South Australia
Acts Interpretation Act 1915
An Act for consolidating certain Acts relating to the interpretation of Acts of Parliament, and for further shortening and interpreting the language used in Acts of Parliament.

Contents
Part 1—Preliminary
1	Short title
3A	Application of this Act to Acts or statutory instruments whenever passed or made
4	Interpretation
4AA	Parts of speech and grammatical forms
4A	Date of establishment of the State
Part 2—Provisions of special application to Acts and Bills
5	Acts to be deemed to be public Acts
6	No requirement for separate enacting words
7	Commencement of Acts
7A	Amendment or repeal of Act in session in which it was passed
10	Evidence of date of assent to Act
Part 3—Provisions of special application to statutory instruments
10A	Commencement of certain statutory instruments
11	Saving of statutory instruments on repeal or amendment of an Act
12	Disallowance of repealing statutory instrument revives instrument sought to be repealed
13	Construction of statutory instrument so as not to exceed power
14	Expressions in statutory and other instruments have same meanings as in the Act under which they are made
Part 4—Provisions generally applicable to Acts and statutory instruments
14A	Application and interpretation
14B	Citation
14BA	References to other statutory provisions include references to relevant statutory instruments
14C	Exercise of powers conferred by a provision of an Act or statutory instrument before the provision comes into operation
14D	Time of commencement
15	Saving of administrative acts
16	Saving of operation of repealed, amended or expired Act
17	Repeal not to revive previously repealed enactments
18	Abrogation of presumption that re-enactment etc constitutes Parliamentary approval of prior interpretation
19	Material that forms or does not form part of Act
19A	Examples
20	Rules of construction to be applied in determining whether an Act binds the Crown
21	Act deemed always speaking
22	Construction that would promote purpose or object of an Act to be preferred
22A	Construction of Act so as not to exceed power of State
22B	Declaration of validity of laws made before Australia Acts
23	Act to be done by Governor to mean by him with advice of Executive Council
24	When Act or provision deemed to be substituted for another
25	Variation of forms
26	Words importing masculine gender and singular number to include feminine and plural
27	Provisions as to limitation of time
27A	Sitting days
28	Measurement of distances
28A	Standard scales for penalties and expiation fees
29	Fines etc to be paid into Treasury
30	Penalties
33	Service by post
34	"May" imports a discretion, "shall" is imperative
35	Words applying to occupant of public office to apply to successive occupants
36	Power to appoint includes power to remove etc
36A	Gender balance in nomination of persons for appointment to statutory bodies
37	Powers may be exercised from time to time
37A	Manner in which certain powers and functions may be exercised by a delegate
39	Variation, revocation and expiration of regulations, rules or by-laws
40	Prescribing matters by reference to other instruments
42	Who may proceed for recovery of penalties
44	Interpretation of references to summary proceedings
45	Rounding down of monetary amounts
50	Offences punishable under more than one law
51	Production of records kept by computer or other process
52	Bodies corporate and signing or execution of documents
Legislative history

The Parliament of South Australia enacts as follows:
Part 1—Preliminary
1—Short title
This Act may be cited as the Acts Interpretation Act 1915.
3A—Application of this Act to Acts or statutory instruments whenever passed or made
Subject to this Act, this Act applies to, or in relation to, an Act or statutory instrument whenever passed or made.
4—Interpretation
	(1)	In this Act and in every other Act or statutory instrument, unless the contrary intention appears—
Act means—
	(a)	an Act of the Parliament of South Australia or an Act or ordinance of some earlier legislative authority in South Australia; or
	(b)	an Act of the Imperial Parliament that has been received into the law of South Australia or applies to South Australia by paramount force;
ADI means an authorised deposit-taking institution within the meaning of the Banking Act (Cwth);
administrative unit means an administrative unit of the Public Service;
AS or Australian Standard or AS/NZS or Australian/New Zealand Standard means a standard published by or under the authority of Standards Australia (alone or jointly with others);
Australia Acts means—
	(a)	the Australia Act 1986 of the Commonwealth; and
	(b)	the Australia Act 1986 of the United Kingdom;
Australian citizen means a person who is an Australian citizen under the provisions of the Australian Citizenship Act 1948 of the Commonwealth;
bank means an ADI that is permitted under the Banking Act (Cwth) to assume or use—
	(a)	the word "bank", "banker" or "banking"; or
	(b)	any other word (whether or not in English) that is of like import to a word referred to in paragraph (a);
bank cheque or banker's cheque means a cheque that an ADI draws on itself;
bank holiday means a day that is, under the Holidays Act 1910, a bank holiday;
Banking Act (Cwth) means the Banking Act 1959 of the Commonwealth, as amended from time to time and includes an Act enacted in substitution for that Act;
building society means an ADI that is permitted under the Banking Act (Cwth) to assume or use—
	(a)	the expression "building society"; or
	(b)	any other expression (whether or not in English) that is of like import to the expression referred to in paragraph (a);
commencement, in relation to an Act or statutory instrument, means the day or time on which the Act or statutory instrument comes into operation;
the Commonwealth means the Commonwealth of Australia;
credit union means an ADI that is permitted under the Banking Act (Cwth) to assume or use—
	(a)	the expression "credit union"; or
	(b)	any expression (whether or not in English) that is of like import to the expression referred to in paragraph (a);
data storage device means any article or material (for example, a disk) from which information is capable of being reproduced, with or without the aid of any other article or device;
Department or department of a Minister or of the Public Service, government department or public department means an administrative unit of the Public Service;
document includes—
	(a)	any paper or other material on which there is writing; and
	(b)	any map, plan, drawing, graph or photograph; and
	(c)	any paper or other material on which there are marks, figures, symbols or perforations having a meaning for persons qualified to interpret them; and
	(d)	any article or material from which sounds, images or writings are capable of being reproduced with or without the aid of any other article or device;
estate, in relation to land, includes any estate or interest, easement, right, title, claim, demand, charge, lien or encumbrance in, over, to, or in respect of, the land;
financial year means the period of 12 months ending on the expiration of the thirtieth day of June;
friendly society means a body that is a friendly society for the purposes of the Life Insurance Act 1995 of the Commonwealth as amended from time to time;
the Gazette, the Government Gazette or the South Australian Government Gazette means the South Australian Government Gazette (including any supplement to that gazette) printed and published, or purporting to be printed and published, by the Government Printer of the State;
the Governor-in-Chief, the Governor or the Lieutenant-Governor means the Governor of the State or other officer for the time being administering the Government of the State;
His Majesty or Her Majesty, the King or the Queen, or the Crown, means His Majesty the King, or Her Majesty the Queen, Sovereign for the time being of Australia, and includes the predecessors and the heirs and successors of the King or Queen;
judge means a Judge of the Supreme Court or a District Court Judge;
justice means justice of the peace for the State;
land includes—
	(a)	a building or structure affixed to land;
	(b)	waters and airspace over land;
	(c)	the bed of any body of waters;
	(d)	subsoil and subterranean waters;
major indictable offence means any indictable offence classified by statute as a major indictable offence1;
the Minister means—
	(a)	when used in an Act—the Minister of the Crown to whom the administration of the Act has been committed by the Governor, or in whom the administration of the Act is otherwise vested; and
	(b)	when used in a statutory instrument—the Minister of the Crown to whom the administration of the Act under which the statutory instrument was made has been committed by the Governor, or in whom the administration of that Act is otherwise vested,
