Greeting Link to heading

WHEREAS the Parliament of Australia creates acts to govern the Commonwealth of Australia;

AND WHEREAS several acts of Australia feature preambles following the long title of the act;

AND WHEREAS I, the author of this page, would like a simple compilation of all in-force acts from the Parliament of Australia featuring preambles;

Be it therefore known

that the table below contains the following:

(a) The act number of said act
(b) The short title of said act
(c) The long title of said act
(d) The body of text judged to be the preamble

AND THAT THIS text is not part of the preamble;

AND THAT YOU can access the table below.

The Parliament of Australia has enacted many acts, many of which are no longer in force — which means we do not need to concern ourselves with them. However, for those that remain in force, their preambles remain enacted.

Let us therefore read the preambles of in-force Australian acts (as of 7 January 2024).

Act NumberShort TitleLong TitlePreambleLink
143, 1985Australia (Request and Consent) Act 1985An Act to request, and consent to, the enactment by the Parliament of the United Kingdom of an Act in the terms set out in the Schedule to this ActWHEREAS the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth and the Premiers of the States at conferences held in Canberra on 24 and 25 June 1982 and 21 June 1984 agreed on the taking of certain measures to bring constitutional arrangements affecting the Commonwealth and the States into conformity with the status of the Commonwealth of Australia as a sovereign, independent and federal nation:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen, and the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:		View
6, 1986Builders Labourers' Federation (Cancellation of Registration) Act 1986An Act to cancel the registration of The Australian Building Construction Employees’ and Builders Labourers’ Federation under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1904WHEREAS the Parliament considers that it is desirable, in the interest of preserving the system of conciliation and arbitration for the prevention and settlement of industrial disputes extending beyond the limits of any one State, to cancel the registration of The Australian Building Construction Employees’ and Builders Labourers’ Federation under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1904:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen, and the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:		View
114, 1973Royal Style and Titles Act 1973An Act relating to the Royal Style and TitlesWHEREAS, in accordance with the Royal Style and Titles Act 1953, Her Majesty, by Proclamation dated 28 May 1953, adopted the Royal Style and Titles to be used in relation to the Commonwealth of Australia and its Territories:

AND WHEREAS the Government of Australia considers it desirable to propose to Her Majesty a change in the form of the Royal Style and Titles to be used in relation to Australia and its Territories:

AND WHEREAS the proposed new Style and Titles retains the common element referred to in the preamble to the Royal Style and Titles Act 1953:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen, the Senate and the House of Representatives of Australia, as follows:		View
102, 1975United States Naval Communication Station Agreement Act 1975An Act relating to the United States Naval Communication Station established at North West Cape in Western AustraliaWHEREAS the Government of Australia and the Government of the United States of America, on 9 May 1963, entered into an agreement relating to the establishment of a United States Naval Communication Station in Australia:

AND WHEREAS by the United States Naval Communication Station Agreement Act 1963 approval was given to that agreement:

AND WHEREAS by Notes exchanged on 21 March 1974 it was agreed that the agreement dated 9 May 1963 be amended and be subject to approval by the two Governments:

AND WHEREAS on 14 January 1975 the Governments exchanged instruments notifying approval of the amending agreement:

AND WHEREAS it is desirable that the amending agreement should be approved by the Parliament:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen, the Senate and the House of Representatives of Australia, as follows:		View
98, 1975Papua New Guinea Independence Act 1975An Act relating to the attainment of Independence by Papua New GuineaWHEREAS the Territory of Papua and the Territory of New Guinea were administered by Australia under various Acts and international mandates:

AND WHEREAS on 9 July 1974 the House of Assembly resolved that Papua New Guinea move to independent nation status:

