tasmania from 7th George 4th (1826) to 52nd Victoria (1888)/ arranged by Frederick Stops. Not available at SLV. Is available at University of Tasmania Library and ANU Law Library.
1882
Statutes of Tasmania from 7th George 4th (1826) to 46th Victoria (1882)/ edited by F. Stops. Five volume set. (There is a second set with only the first four volumes.)
From 2013 State Library Victoria ceased receiving issues in print. For Statutory Rules passed after May 1998 also see online resources.
1954-2013
Statutory rules made during the year. Annual volumes. Cumulates annually as: Statutory Rules passed during the year. 1954-1999 are held offsite.
Before 1954
Before 1954 Statutory Rules were published in the Tasmanian Government Gazettes.
Indexes for current Legislation see online resources.
1992-2011
Indexes to the legislation of Tasmania
Fully cumulative so no need to use earlier issues. 1992-1999 held offsite.
Index up to 1864
Index to the legislative law of Tasmania to 1864 edited by Frederick Stops
Index up to 1859
Alphabetical index to the acts of Council and Parliament of Tasmania from the establishment of the Legislative Council in the year 1825 (9 Geo. 4) to the year 1859 (22 Victoria) inclusive / compiled by H. M. Hull.
For Bills introduced after 2002 also see online resources.
1929-1999, 2000-2013
Bills presented to the Parliament of Tasmania. Incomplete holdings. Pre-2000 held offsite. Contact us to arrange delivery.
Before 1929 (not held by SLV)
Tasmanian Parliamentary Library hold Tasmanian bills from 1864 onwards.
National Library of Australia hold Tasmanian bills from 1904 onwards.
State Library Victoria does not hold printed explanatory memoranda for Tasmanian legislation. For Fact Sheets (Tasmania's equivalent) from 2008 onwards see online resources.
The Tasmanian Parliamentary Library have published a helpful webpage about How Laws are made in Tasmania, summarising the legislative process with explanations of key terminology.
Legislation – collective terms for laws, including Acts and Statutory rules
Acts (also called ‘statutes’) – are laws made by Parliament
Statutory rules (commonly referred to as ‘regulations’) – laws made under powers conferred by an Act
Consolidated legislation – versions of acts and regulations that include amendments made after their original enactment and which are currently in operation.
It is important to check the last date of consolidation. Amendments made after the date of consolidation will not yet be included.
Numbered/Sessional/As made legislation – versions of acts or regulations as they were originally enacted without any subsequent amendments incorporated.
You may need to look at this version if it has never been amended because there will have been no consolidation version.
Current legislation – versions of acts and regulations that are currently in force.
Point-in-time searching – allows you to navigate legislation at any given point in time, to check on the different historical versions, and to make comparisons between them.
Bills – are proposed Acts introduced to Parliament
Fact Sheets (in other states known as 'Explanatory memorandum') – accompanies a Bill and explains what provisions mean and the intentions of the Bill.