and includes a Minister of the Crown for the time being discharging the duties of that Minister or acting in the exercise of powers or functions delegated by that Minister;
minor indictable offence means any indictable offence classified by statute as a minor indictable offence1;
month means calendar month;
oath or affidavit, in all cases where persons are allowed by law to affirm or to declare instead of swearing, includes affirmation or declaration;
Parliament means the Parliament of the State;
person or party includes a body corporate;
police force means South Australia Police under the Police Act 1998;
police officer means any member of South Australia Police under the Police Act 1998;
prescribed means—
	(a)	when used in an Act—prescribed by the Act or by a statutory instrument made, or to be made, under the Act; and
	(b)	when used in a statutory instrument—prescribed by the Act under which the statutory instrument was made, by the statutory instrument itself or by some further statutory instrument made, or to be made, under the Act under which the statutory instrument was made;
proclamation means a proclamation made by the Governor and published in the Gazette;
public holiday means a day that is, under the Holidays Act 1910, a public holiday;
Public Service or public service means the Public Service under the Public Sector Act 2009;
record includes information stored or recorded by computer or other process;
regulation, rule or by-law means—
	(a)	when used in an Act—a regulation, rule or by-law made under the Act in which the expression is used; and
	(b)	when used in a statutory instrument—a regulation, rule or by-law made under the Act under which the statutory instrument was made;
sitting days, in relation to either House of Parliament, means days on which the House actually sits;
special justice means a justice who has been appointed as a special justice;
Standards Association of Australia includes—
	(a)	Standards Australia International Limited; and
	(b)	Standards Australia Limited (ACN 087 326 690);
Standards Australia means—
	(a)	Standards Association of Australia; or
	(b)	Standards Australia International Limited; or
	(c)	Standards Australia Limited (ACN 087 326 690);
the State or this State means the State of South Australia;
statutory declaration means—
	(a)	a declaration made under the Oaths Act 1936; or
	(b)	a declaration made outside the State—
	(i)	in pursuance of a law in force in the place where the declaration is made, being a law that renders the declarant liable to a criminal penalty for a false declaration; and
	(ii)	before a person who has authority under that law to take declarations;
statutory instrument means—
	(a)	a regulation, rule, by-law or statute made under an Act; or
	(ab)	a proclamation, notice, order or other instrument made by the Governor or a Minister under an Act and published in the Gazette; or
	(b)	a code or standard made, approved or adopted under an Act; or
	(c)	any other instrument of a legislative character made or in force under an Act;
summary offence means any offence classified by statute as a summary offence1;
Supreme Court means the Supreme Court of the State;
to swear, in all cases where persons are allowed by law to affirm or to declare instead of swearing, includes to affirm or to declare;
this Act, when used in an Act, includes statutory instruments made under the Act in which the expression is used;
United Kingdom means the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland;
writing includes any visible form in which words, figures, drawings or symbols may be reproduced or represented.
	(2)	A reference in an Act or statutory instrument to—
	(a)	audiotape, photograph, videotape or other word in the form of a verb describing the capture or recording of images or sounds by an audiorecording, cinematographic, photographic or videorecording device includes, unless the contrary intention appears, a reference to the capture or recording of images or sounds by a digital device;
	(b)	an audiotape, photograph, videotape or other word in the form of a noun describing the item on which images or sounds captured or recorded by an audiorecording, cinematographic, photographic or videorecording device are stored or reproduced includes, unless the contrary intention appears, a reference to a digital data storage device;
	(c)	a book, paper, plan or other word in the form of a noun describing an item on which there is writing includes, unless the contrary intention appears, a reference to a digital data storage device.
Note—
1	For the classification of offences, the reader should refer to section 5 of the Summary Procedure Act 1921. However, it should be noted that the principles set out in that section for differentiating major indictable, minor indictable and summary offences may be subject to some special exception made by the Act under which the offence in question is created.
4AA—Parts of speech and grammatical forms
If an Act defines a word or phrase, other parts of speech and grammatical forms of the word or phrase have, unless the contrary intention appears, corresponding meanings.
4A—Date of establishment of the State
For the purposes of the law of the State, the State will be taken to have been established on the twenty-eighth day of December, 1836.

Part 2—Provisions of special application to Acts and Bills
5—Acts to be deemed to be public Acts
Every Act passed after the first day of January, 1873, will be taken to be a public Act.
6—No requirement for separate enacting words
There is no requirement for a section or other portion of an Act to have separate enacting words in order to have effect as a substantive enactment.
7—Commencement of Acts
	(1)	An Act that contains no provision fixing the date of its commencement, or providing for the fixing of that date, comes into operation on the day on which it is assented to by, or on behalf of, the Crown.
	(2)	Where a Bill is reserved for the signification of Her Majesty's assent, the Bill will be taken, for the purposes of subsection (1), to have been assented to on the day on which the assent is notified by proclamation in the State.
	(3)	Where an Act provides that the Act or provisions of the Act will come into operation on a day to be fixed by proclamation, then, unless the contrary intention appears, the Governor may by proclamation—
	(a)	fix a day or time for the Act or provisions to come into operation;
	(b)	fix different days or times for different provisions of the Act to come into operation;
	(c)	suspend the operation of specified provisions of the Act until a day or time or days or times to be fixed by subsequent proclamation or proclamations.
	(4)	For the purposes of subsection (3), a reference to a provision of an Act extends to—
	(a)	a part of a provision;
	(b)	a provision to be inserted into another Act by the Act.
	(4a)	The Governor may, by subsequent proclamation made before the date fixed by proclamation under subsection (3) for an Act or provision to come into operation, vary the proclamation so as to delay commencement of the Act or provision.
	(5)	An Act or a provision of an Act passed after the commencement of this subsection that is to be brought into operation by proclamation will be taken to come into operation on the second anniversary of the date on which the Act was assented to by, or on behalf of, the Crown unless brought into operation before that second anniversary.
7A—Amendment or repeal of Act in session in which it was passed
An Act may be amended or repealed in the session of Parliament in which it was passed.
10—Evidence of date of assent to Act
The date appearing on a copy of an Act printed, or purporting to be printed, by the Government Printer, as the date on which the Governor assented to the Act or made known Her Majesty's assent to the Act is evidence that the date is the date on which the Governor so assented, or made known Her Majesty's assent, and will be judicially noticed accordingly.

Part 3—Provisions of special application to statutory instruments
10A—Commencement of certain statutory instruments
	(1)	A statutory instrument (other than a regulation, rule or by-law made under an Act)—
	(a)	may come into operation at a date or time specified in the instrument; but
	(b)	may not come into operation earlier than the date on which it is made, approved or adopted unless that earlier operation is authorised by the Act under which the instrument is made, approved or adopted.
	(2)	A statutory instrument (other than a regulation, rule or by-law made under an Act) that contains no provision fixing the date or time of its commencement comes into operation on the day on which it is made, approved or adopted.