AND WHEREAS on 16 September 1975 Papua New Guinea is to become an independent sovereign state by the name of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen, the Senate and the House of Representatives of Australia, as follows:		View
75, 1980Coastal Waters (State Powers) Act 1980An Act to extend the legislative powers of the States in and in relation to coastal watersWHEREAS the Parliaments of all the States have requested the Parliament of the Commonwealth to enact an Act in, or substantially in, the terms of this Act:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen, and the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:		View
2, 1932Financial Agreements (Commonwealth Liability) Act 1932An Act to resolve doubts which have arisen as to the liability of the Commonwealth to bondholders in certain debts of the States taken over by the Commonwealth, and for other purposesWHEREAS by clause 1 of Part III of the Agreement set forth in the Schedule to the Financial Agreement Validation Act 1929 it was agreed that, subject to the provisions of that Part of the Agreement, the Commonwealth would take over on the first day of July One thousand nine hundred and twenty-nine:

the balance then unpaid of the gross public debt of each State existing on the thirtieth day of June One thousand nine hundred and twenty-seven; and

(i) all other debts of each State existing on the first day of July One thousand nine hundred and twenty-nine for moneys borrowed by that State which by that Agreement were deemed to be moneys borrowed by the Commonwealth for and on behalf of that State;
(ii) and would in respect of debts so taken over assume as between the Commonwealth and the States the liabilities of the States to bondholders:

AND WHEREAS doubts have arisen as to the direct liability of the Commonwealth to bondholders in certain debts of the States so taken over by the Commonwealth:

AND WHEREAS it is desirable that those doubts should be resolved and that the Commonwealth should accept direct liability to those bondholders and should have the right to sue the State concerned for the amount of payments made in satisfaction of such liability:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:		View
31, 1924Scout Association Act 1924An Act to afford Protection to the Scout AssociationWHEREAS the Scout Association (in this Act referred to as the Association) was duly incorporated under the name of the Boy Scouts Association in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland by Royal Charter granted on 4 January 1912:

AND WHEREAS the Association has the power under the said Charter to form Local Branches and Committees in all parts of His Majesty’s Dominions, and to apply for and exercise any powers obtained under any Supplementary Charter or Act of Parliament, Imperial or Colonial, and whether Federal or Provincial which may be deemed expedient for any of the purposes of the Association:

AND WHEREAS for providing and maintaining an efficient organization for promoting the objects of the Association, various Local Branches, including the Scout Association of Australia which was duly incorporated under the name of the Australian Boy Scouts Association by Royal Charter granted on 23 August 1967, have been formed under the power aforesaid in Australia:

AND WHEREAS it is expedient to protect the Association and the Local Branches thereof in the Commonwealth:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:		View
56, 1942Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1942An Act to remove Doubts as to the Validity of certain Commonwealth Legislation, to obviate Delays occurring in its Passage, and to effect certain related purposes, by adopting certain Sections of the Statute of Westminster, 1931, as from the Commencement of the War between His Majesty the King and GermanyWHEREAS certain legal difficulties exist which have created doubts and caused delays in relation to certain Commonwealth legislation, and to certain regulations made thereunder, particularly in relation to the legislation enacted, and regulations made, for securing the public safety and defence of the Commonwealth of Australia, and for the more effectual prosecution of the war in which His Majesty the King is engaged:

AND WHEREAS those legal difficulties will be removed by the adoption by the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia of sections two, three, four, five and six of the Statute of Westminster, 1931, and by making such adoption have effect as from the commencement of the war between His Majesty the King and Germany:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:		View
73, 1974Sewerage Agreements Act 1974An Act relating to Agreements between Australia and the States of Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia in respect of the Provision of further Financial Assistance for Sewerage Works in those StatesWHEREAS the execution, on behalf of the Government of Australia, of agreements between the Government of Australia and the Government of each of the States with respect to the provision of financial assistance for sewerage works, being agreements substantially in accordance with the form set out in the Schedule to the Sewerage Agreements Act 1973, was approved by that Act:

AND WHEREAS the following agreements in accordance with the form set out in the Schedule to that Act have been made:

(a) an agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the State of Victoria dated 18 March 1974;
(b) an agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the State of Queensland dated 18 March 1974;
(c) an agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the State of Western Australia dated 18 January 1974;

AND WHEREAS further agreements varying those agreements have been executed on behalf of the Government of Australia and the Government of each of those States:

