Compilation #13 | Effective 2026-04-09
FRBR Work URI: /akn/au/act/1970/8
This Act may be cited as the Parliamentary Counsel Act 1970.
In this Act:
APS Code of Conduct means the Code of Conduct (within the meaning of the Public Service Act 1999).
paid work means work for financial gain or reward (whether as an employee, a self-employed person or otherwise).
performance standard means a performance standard determined under subsection 4(3).
serious misconduct has a meaning affected by subsection 10(1A).
There is hereby established an Office to be known as the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.
There shall be a First Parliamentary Counsel and 2 Second Parliamentary Counsel.
The Office of Parliamentary Counsel shall consist of the First Parliamentary Counsel, the Second Parliamentary Counsel and the staff referred to in section 16.
The First Parliamentary Counsel shall, under the Minister, control the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.
(5) For the purposes of the finance law (within the meaning of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013):
the Office of Parliamentary Counsel is a listed entity; and
the First Parliamentary Counsel is the accountable authority of the Office; and
the persons referred to in subsection (3) are officials of the Office; and
the purposes of the Office include the functions of the Office referred to in section 3.
The functions of the Office of Parliamentary Counsel are:
the drafting of proposed laws for introduction into either House of the Parliament; and
the drafting of amendments of proposed laws that are being considered by either House of the Parliament; and
the drafting of subordinate legislation; and
the preparing of compilations and reprints of, and information relating to, laws of the Commonwealth; and
the publishing, and the making of arrangements for the printing and publishing, of:
laws, and proposed laws, of the Commonwealth; and
compilations and reprints of laws of the Commonwealth; and
information relating to laws of the Commonwealth; and
the preparing and publishing of Government Notices Gazettes, including Special and Periodic Gazettes; and
(g) functions conferred on the Office (or on First Parliamentary Counsel) under the Legislation Act 2003 and any other laws of the Commonwealth; and
with the written approval of the Minister—the provision of assistance to a foreign country in relation to the drafting, printing or publishing of laws of the country or information relating to those laws; and
functions conferred by the regulations; and
functions incidental to any of the preceding functions.
(2) The fact that an activity is within the functions of the Office of Parliamentary Counsel does not of itself exclude other persons or bodies from engaging in the activity. However, directions under Judiciary Act 1903 may affect the extent to which other persons or bodies may engage in the activity.section 55ZF of the
An approval under paragraph (1)(h) is not a legislative instrument.
In this section:
laws of the Commonwealth include Acts and subordinate legislation.
publishing includes publishing electronically.
subordinate legislation includes:
Ordinances, Proclamations, regulations, rules and other legislative instruments made under laws of the Commonwealth; and
other instruments that:
are made under laws of the Commonwealth; or
have or are given the force of Commonwealth law; or
are otherwise related to, or have effect for the purposes of, laws of the Commonwealth.
The Minister may give written directions to the Office of Parliamentary Counsel about the performance of its functions.
A direction under subsection (1) must be of a general nature only.
The Minister may publish or give notice of a direction under subsection (1) in any manner the Minister considers appropriate.
The Office of Parliamentary Counsel must comply with a direction under subsection (1).
Subsection (4) does not apply to the extent that the direction relates to the First Parliamentary Counsel’s performance of functions or exercise of powers under the following Acts in relation to the Office of Parliamentary Counsel:
(a) the Public Service Act 1999;
(b) the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.
A direction under subsection (1) is not a legislative instrument.
The First Parliamentary Counsel and the Second Parliamentary Counsel shall be appointed by the Governor-General.
A person is not eligible for appointment as the First Parliamentary Counsel or as a Second Parliamentary Counsel unless the person is a barrister, a solicitor, a barrister and solicitor or a legal practitioner of the High Court or of the Supreme Court of a State or Territory of not less than 5 years’ standing.
Performance standard
The Minister may, in writing, determine a performance standard for the First Parliamentary Counsel or a Second Parliamentary Counsel.
Note: Unsatisfactory performance may lead to termination of the First Parliamentary Counsel’s or a Second Parliamentary Counsel’s appointment: see subsection 10(4).
A performance standard is not a legislative instrument.
Subject to this Act, the First Parliamentary Counsel and the Second Parliamentary Counsel hold office for such periods, not exceeding 5 years, as are respectively specified in the instruments of their appointments and on such terms and conditions as the Governor-General determines, but are eligible for re-appointment.