11—Saving of statutory instruments on repeal or amendment of an Act
Where—
	(a)	a statutory or other instrument is in force under an Act; and
	(b)	the Act, or the provision of the Act under which the instrument was made, is repealed by a subsequent Act which contains or provides the power to make instruments to the same or similar effect,
the instrument will, subject to the provisions of the subsequent Act, remain in force as if the subsequent Act had been in force when the instrument was made and the instrument had then been made in pursuance of that Act.
12—Disallowance of repealing statutory instrument revives instrument sought to be repealed
Where a statutory instrument that revokes another statutory instrument, or part of another statutory instrument, is disallowed pursuant to any Act, the statutory instrument or part sought to be revoked revives.
13—Construction of statutory instrument so as not to exceed power
A statutory or other instrument made pursuant to a power conferred by or under an Act will be read and construed so as not to exceed that power, so that, where a provision of the instrument, or the application of a provision of the instrument to any person or circumstances, is in excess of that power, the remainder of the instrument, or the application of the provision to other persons and circumstances, is not affected.
14—Expressions in statutory and other instruments have same meanings as in the Act under which they are made
An expression used in a statutory instrument or other instrument made under an Act has, unless the contrary intention appears, the same meaning as in the Act under which the instrument was made, and, where that Act is amended after the instrument is made, or is repealed and substituted by a subsequent Act for the purposes of which the statutory or other instrument continues in force, the same meaning as in the amended or substituted Act.

Part 4—Provisions generally applicable to Acts and statutory instruments
14A—Application and interpretation
	(1)	The provisions of this Part apply both to Acts and statutory instruments.
	(2)	For the purposes of the application of this Part to statutory instruments—
	(a)	a reference to an Act or an enactment extends to a statutory instrument; and
	(b)	a reference to the passing of an Act extends to the making of a statutory instrument; and
	(c)	a reference to the repeal of an Act extends to the revocation of a statutory instrument; and
	(d)	a reference in section 16 to the repeal of an Act extends to the disallowance of a statutory instrument.
	(3)	In this Part, a reference to a section extends to a clause of an Act and a regulation, rule and by-law and a clause of a statutory instrument.
14B—Citation
	(1)	An Act, whether passed before or after the commencement of this Act, may be cited—
	(a)	by its short title; or
	(b)	by its short title abbreviated by omitting reference to any year except the year in which it was passed.
	(3)	A reference in an Act to some other Act, or a Part or provision of some other Act, (whether an Act of this State or of the Commonwealth or a place outside this State) will, unless the contrary intention appears, be construed—
	(a)	as a reference to that other Act, Part or provision as amended from time to time; and
	(b)	where the Act, Part or provision is substituted—
	(i)	by a subsequent Act—as a reference to that subsequent Act; or
	(ii)	by a subsequent Part of an Act—as a reference to that subsequent Part; or
	(iii)	by a subsequent provision of an Act—as a reference to that subsequent provision.
	(4)	An Act of the Commonwealth or of a place outside this State, whether passed before or after the commencement of this Act, may, for the purposes of the law of this State, be cited by any method authorised by, or commonly used in, the statutes of the Commonwealth or that place.
	(5)	Nothing in this section renders unlawful or ineffective any citation or reference that is not made in a manner authorised by this section.
14BA—References to other statutory provisions include references to relevant statutory instruments
	(1)	A reference in an Act to some other Act (whether an Act of this State or of the Commonwealth or a place outside this State) includes, unless the contrary intention appears, reference to statutory instruments made or in force under that other Act.
	(2)	A reference in an Act to a Part or provision of that Act or some other Act (whether an Act of this State or of the Commonwealth or a place outside this State) includes, unless the contrary intention appears—
	(a)	reference to statutory instruments made or in force under that Part or provision; and
	(b)	reference to statutory instruments made or in force under some other Part or provision of that Act or other Act insofar as the statutory instruments are connected to that Part or provision.
14C—Exercise of powers conferred by a provision of an Act or statutory instrument before the provision comes into operation
	(1)	Where—
	(a)	a provision of an Act that has passed is not yet in operation; and
	(b)	it is expedient that a power expressed to be conferred by the provision be exercised before it comes into operation,
the power may be so exercised before the provision comes into operation.
	(2)	Subject to subsection (3), anything created, granted, issued, done or made under or pursuant to a provision by virtue of subsection (1) will take effect when the provision comes into operation and not before.
	(3)	The appointment of a person to a position pursuant to subsection (1) takes effect at the time of appointment but any power exercised by that person pursuant to subsection (1) does not take effect until the relevant provision comes into operation.
14D—Time of commencement
Where an Act, or part of an Act, comes into operation on a particular day, it will be taken to have come into operation as from 12 o'clock midnight of the preceding day.
15—Saving of administrative acts
Where an Act is repealed and the repealing Act contains provisions substantially corresponding to provisions of the repealed Act, then, unless the contrary intention appears, any administrative act done in pursuance of the repealed provisions (not being an administrative act the effect of which was exhausted at the time of the repeal) will, insofar as is not inconsistent with the repealing Act, be regarded as an administrative act done for the purposes of the corresponding provisions of the repealing Act.
16—Saving of operation of repealed, amended or expired Act
	(1)	Where an Act is repealed or amended, or where an Act or enactment expires, then, unless the contrary intention appears, the repeal, amendment or expiry does not—
	(a)	revive anything not in force or existing at the time the repeal, amendment or expiry takes effect; or
	(b)	affect the operation of the repealed, amended or expired Act or enactment, or alter the effect of the doing, suffering or omission of anything, prior to the repeal, amendment or expiry; or
	(c)	affect any right, interest, title, power or privilege created, acquired, accrued, established or exercisable, or any status or capacity existing, prior to the repeal, amendment or expiry; or
	(d)	affect any duty, obligation, liability or burden of proof imposed, created or incurred, or any penalty, forfeiture or punishment incurred or imposed or liable to be incurred or imposed, prior to the repeal, amendment or expiry; or
	(e)	affect any investigation, legal proceedings or remedy in respect of any such right, interest, title, power, privilege, status, capacity, duty, obligation, liability, burden of proof, penalty, forfeiture or punishment.
	(2)	Any such investigation, legal proceedings or remedy may be instituted, continued or enforced, and any such penalty, forfeiture or punishment may be imposed and enforced, as if the repeal or amendment had not been effected or as if the expired Act or enactment had not expired (as the case may be).
	(2a)	Where any office, court, tribunal or body would, apart from this section, cease to exist by reason of the repeal, amendment or expiry, then, for the purpose of instituting, continuing or enforcing any such investigation, legal proceeding or remedy, the office, court, tribunal, or body continues in existence (and, if necessary, new appointments may be made to it) as if the repeal or amendment had not been effected, or as if the expired Act or enactment had not expired (as the case may be).
	(3)	Any Act or enactment will, notwithstanding its repeal, amendment or expiry, continue in force for the purposes of continuing and completing any act, matter or thing commenced or in progress under that Act or enactment, if there is no substituted Act or enactment adapted to its continuance and completion.