AND WHEREAS it is provided in each of those further agreements that the agreement shall have no force or effect until it has been approved by the Parliament of Australia:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen, the Senate and the House of Representatives of Australia, as follows:		View
142, 1985Australia Act 1986An Act to bring constitutional arrangements affecting the Commonwealth and the States into conformity with the status of the Commonwealth of Australia as a sovereign, independent and federal nationWHEREAS the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth and the Premiers of the States at conferences held in Canberra on 24 and 25 June 1982 and 21 June 1984 agreed on the taking of certain measures to bring constitutional arrangements affecting the Commonwealth and the States into conformity with the status of the Commonwealth of Australia as a sovereign, independent and federal nation:

AND WHEREAS in pursuance of paragraph 51 (xxxviii) of the Constitution the Parliaments of all the States have requested the Parliament of the Commonwealth to enact an Act in the terms of this Act:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen, and the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:		View
92, 1953Royal Australian Air Force Veterans' Residences Act 1953An Act to provide for the application of the share of the proceeds of Prize captured during the State of War that commenced on 3 September 1939, that is available for the benefit of members of the Royal Australian Air ForceWHEREAS, out of the proceeds of prize captured during the state of war that commenced on 3 September 1939, the sum of pounds 229,000 is available for application for the benefit of members of the Royal Australian Air Force who served during that state of war:

AND WHEREAS it is impracticable to distribute the moneys so available to individual members of the Royal Australian Air Force who so served:

AND WHEREAS it is, for that reason, desirable that other provision be made for the application of those moneys:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:		View
31, 1945Australian National Airlines Act 1945An Act to provide for the Establishment and Operation of National Airline Services by the Commonwealth and for other purposesWHEREAS, in order to ensure, amongst other things, that:

(a) trade and commerce with other countries and among the States are fostered and encouraged to the greatest possible extent;
(b) the maintenance and development of the Defence Force of the Commonwealth in relation to the defence of Australia by air and the establishment of plant and equipment necessary for that Force are assured;
(c) the development of the Territories is promoted with the utmost expedition; and
(d) the carriage of mail by air within Australia is promoted to meet the needs of the people of Australia,

it is expedient to provide for the matters hereinafter set out:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:		View
60, 1933Ashmore and Cartier Islands Acceptance Act 1933An Act to provide for the acceptance of Ashmore Islands and Cartier Island as a Territory under the authority of the Commonwealth, and for the Government thereofWHEREAS the islands named the Ashmore Islands and known as Middle, East and West Islands, and also the island named Cartier Island, being islands situated in the Indian Ocean off the North-West Coast of Australia, are islands over which His Majesty the King has sovereign rights:

AND WHEREAS by an Order in Council dated the twenty-third day of July, One thousand nine hundred and thirty-one made by His Majesty by virtue and in exercise of the power in that behalf in His Majesty vested, it was ordered that the said Ashmore Islands and Cartier Island should be placed under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia and that the order should come into operation on such date, after legislation had been passed by the Parliament providing for the acceptance of the said islands and the government thereof, as might be fixed by Proclamation by the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia:

AND WHEREAS the Parliament of the Commonwealth is willing that the Ashmore Islands and Cartier Island should be placed under the authority of, and be accepted as a Territory by, the Commonwealth:

AND WHEREAS by the Constitution it is provided that the Parliament may make laws for the government of any Territory placed by the King under the Authority of and accepted by the Commonwealth:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:		View
7, 1953Heard Island and McDonald Islands Act 1953An Act to provide for the Government of Heard Island and McDonald IslandsWHEREAS Heard Island and McDonald Islands (being the islands described in the Schedule to this Act) are territories acquired by the Commonwealth:

AND WHEREAS it is desirable to make provision for the government of those territories as one Territory of the Commonwealth:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:		View
42, 1944United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Act 1944An Act to approve the Acceptance of the Constitution of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and for other purposesWHEREAS the United Nations Interim Commission on Food and Agriculture has recommended for the approval of its constituent Governments the Constitution of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (a copy of which is set out in the Schedule to this Act):