The First Parliamentary Counsel and the Second Parliamentary Counsel shall be paid such remuneration as is determined by the Remuneration Tribunal.
The First Parliamentary Counsel and the Second Parliamentary Counsel shall be paid such allowances as are prescribed.
(3) This section has effect subject to the Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973.
The First Parliamentary Counsel and a Second Parliamentary Counsel have such recreation leave entitlements as are determined by the Remuneration Tribunal.
The Minister may grant the First Parliamentary Counsel and a Second Parliamentary Counsel leave of absence, other than recreation leave, on such terms and conditions as to remuneration or otherwise as the Minister determines.
The First Parliamentary Counsel or a Second Parliamentary Counsel may resign by writing signed and delivered to the Governor-General.
The First Parliamentary Counsel or a Second Parliamentary Counsel must not engage in paid work outside the duties of the First Parliamentary Counsel or Second Parliamentary Counsel without the Minister’s approval.
The Governor-General may terminate the appointment of the First Parliamentary Counsel or of a Second Parliamentary Counsel if:
the First Parliamentary Counsel or Second Parliamentary Counsel is convicted of an indictable offence; or
(b) the First Parliamentary Counsel or Second Parliamentary Counsel is unable to perform the duties of the First Parliamentary Counsel’s or Second Parliamentary Counsel’s office because of physical or mental incapacity; or
the First Parliamentary Counsel’s or Second Parliamentary Counsel’s conduct or behaviour amounts to serious misconduct by the First Parliamentary Counsel or Second Parliamentary Counsel.
(1A) Without limiting the circumstances in which the First Parliamentary Counsel’s or a Second Parliamentary Counsel’s conduct or behaviour amounts to serious misconduct by the First Parliamentary Counsel or Second Parliamentary Counsel, the First Parliamentary Counsel’s or a Second Parliamentary Counsel’s conduct or behaviour amounts to serious misconduct by the First Parliamentary Counsel or Second Parliamentary Counsel in the following circumstances:
both:
the conduct or behaviour constitutes a breach of the APS Code of Conduct; and
the Minister is satisfied that the breach is serious enough to justify termination of the First Parliamentary Counsel’s or Second Parliamentary Counsel’s appointment;
(b) the conduct or behaviour constitutes unlawful discrimination (within the meaning of the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986);
the conduct or behaviour constitutes serious or repeated bullying or harassment of a person;
(d) an investigation report (within the meaning of the National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022) includes a finding or opinion that the First Parliamentary Counsel or Second Parliamentary Counsel has engaged, is engaging or will engage in:
corrupt conduct (within the meaning of that Act); or
conduct that could constitute or involve corrupt conduct.
The Governor-General must terminate the appointment of the First Parliamentary Counsel or of a Second Parliamentary Counsel if the First Parliamentary Counsel or Second Parliamentary Counsel:
becomes bankrupt; or
applies to take the benefit of any law for the relief of bankrupt or insolvent debtors; or
compounds with the First Parliamentary Counsel’s or Second Parliamentary Counsel’s creditors; or
makes an assignment of the First Parliamentary Counsel’s or Second Parliamentary Counsel’s remuneration for the benefit of the First Parliamentary Counsel’s or Second Parliamentary Counsel’s creditors.
The Governor-General may terminate the appointment of the First Parliamentary Counsel or of a Second Parliamentary Counsel if:
the First Parliamentary Counsel or Second Parliamentary Counsel is absent, except on leave of absence, for:
5 consecutive days; or
10 days in any 12 months; or
the First Parliamentary Counsel or Second Parliamentary Counsel engages, except with the Minister’s approval, in paid work outside the duties of the First Parliamentary Counsel’s or Second Parliamentary Counsel’s office (see section 9); or
(c) the First Parliamentary Counsel or Second Parliamentary Counsel fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (which deals with the duty to disclose interests) or rules made for the purposes of that section.section 29 of the
The Governor-General may terminate the appointment of the First Parliamentary Counsel or of a Second Parliamentary Counsel if, in the Minister’s opinion, having regard to the performance standard (if any) for the First Parliamentary Counsel or Second Parliamentary Counsel, the performance of the First Parliamentary Counsel or Second Parliamentary Counsel has been unsatisfactory.
The First Parliamentary Counsel or a Second Parliamentary Counsel shall not perform the duties of the office unless he or she has made an oath or affirmation in relation to that office in accordance with the form of oath or affirmation in the Schedule.