	(4)	In this section—
legal proceeding includes any proceeding pursuant to an Act, enactment or law whether of a judicial or administrative nature.
17—Repeal not to revive previously repealed enactments
Where a repealing enactment is repealed by an Act, there is no revival of any Act or enactment previously repealed unless the contrary intention is expressed.
18—Abrogation of presumption that re-enactment etc constitutes Parliamentary approval of prior interpretation
The enactment or re-enactment of a provision that has been construed in a particular manner (judicially or otherwise) in this State or elsewhere creates no presumption that Parliament has sanctioned or approved that construction.
19—Material that forms or does not form part of Act
	(1)	The following form part of an Act, subject to any express provision to the contrary:
	(a)	preambles, schedules, dictionaries and appendices (including their headings);
	(b)	chapter headings, part headings, division headings and subdivision headings;
	(c)	examples, qualifications, exceptions, tables, diagrams, maps and other illustrations (including their headings), except where they form part of a note that does not form part of the Act;
	(d)	punctuation.
	(2)	The following do not form part of an Act, subject to any express provision to the contrary:
	(a)	section headings;
	(b)	notes (including their headings);
	(c)	lists of contents.
	(3)	In this section—
appendix does not include an appendix containing legislative history notes;
note means—
	(a)	a marginal note; or
	(b)	a footnote (whether at the foot of a page or a section or a heading); or
	(c)	any text designated as a note;
section has the meaning assigned by section 14A and includes a portion of a section.
19A—Examples
If an example forms part of an Act, the example—
	(a)	is not exhaustive; and
	(b)	may extend, but does not limit, the meaning of the Act or the provision to which it relates.
20—Rules of construction to be applied in determining whether an Act binds the Crown
	(1)	Subject to subsection (2), an Act passed after 20 June 1990 will, unless the contrary intention appears (either expressly or by implication), be taken to bind the Crown, but not so as to impose any criminal liability on the Crown.
	(2)	Where an Act passed after 20 June 1990 amends an Act passed before that date, the question whether the amendment binds the Crown will be determined in accordance with principles applicable to the interpretation of Acts passed before 20 June 1990.
	(3)	Where an Act or a provision of an Act (whether passed before or after 20 June 1990) binds the Crown but not so as to impose any criminal liability on the Crown, the Crown's immunity from criminal liability extends (unless the contrary intention is expressed) to an agent of the Crown in respect of an act within the scope of the agent's obligations.
	(4)	Where an Act or a provision of an Act (whether passed before or after 20 June 1990) does not bind the Crown, the Crown's immunity extends (unless the contrary intention is expressed) to an agent of the Crown in respect of an act within the scope of the agent's obligations.
	(5)	For the purposes of this section—
	(a)	a reference to the Crown extends not only to the Crown in right of this State but also (so far as the legislative power of the State permits) to the Crown in any other capacity;
	(b)	a reference to an agent of the Crown extends to an instrumentality, officer or employee of the Crown or a contractor or other person who carries out functions on behalf of the Crown;
	(c)	an agent acts within the scope of the agent's obligations if the act is reasonably required for carrying out of obligations or functions imposed on, or assigned to, the agent.
21—Act deemed always speaking
Every Act will be considered as speaking at all times, and every enactment, whether expressed in the present or the future tense, will be applied to the circumstances as they arise, so that effect may be given to each Act and every provision according to its spirit, true intent and meaning.
22—Construction that would promote purpose or object of an Act to be preferred
	(1)	Subject to subsection (2), where a provision of an Act is reasonably open to more than one construction, a construction that would promote the purpose or object of the Act (whether or not that purpose or object is expressly stated in the Act) must be preferred to a construction that would not promote that purpose or object.
	(2)	This section does not operate to create or extend any criminal liability.
22A—Construction of Act so as not to exceed power of State
	(1)	Every Act and every provision of an Act will be construed so as not to exceed the legislative power of the State.
	(2)	Any Act or provision of an Act which, but for this section, would exceed the power of the State, is nevertheless a valid enactment to the extent to which it does not exceed that power.
22B—Declaration of validity of laws made before Australia Acts
Each provision of an Act or statutory instrument enacted or made, or purporting to have been enacted or made, before the commencement of the Australia Acts is as valid as it would have been, and has the same effect as it would have had, if the Australia Acts had been in operation at the time of its enactment or making or purported enactment or making.
23—Act to be done by Governor to mean by him with advice of Executive Council
Where in any Act passed after the first day of January, 1873, the Governor is authorised or required to do any act, matter or thing, it will be taken to mean that the act, matter or thing may or must be done by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Executive Council.
24—When Act or provision deemed to be substituted for another
For the purposes of this Act and of any other Act, a later Act will be taken to be substituted for an earlier Act, or a provision of a later Act will be taken to be substituted for a provision of an earlier Act, when the earlier Act or provision is repealed or superseded and the later Act deals with the same matter as the Act or provision so repealed or superseded, whether it deals with the matter in the same or some other manner, and whether it deals only with the matter or with other matters also.
25—Variation of forms
Whenever forms are prescribed or approved under any Act, forms to the same effect are sufficient provided that deviations from the prescribed or approved forms are not calculated to mislead.
26—Words importing masculine gender and singular number to include feminine and plural
In every Act—
	(a)	every word of the masculine gender will be construed as including the feminine gender;
	(ab)	every word of the feminine gender will be construed as including the masculine gender;
	(b)	every word in the singular number will be construed as including the plural number;
	(c)	every word in the plural number will be construed as including the singular number;
	(d)	every word in either of those genders or numbers will be construed as including a body corporate as well as an individual;
	(e)	every phrase consisting of a masculine pronoun and a feminine pronoun joined by the conjunction "or" will, if the antecedent is capable of referring to a body corporate, be construed as applicable to a body corporate as well as a natural person.
27—Provisions as to limitation of time
	(1)	The time prescribed or allowed by any Act for any proceeding, or for the doing of any thing, or for suffering any thing, will be taken not to include the day of the act or event from or after which the time is to be calculated, but to include the day on which the proceeding is to be taken or the thing is to be done or suffered.
	(2)	If the time so prescribed or allowed falls or expires on a Saturday or Sunday, or on any public holiday, the time will be extended so as to fall or expire on the day next following the Saturday, Sunday or public holiday that is not itself a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday.
	(3)	Where no time is prescribed or allowed within which any thing must be done, the thing must be done with all convenient speed and as often as the prescribed occasion arises.
27A—Sitting days
A reference in an Act to a number of sitting days of a House of Parliament is, unless the contrary intention appears, a reference to the number of those days regardless of whether the days or some of the days occur in different sessions of Parliament or in different Parliaments.
28—Measurement of distances
In the measurement of distance for the purposes of an Act, the distance will, unless the contrary intention appears, be measured in a straight line on a horizontal plane.