AND WHEREAS the Constitution is open for acceptance by the nations specified in Annex I thereof, including Australia, and will come into force upon being signed on behalf of not less than twenty of the said nations who have notified their acceptance of the Constitution:

AND WHEREAS it is desirable that the acceptance of the Constitution by the Commonwealth should be approved by the Parliament of the Commonwealth, and that appropriate financial provision should be made for the purpose of meeting the obligations of the Commonwealth under the Constitution when it comes into force:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:		View
58, 1969Coral Sea Islands Act 1969An Act to provide for the Government of certain Islands acquired by the CommonwealthAll the islands in the following areas are territories acquired by the Commonwealth:

(a) the area commencing at Latitude 12° 00´ South along the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef and running:
(i) south-easterly to 16° 00´ South, 156° 06´ East;
(ii) south along Longitude 156° 06´ East to Latitude 24° 00´ South;
(iii) west to Longitude 154° 00´ East;
(iv) north to Latitude 22° 00´ South;
(v) west to the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef;
(vi) then generally north-westerly to the point of commencement;

(b) the area commencing at 29° 21´ South, 158° 59´ East and running:
(i) east to Longitude 159° 14´ East;
(ii) south-westerly to 30° 03´ South, 159° 10´ East;
(iii) west to Longitude 158° 55´ East;
(iv) north-easterly to the point of commencement.

It is desirable to make provision for the government of those islands as one Territory.

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:		View
24, 1947United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Act 1947An Act to approve the Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural OrganizationWHEREAS at the City of London on the sixteenth day of November, One thousand nine hundred and forty-five, an organization known as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization was formed and the constitution of that Organization was agreed upon:

AND WHEREAS the Constitution of the Organization has been signed on behalf of Australia:

AND WHEREAS acceptance of the Constitution by the Commonwealth of Australia was effected by Instrument of Acceptance deposited with the Government of the United Kingdom on the eleventh day of June, One thousand nine hundred and forty-six:

AND WHEREAS it is desirable that the Constitution of the Organization should be approved by the Parliament:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:		View
42, 1954Australian Antarctic Territory Act 1954An Act to provide for the Government of the Australian Antarctic TerritoryWHEREAS the Australian Antarctic Territory was, by the Australian Antarctic Territory Acceptance Act 1933, accepted by the Commonwealth as a Territory under the authority of the Commonwealth:

AND WHEREAS the Australian Antarctic Territory has been governed by the Commonwealth under the provisions of that Act:

AND WHEREAS it is desirable to make other provision for the government of the Australian Antarctic Territory:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:		View
23, 1909Seat of Government Acceptance Act 1909An Act relating to the Acceptance of the Territory surrendered by the State of New South Wales for the Seat of Government of the CommonwealthWHEREAS the Commonwealth and the State of New South Wales have entered into an agreement, set out in the First Schedule to this Act, for the surrender to and acceptance by the Commonwealth, for the purposes of the seat of government, of the territory described in the Second Schedule to this Act:

AND WHEREAS it is desirable that the said agreement be ratified and confirmed, and that the surrender of the Territory be accepted by the Commonwealth:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:		View
20, 1910Northern Territory Acceptance Act 1910An Act to provide for the Acceptance of the Northern Territory as a Territory under the Authority of the Commonwealth and for the carrying out of the Agreement for the Surrender and AcceptanceWHEREAS by certain Letters Patent of Her late Majesty Queen Victoria dated the sixth day of July, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, the Northern Territory was annexed to the Province of South Australia:

AND WHEREAS by the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act the Province of South Australia, including the Northern Territory, became a part of the Commonwealth by the name of the State of South Australia:

AND WHEREAS by the Constitution it is provided that the Parliament may make laws for the government of any territory surrendered by any State to and accepted by the Commonwealth:

AND WHEREAS the Commonwealth and the State of South Australia have entered into an Agreement for the surrender to and acceptance by the Commonwealth of the Northern Territory, subject to approval by the Parliaments of the Commonwealth and of the said State:

AND WHEREAS the Parliament of the State of South Australia has by an Act intituled “The Northern Territory Surrender Act 1907” approved of the said Agreement:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:		View