The oath or affirmation shall be made before a justice of the peace or a commissioner for taking affidavits.
The Minister may appoint a person who is eligible for appointment as the First Parliamentary Counsel to act in the office of First Parliamentary Counsel:
during a vacancy in that office; or
during any period, or during all periods, when the person holding that office is absent from duty or from Australia or is, for any other reason, unable to perform the functions of that office.
Note: For rules that apply to acting appointments, see Acts Interpretation Act 1901.section 33A of the
The Minister may appoint a person who is eligible for appointment as a Second Parliamentary Counsel to act in an office of Second Parliamentary Counsel:
during a vacancy in that office; or
during any period, or during all periods, when the person holding an office of Second Parliamentary Counsel is absent from duty or from Australia, is acting in the office of First Parliamentary Counsel or is, for any other reason, unable to perform the functions of his or her office of Second Parliamentary Counsel.
Note: For rules that apply to acting appointments, see Acts Interpretation Act 1901.section 33A of the
(1) The staff required for the purposes of this Act shall be persons engaged under the Public Service Act 1999.
(2) For the purposes of the Public Service Act 1999:
the First Parliamentary Counsel and the APS employees assisting the First Parliamentary Counsel together constitute a Statutory Agency; and
the First Parliamentary Counsel is the Head of that Statutory Agency.
The Office of Parliamentary Counsel may, on behalf of the Commonwealth, charge fees for things done in the performance of the Office’s functions, other than the functions covered by paragraphs 3(1)(a) and (b).
A fee charged under subsection (1) must not be such as to amount to taxation.
A fee charged under subsection (1):
is a debt due to the Office of Parliamentary Counsel, on behalf of the Commonwealth; and
is recoverable by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel, on behalf of the Commonwealth, in a court of competent jurisdiction.
The purpose of this section is to ensure that fees under section 16B are notionally payable by the Commonwealth (or parts of the Commonwealth).
(2) The Minister responsible for administering the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 may give written directions for the purpose of this section, including directions relating to the transfer of amounts within, or between, accounts operated by the Commonwealth.
A direction under subsection (2) is not a legislative instrument.
The Governor-General may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Act, prescribing all matters required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed, or necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act.
The Schedule
Sections 14 and 15
OATH
I, A.B., do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to (insert name of the Sovereign), (insert applicable pronoun, such as “His” or “Her”) Heirs and Successors according to law and that I will well and truly serve (insert applicable pronoun, such as “Him” or “Her”) in the office of
So help me God!
AFFIRMATION
I, A.B., do solemnly and sincerely promise and declare that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to (insert name of the Sovereign), (insert applicable pronoun, such as “His” or “Her”) Heirs and Successors according to law and that I will well and truly serve (insert applicable pronoun, such as “Him” or “Her”) in the office of
Endnotes
Endnote 1—About the endnotes
The endnotes provide information about this compilation and the compiled law.
The following endnotes are included in every compilation:
Endnote 1—About the endnotes
Endnote 2—Abbreviation key
Endnote 3—Legislation history
Endnote 4—Amendment history
Abbreviation key—Endnote 2
The abbreviation key sets out abbreviations that may be used in the endnotes.
Legislation history and amendment history—Endnotes 3 and 4
Amending laws are annotated in the legislation history and amendment history.
The legislation history in endnote 3 provides information about each law that has amended (or will amend) the compiled law. The information includes commencement details for amending laws and details of any application, saving or transitional provisions that are not included in this compilation.
The amendment history in endnote 4 provides information about amendments at the provision (generally section or equivalent) level. It also includes information about any provision of the compiled law that has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law.
Editorial changes
The Legislation Act 2003 authorises First Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial and presentational changes to a compiled law in preparing a compilation of the law for registration. The changes must not change the effect of the law. Editorial changes take effect from the compilation registration date.
If the compilation includes editorial changes, the endnotes include a brief outline of the changes in general terms. Full details of any changes can be obtained from the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.
Misdescribed amendments
A misdescribed amendment is an amendment that does not accurately describe how an amendment is to be made. If, despite the misdescription, the amendment can be given effect as intended, then the misdescribed amendment can be incorporated through an editorial change made under Legislation Act 2003.section 15V of the
If a misdescribed amendment cannot be given effect as intended, the amendment is not incorporated and “(md not incorp)” is added to the amendment history.
Endnote 2—Abbreviation key
Endnote 3—Legislation history
Endnote 4—Amendment history