28A—Standard scales for penalties and expiation fees
Unless a contrary intention is indicated in an Act in which an expression in the left hand column below appears, that expression has the meaning appearing opposite it in the right hand column:

Division 1 imprisonment	a term of imprisonment not exceeding 15 years	
Division 1 fine	a fine not exceeding $60 000	
Division 2 imprisonment	a term of imprisonment not exceeding 10 years	
Division 2 fine	a fine not exceeding $40 000	
Division 3 imprisonment	a term of imprisonment not exceeding 7 years	
Division 3 fine	a fine not exceeding $30 000	
Division 4 imprisonment	a term of imprisonment not exceeding 4 years	
Division 4 fine	a fine not exceeding $15 000	
Division 5 imprisonment	a term of imprisonment not exceeding 2 years	
Division 5 fine	a fine not exceeding $8 000	
Division 6 imprisonment	a term of imprisonment not exceeding 1 year	
Division 6 fine	a fine not exceeding $4 000	
Division 6 fee	an expiation fee of $300	
Division 7 imprisonment	a term of imprisonment not exceeding 6 months	
Division 7 fine	a fine not exceeding $2 000	
Division 7 fee	an expiation fee of $200	
Division 8 imprisonment	a term of imprisonment not exceeding 3 months	
Division 8 fine	a fine not exceeding $1 000	
Division 8 fee	an expiation fee of $150	
Division 9 fine	a fine not exceeding $500	
Division 9 fee	an expiation fee of $100	
Division 10 fine	a fine not exceeding $200	
Division 10 fee	an expiation fee of $75	
Division 11 fine	a fine not exceeding $100	
Division 11 fee	an expiation fee of $50	
Division 12 fine	a fine not exceeding $50	
Division 12 fee	an expiation fee of $25.	
29—Fines etc to be paid into Treasury
Whenever any fine, penalty or forfeiture is imposed or made by, or authorised to be imposed or made under, any Act, the Act will be taken to provide that the fine, penalty or forfeiture, when recovered, must be paid to the Treasurer of the State and form part of the General Revenue.
30—Penalties
	(1)	A penalty set out at the foot of a section or subsection that contains words creating an offence indicates that the offence is punishable on conviction by a penalty not exceeding the penalty so set out or, where a minimum as well as a maximum penalty is so set out, by a penalty not less than the minimum and not more than the maximum.
	(2)	A penalty set out at the foot of a section or subsection that does not contain words creating an offence indicates that contravention of the section or subsection (whether by act or omission) constitutes an offence punishable on conviction by a penalty not exceeding the penalty so set out or, where a minimum as well as a maximum penalty is so set out, by a penalty not less than the minimum and not more than the maximum.
	(3)	In this section—
penalty includes punishment.
33—Service by post
	(1)	Where any Act passed after the passing of this Act authorises or requires any document to be served by post (whether the expression "serve", "give", "deliver" or "send", or any other expression is used), then, unless the contrary intention appears, the Act will be taken to provide—
	(a)	that the service is effected by properly addressing, prepaying and posting a letter or packet containing the document; and
	(b)	that, unless the contrary is proved, service will be taken to have been effected at the time at which the letter or packet would be delivered in the ordinary course of post.
	(2)	Where any Act authorises or requires any document to be served by certified mail (whether the expression "serve", "give", "deliver" or "send", or any other expression is used) then, unless the contrary intention appears, the Act will be taken to provide that service may be effected by registered post.
34—"May" imports a discretion, "shall" is imperative
Where, in any Act passed after the first day of January, 1873, the word "may" is used in conferring a power, it implies that the power may be exercised or not, at discretion; and where, in any such Act the word "shall" is used in conferring a power, it implies that the power must be exercised.
35—Words applying to occupant of public office to apply to successive occupants
Words directing or empowering any Minister of the Crown or any public officer or functionary to do any act or thing, or otherwise applying by reference to his or her office will be construed as applying to the person for the time being acting in the office or discharging the duties of the office.
36—Power to appoint includes power to remove etc
Words giving power to appoint to any office or position, or to appoint a deputy, will be taken to include power, exercisable at the discretion of the person in whom the power to appoint is vested—
	(a)	to suspend or remove any person appointed under that power; or
	(b)	to reinstate or reappoint any person so suspended or removed; or
	(c)	to appoint some other person, temporarily or permanently, in the place of a person so suspended or removed; or
	(d)	to appoint some other person, temporarily or permanently, to the office or position—
	(i)	where a person previously appointed is, for any reason, unable to carry out the duties of the office or position; or
	(ii)	where the office or position is vacant.
36A—Gender balance in nomination of persons for appointment to statutory bodies
	(1)	This section applies if an Act provides for a member of a body to be appointed by the Governor or a Minister on the nomination of a non-government entity.
	(2)	If the Act provides for the non-government entity to nominate a panel of persons from which the Governor or Minister is to select a person for appointment, the Act will be taken to provide that the panel—
	(a)	must include at least 1 woman and 1 man; and
	(b)	must, as far as practicable, be comprised of equal numbers of women and men.
	(3)	If the Act does not provide for the non-government entity to nominate a panel of persons from which the Governor or Minister is to select a person for appointment, the Act will be taken to provide that—
	(a)	the non-government entity must nominate a panel of persons comprised of not less than twice the number of members of the body to be appointed on the nomination of the entity plus one; and
	(b)	the panel—
	(i)	must include at least 1 woman and 1 man; and
	(ii)	must, as far as practicable, be comprised of equal numbers of women and men; and
	(c)	the Governor or Minister must select the person for appointment from the panel.
	(4)	This section does not derogate from the need to properly assess merit in selecting persons for appointment.
	(5)	In this section—
non-government entity means a person or body other than an officer, agency or instrumentality (including a Minister) of the Crown in right of the State or the Commonwealth or another State or a Territory of the Commonwealth.
37—Powers may be exercised from time to time
A power given by any Act to do any act or thing (including the making of an appointment), or to submit to any act or thing, is capable of being exercised from time to time, as occasion requires, unless the context, or the nature of the act or thing, indicates a contrary intention.
37A—Manner in which certain powers and functions may be exercised by a delegate
Where under an Act the exercise of a power or function by a person is dependent upon his or her state of mind, opinion or belief in relation to a particular matter—
	(a)	the power or function is not incapable of delegation by reason of the fact that it is so dependent; and
	(b)	if the power or function is lawfully delegated, it may be exercised by the delegate upon the basis of his or her own state of mind, opinion or belief in relation to the matter.
39—Variation, revocation and expiration of regulations, rules or by-laws
	(1)	A power in an Act to make regulations, rules or by-laws includes power to vary or revoke the regulations, rules or by-laws.
	(2)	The power to vary or revoke is exercisable in the same way, and subject to the same conditions, as the power to make the regulations, rules or by-laws.
	(3)	Regulations, rules and by-laws may include a provision specifying a day on which the regulations, rules or by-laws expire.
40—Prescribing matters by reference to other instruments
Where an Act authorises or requires provision to be made for or in relation to a matter by regulations, rules or by-laws, the regulations, rules or by-laws may, unless the contrary intention appears, make such provision by applying, adopting or incorporating, with or without modification—
	(a)	the provisions of any Act, or of any statutory instrument, as in force from time to time or as in force at a specified time; or
	(b)	any material contained in any other instrument or writing as in force or existing when the regulations, rules or by-laws take effect or as in force or existing at a specified prior time.
42—Who may proceed for recovery of penalties
Any person may sue for, or take proceedings to recover, and may recover any fine, penalty, or forfeiture imposed by, or authorised to be imposed or awarded under, any Act, unless the right to sue or take proceedings is vested by the Act in a particular officer or person.
44—Interpretation of references to summary proceedings
	(1)	Where it is provided in any Act that proceedings for offences are to be dealt with, or disposed of, summarily or before a special magistrate or one or more justices, those offences will be dealt with under the Summary Procedure Act 1921 as summary offences.
	(2)	Where it is provided in any Act that a pecuniary sum may be recovered summarily or before or on the award of a special magistrate or one or more justices, that sum may be recovered on complaint in proceedings under the Summary Procedure Act 1921 and an order for payment made in any such proceedings is enforceable as if it were a fine.
45—Rounding down of monetary amounts
An enactment providing for the calculation and payment of a tax, fee, charge, or other amount must be construed as if it provided that the calculated amount, if not an exact multiple of 5 cents, is to be rounded down to the highest multiple of 5 cents that is less than that amount.
50—Offences punishable under more than one law
Where any act or omission constitutes an offence under two or more Acts, or both under an Act or Acts and at common law, the offender will, unless the contrary intention appears, be liable to be prosecuted and punished under either or any of those Acts or at common law, but is not liable to be punished twice for the same offence.
51—Production of records kept by computer or other process
If a person who keeps information by computer or other process is required under an Act—
	(a)	to produce the information or a document containing the information to a body or person; or
	(b)	to make the information or a document containing the information available for inspection by a body or person,
then, unless the body or person otherwise directs—
	(c)	the requirement obliges the person to produce or make available for inspection, as the case may be, a document that reproduces the information in a form capable of being understood by the body or person; and
	(d)	the production to the body or person of the document in that form complies with the requirement.
52—Bodies corporate and signing or execution of documents
If an Act requires or authorises a document to be signed or executed by a person and the person is a body corporate, the Act will be taken to require or authorise the affixing of the common seal of the body to the document, or the signing of the document on behalf of the body, in accordance with the Act (whether or not of this State) under which the body is incorporated.

Legislative history
Notes
	•	Please note—References in the legislation to other legislation or instruments or to titles of bodies or offices are not automatically updated as part of the program for the revision and publication of legislation and therefore may be obsolete.
	•	Earlier versions of this Act (historical versions) are listed at the end of the legislative history.
	•	For further information relating to the Act and subordinate legislation made under the Act see the Index of South Australian Statutes or www.legislation.sa.gov.au.
Legislation repealed by principal Act
The Acts Interpretation Act 1915 repealed the following:
Language of Acts Amendment Act 1900
Legislation amended by principal Act
The Acts Interpretation Act 1915 amended the following:
An Act for shortening and explaining the Language used in Acts of Parliament, and for other purposes (No 9 of 1872)
Principal Act and amendments
New entries appear in bold.
Year	No	Title	Assent	Commencement	
1915	1215	Acts Interpretation Act 1915	16.12.1915	16.12.1915	
1923	1564	Acts Interpretation Act Amendment Act 1923 repealed by 2253/1935	14.11.1923	repealed by 2253/1935 without coming into operation	
1935	2253	Supreme Court Act 1935	21.12.1935	1.11.1937 (Gazette 25.3.1937 p646)	
1936	2293	Statute Law Revision Act 1936	8.10.1936	8.10.1936	
1945	10	Acts Interpretation Act Amendment Act 1945	15.11.1945	15.11.1945	
1949	58	Acts Interpretation Act Amendment Act 1949	8.12.1949	8.12.1949	
1957	23	Acts Interpretation Act Amendment Act 1957	31.10.1957	31.10.1957	
1971	74	Statutes Amendment (Administration of Acts and Acts Interpretation) Act 1971	11.11.1971	11.11.1971	
1972	118	Acts Interpretation Act Amendment Act 1972	30.11.1972	14.12.1972 (Gazette 14.12.1972 p2630)	
1975	102	Acts Interpretation Act Amendment Act 1975	20.11.1975	20.11.1975	
1978	3	Subordinate Legislation Act 1978	23.2.1978	1.6.1978 (Gazette 11.5.1978 p1652)	
1981	107	Criminal Law Consolidation Act Amendment Act 1981	23.12.1981	11.2.1982 (Gazette 11.2.1982 p361)	
1983	41	Acts Interpretation Act Amendment Act 1983	16.6.1983	1.7.1983 (Gazette 30.6.1983 p1754)	
1984	56	Statutes Amendment (Oaths and Affirmations) Act 1984	24.5.1984	1.7.1984 (Gazette 28.6.1984 p1897)	
1986	13	Acts Interpretation Act Amendment Act 1986	20.3.1986	20.3.1986	
1988	6	Acts Interpretation Act Amendment Act 1988	10.3.1988	10.3.1988	
1988	8	Acts Interpretation Act Amendment Act (No. 2) 1988	10.3.1988	5.5.1988 (Gazette 5.5.1988 p1115)	
1988	51	Statutes Amendment and Repeal (Sentencing) Act 1988	5.5.1988	ss 3 & 4—8.9.1988 (Gazette 8.9.1988 p994); ss 5 & 6—1.1.1989 (Gazette 15.12.1988 p2009)	
1988	55	Acts Interpretation Act Amendment Act (No. 3) 1988	8.9.1988	8.9.1988	
1990	56	Acts Interpretation Act Amendment Act 1990	22.11.1990	22.11.1990	
1991	69	Statutes Repeal and Amendment (Courts) Act 1991	12.12.1991	6.7.1992 (Gazette 2.7.1992 p209)	
1992	8	Acts Interpretation (Crown Prerogative) Amendment Act 1992	16.4.1992	16.4.1992	
1992	14	Acts Interpretation (Commencement) Amendment Act 1992	16.4.1992	16.4.1992	
1992	70	Acts Interpretation (Australia Acts) Amendment Act 1992	19.11.1992	3.3.1986, 5.00 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time: s 2	
1992	72	Expiation of Offences (Divisional Fees) Amendment Act 1992	19.11.1992	Sch—1.3.1993 (Gazette 18.2.1993 p596)	
1994	1	Acts Interpretation (Commencement Proclamations) Amendment Act 1994	28.2.1994	28.2.1994	
1994	15	Acts Interpretation (Monetary Amounts) Amendment Act 1994	12.5.1994	12.5.1994	
1994	92	Native Title (South Australia) Act 1994	15.12.1994	Sch—15.12.1994 (Gazette 15.12.1994 p2129)	
1996	34	Statutes Amendment and Repeal (Common Expiation Scheme) Act 1996	2.5.1996	Sch (cl 1)—3.2.1997 (Gazette 19.12.1996 p1923)	
1997	30	Statutes Amendment (References to Banks) Act 1997	12.6.1997	Pt 2 (s 4)—3.7.1997 (Gazette 3.7.1997 p4)	
1998	55	Police Act 1998	3.9.1998	Sch 3 (cl 1)—1.7.1999 (Gazette 30.6.1999 p3310)	
1998	59	Statutes Amendment (Attorney-General's Portfolio) Act 1998	3.9.1998	Pt 2 (s 4)—10.3.1988: s 2(2)	
1999	33	Financial Sector Reform (South Australia) Act 1999	17.6.1999	Sch (item 2)—1.7.1999 being the date specified under s 3(16) of the Financial Sector Reform (Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act (No. 1) 1999 of the Commonwealth as the transfer date for the purposes of that Act: s 2(2)	
2002	33	Statutes Amendment (Attorney-General's Portfolio) Act 2002	28.11.2002	Pt 2 (s 4)—3.3.2003 (Gazette 27.2.2003 p807)	
2005	7	Acts Interpretation (Gender Balance) Amendment Act 2005	21.4.2005	21.7.2005 (Gazette 21.7.2005 p2465)	
2005	13	Acts Interpretation (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 2005	21.4.2005	Pt 2 (ss 4—16 and new s 52 (as inserted by s 17))—3.10.2005 (Gazette 29.9.2005 p3547); new s 51 (as inserted by s 17)—21.4.2007 (s 7(5) Acts Interpretation Act 1915)	
2005	56	Justices of the Peace Act 2005	17.11.2005	Sch 2 (cll 2 & 3)—1.7.2006 (Gazette 22.6.2006 p2012)	
2006	44	Statutes Amendment (Justice Portfolio) Act 2006	14.12.2006	Pt 2 (s 4)—18.1.2007 (Gazette 18.1.2007 p234)	
2009	84	Statutes Amendment (Public Sector Consequential Amendments) Act 2009	10.12.2009	Pt 4 (s 9)—1.2.2010 (Gazette 28.1.2010 p320)	
Provisions amended since 3 February 1976
	•	Legislative history prior to 3 February 1976 appears in marginal notes and footnotes included in the consolidation of this Act contained in Volume 1 of The Public General Acts of South Australia 1837-1975 at page 55.
	•	Certain textual alterations were made to this Act by the Commissioner of Statute Revision when preparing the reprint of the Act that incorporated all amendments in force as at 8 May 1987. A Schedule of these alterations was laid before Parliament on 6 August 1987.
New entries appear in bold.
Entries that relate to provisions that have been deleted appear in italics.
Provision	How varied	Commencement	
Pt 1	heading inserted by 41/1983 s 3	1.7.1983	
s 2	deleted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
heading preceding s 3	deleted by 41/1983 s 4	1.7.1983	
s 3	substituted by 41/1983 s 4	1.7.1983	
	deleted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
s 3A	inserted by 41/1983 s 4	1.7.1983	
heading preceding s 4	deleted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
s 4			
s 4(1)	s 4 amended by 41/1983 s 5(a)	1.7.1983	
	s 4 redesignated as s 4(1) by 30/1997 s 4(b)	3.7.1997	
Act	substituted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
ADI	inserted by 33/1999 Sch (item 2(a))	1.7.1999	
administrative unit	inserted by 84/2009 s 9(1)	1.2.2010	
AS or Australian Standard or AS/NZS or Australian/New Zealand Standard	inserted by 13/2005 s 4(1)	3.10.2005	
Australia Acts	inserted by 70/1992 s 3	3.3.1986	
Australian citizen	amended by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
bank	inserted by 30/1997 s 4(a)	3.7.1997	
	substituted by 33/1999 Sch (item 2(b))	1.7.1999	
bank cheque or banker's cheque	inserted by 33/1999 Sch (item 2(b))	1.7.1999	
Banking Act (Cwth)	inserted by 33/1999 Sch (item 2(c))	1.7.1999	
building society	inserted by 33/1999 Sch (item 2(c))	1.7.1999	
British possession	deleted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
by-law	deleted by 41/1983 s 5(b)	1.7.1983	
commencement of this Act, passing of this Act	deleted by 41/1983 s 5(c)	1.7.1983	
commencement 	inserted by 41/1983 s 5(c)	1.7.1983	
	amended by 44/2006 s 4	18.1.2007	
credit union	inserted by 33/1999 Sch (item 2(d))	1.7.1999	
data storage device	inserted by 13/2005 s 4(2)	3.10.2005	
Department or department	inserted by 84/2009 s 9(2)	1.2.2010	
document	inserted by 13/2005 s 4(2)	3.10.2005	
financial year	substituted by 41/1983 s 5(d)	1.7.1983	
friendly society	inserted by 33/1999 Sch (item 2(e))	1.7.1999	
Gazette	amended by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
judge	amended by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
land	substituted by 92/1994 Sch	15.12.1994	
major indictable offence	inserted by 69/1991 s 17(a)	6.7.1992	
Minister	substituted by 41/1983 s 5(e)	1.7.1983	
minor indictable offence	inserted by 107/1981 s 27(a)	11.2.1982	
	substituted by 69/1991 s 17(b)	6.7.1992	
naturalised British subject	deleted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
police force	inserted by 55/1998 Sch 3 (cl 1)	1.7.1999	
police officer	inserted by 55/1998 Sch 3 (cl 1)	1.7.1999	
prescribed	substituted by 41/1983 s 5(f)	1.7.1983	
Public Service or public service	inserted by 84/2009 s 9(3)	1.2.2010	
record	inserted by 13/2005 s 4(3)	3.10.2005	
regulation, rule or by-law	substituted by 41/1983 s 5(g)	1.7.1983	
special justice	inserted by 56/2005 Sch 2 cl 2	1.7.2006	
Standards Association of Australia	inserted by 13/2005 s 4(4)	3.10.2005	
Standards Australia	inserted by 13/2005 s 4(4)	3.10.2005	
statutory declaration	substituted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
statutory instrument	inserted by 41/1983 s 5(h)	1.7.1983	
	substituted by 6/1988 s 2	10.3.1988	
	amended by 56/1990 s 2	22.11.1990	
	amended by 13/2005 s 4(5)	3.10.2005	
summary offence	inserted by 107/1981 s 27(b)	11.2.1982	
	substituted by 69/1991 s 17(c)	6.7.1992	
this Act	substituted by 41/1983 s 5(i)	1.7.1983	
writing	inserted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
	amended by 13/2005 s 4(6)	3.10.2005	
passage "Expressions referring … visible form"	deleted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
s 4(2)	inserted by 30/1997 s 4(b)	3.7.1997	
	deleted by 33/1999 Sch (item 2(f))	1.7.1999	
	inserted by 13/2005 s 4(7)	3.10.2005	
s 4AA	inserted by 13/2005 s 5	3.10.2005	
s 4A	inserted by 41/1983 s 6	1.7.1983	
Pt 2	heading preceding s 5 deleted and Pt 2 heading inserted by 41/1983 s 7	1.7.1983	
s 5	substituted by 41/1983 s 7	1.7.1983	
heading preceding s 6	deleted by 41/1983 s 7	1.7.1983	
s 6	substituted by 41/1983 s 7	1.7.1983	
	substituted by 13/2005 s 6	3.10.2005	
s 7	amended by 41/1983 s 8	1.7.1983	
s 7	substituted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
s 7(3)	inserted by 55/1988 s 2	8.9.1988	
	amended by 13/2005 s 7(1)—(3)	3.10.2005	
s 7(4)	inserted by 55/1988 s 2	8.9.1988	
s 7(4a)	inserted by 1/1994 s 2	28.2.1994	
	deleted by 1/1994 s 3	31.12.1994	
	inserted by 13/2005 s 7(4)	3.10.2005	
s 7(5)	inserted by 14/1992 s 2	16.4.1992	
s 7A	inserted by 41/1983 s 9	1.7.1983	
s 8	deleted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
s 9	deleted by 41/1983 s 10	1.7.1983	
s 10	amended by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
Pt 3	heading preceding s 11 deleted and Pt 3 heading inserted by 41/1983 s 11	1.7.1983	
s 10A	inserted by 13/2005 s 8	3.10.2005	
ss 11—14	substituted by 41/1983 s 11	1.7.1983	
Pt 4	heading inserted by 41/1983 s 11	1.7.1983	
s 14A	inserted by 41/1983 s 11	1.7.1983	
s 14A(3)	inserted by 13/2005 s 9	3.10.2005	
s 14B	inserted by 41/1983 s 11	1.7.1983	
s 14B(2)	deleted by 56/1990 s 3	22.11.1990	
s 14B(3)	amended by 13/2005 s 10	3.10.2005	
s 14BA	inserted by 56/1990 s 4	22.11.1990	
s 14BA(2)	substituted by 33/2002 s 4	3.3.2003	
s 14C	inserted by 41/1983 s 11	1.7.1983	
	substituted by 6/1988 s 3	10.3.1988	
s 14C(2)	amended by 59/1998 s 4(a)	10.3.1988	
s 14C(3)	inserted by 59/1998 s 4(b)	10.3.1988	
s 14D	inserted by 41/1983 s 11	1.7.1983	
s 15	amended by 41/1983 s 12	1.7.1983	
	substituted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
s 16			
s 16(1)	amended by 41/1983 s 13(a)—(c)	1.7.1983	
s 16(2)	amended by 41/1983 s 13(d)	1.7.1983	
s 16(2a)	inserted by 13/1986 s 2(a)	20.3.1986	
s 16(3)	amended by 41/1983 s 13(e), (f)	1.7.1983	
	amended by 13/1986 s 2(b)	20.3.1986	
s 16(4)	inserted by 13/1986 s 2(c)	20.3.1986	
s 17	substituted by 41/1983 s 14	1.7.1983	
heading preceding s 18	deleted by 41/1983 s 15	1.7.1983	
s 18	deleted by 41/1983 s 15	1.7.1983	
	inserted by 13/1986 s 3	20.3.1986	
s 19	deleted by 41/1983 s 15	1.7.1983	
	inserted by 6/1988 s 4	10.3.1988	
	substituted by 13/2005 s 11	3.10.2005	
s 19A	inserted by 13/2005 s 11	3.10.2005	
s 20	deleted by 41/1983 s 15	1.7.1983	
	inserted by 8/1992 s 2	16.4.1992	
s 21	amended by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
s 22	substituted by 13/1986 s 4	20.3.1986	
s 22A			
s 22A(3)	deleted by 41/1983 s 16	1.7.1983	
s 22B	inserted by 70/1992 s 4	3.3.1986	
heading preceding s 23	deleted by 41/1983 s 17	1.7.1983	
s 24	amended by 41/1983 s 18	1.7.1983	
	amended by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
s 25	amended by 41/1983 s 19	1.7.1983	
	substituted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
	amended by 13/2005 s 12(1), (2)	3.10.2005	
s 26	amended by 13/1986 s 5	20.3.1986	
s 27			
s 27(1)	amended by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
s 27A	inserted by 13/2005 s 13	3.10.2005	
s 28	substituted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
s 28A	inserted by 51/1988 s 4	8.9.1988	
	amended by 72/1992 s 10 (Sch)	1.3.1993	
	amended by 34/1996 s 4 (Sch cl 1)	3.2.1997	
s 30	substituted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
s 31	deleted by 51/1988 s 5	1.1.1989	
s 32	deleted by 107/1981 s 27(c)	11.2.1982	
s 33			
s 33(2)	amended by 13/2005 s 14(1), (2)	3.10.2005	
s 33A	deleted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
s 33B	deleted by 8/1988 s 3	5.5.1988	
s 33C	amended by 41/1983 s 20	1.7.1983	
	amended by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
	deleted by 8/1988 s 3	5.5.1988	
heading preceding s 34	deleted by 41/1983 s 21	1.7.1983	
s 36	substituted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
s 36A	inserted by 7/2005 s 4	21.7.2005	
s 37	amended by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
s 37A	inserted by 41/1983 s 22	1.7.1983	
s 38	deleted by 3/1978 s 7(1)	1.6.1978	
heading preceding s 39	deleted by 41/1983 s 23	1.7.1983	
s 39	amended by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
	substituted by 13/2005 s 15	3.10.2005	
s 40	deleted by 41/1983 s 24	1.7.1983	
	inserted by 56/1990 s 5	22.11.1990	
heading preceding s 41	deleted by 41/1983 s 25	1.7.1983	
s 41	deleted by 56/1984 s 5	1.7.1984	
s 43	substituted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
	deleted by 69/1991 s 17	6.7.1992	
s 44	substituted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
s 44(1)	amended by 13/2005 s 16(1)	3.10.2005	
	amended by 56/2005 Sch 2 cl 3(1)	1.7.2006	
s 44(2)	amended by 51/1988 s 6	1.1.1989	
	amended by 13/2005 s 16(2)	3.10.2005	
	amended by 56/2005 Sch 2 cl 3(2)	1.7.2006	
s 45	deleted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
	inserted by 15/1994 s 2	12.5.1994	
ss 46 and 47	deleted by 13/1986 (Sch)	20.3.1986	
heading preceding s 48	deleted by 41/1983 s 26	1.7.1983	
ss 48 and 49	deleted by 41/1983 s 26	1.7.1983	
s 51	deleted by 56/1984 s 5	1.7.1984	
	inserted by 13/2005 s 17	21.4.2007	
s 52	deleted by 41/1983 s 27	1.7.1983	
	inserted by 13/2005 s 17	3.10.2005	
Transitional etc provisions associated with Act or amendments
Acts Interpretation Act Amendment Act 1988
5—Operation of amendments
The amendments made by this Act operate retrospectively and prospectively.
Statutes Amendment and Repeal (Common Expiation Scheme) Act 1996
5—Transitional provision
An Act repealed or amended by this Act will continue to apply (as in force immediately prior to the repeal or amendment coming into operation) to an expiation notice issued under the repealed or amended Act.
Historical versions
Reprint No 1—1.7.1991		
Reprint No 2—16.4.1992		
Reprint No 3—6.7.1992		
Reprint No 4—19.11.1992		
Reprint No 5—1.3.1993		
Reprint No 6—28.2.1994		
Reprint No 7—12.5.1994		
Reprint No 8—31.12.1994		
Reprint No 9—3.2.1997		
Reprint No 10—3.7.1997		
Reprint No 11—3.9.1998		
Reprint No 12—1.7.1999		
Reprint No 13—3.3.2003		
21.7.2005		
3.10.2005		
1.7.2006		
18.1.2007		
21.4.2007