Drafting Directions index
(as at 27 July 2017)

Drafting Directions Series		
Number	Title	Release number	Release date	
Presentation and form of legislation		
1.1	Long and short titles of Bills and references to proposed Acts	1.0	1 May 2006	
1.1A	Names of instruments and provision units of instruments	3.0	14 November 2016	
1.2	Portfolio for cover page of Bill	4.12	25 January 2017	
1.3	Commencement provisions	4.3	31 January 2017	
1.3A	Simplified outlines	1.2	November 2016	
1.4	Amending Forms Manual	2.0	12 November 2013	
1.5	Definitions	3.4	October 2016	
1.6	Asterisking to identify defined terms	1.0	1 May 2006	
1.7	Numbering and lettering	2.0	2 Oct 2012	
1.8	Special rules for Tax Code drafting	1.0	1 May 2006	
Usage (including plain English)		
2.1	English usage, gender-specific and gender‑neutral language, grammar, punctuation and spelling	4.4	1 March 2016	
2.2	Use of various expressions in draft legislation	5.5	3 May 2016	
Content		
3.1	Constitutional law issues	5.0	19 Jan 2017	
3.2	Taxation	1.1	1 May 2013	
3.3	Application of legislation in relation to various maritime and external areas	3.0	2 Oct 2012	
3.4	Conferral and exercise of powers (including by Governor‑General)	2.0	2 Oct 2012	
3.5	Offences, penalties, self-incrimination, secrecy provisions and enforcement powers	3.1	13 Feb 2013	
3.5A	Regulatory powers	1.0	26 Feb 2015	
3.6	Commonwealth bodies	3.0	1 Dec 2016	
3.7	Tribunals and other administrative bodies—various matters	4.1	8 March 2016	
3.8	Subordinate legislation	5.4	July 2017	
3.9	Evidence and proof (including oaths and affirmations)	3.0	19 June 2013	
3.10	Legislation that refers to or affects Australian governments or jurisdictions	2.0	2 Oct 2012	
3.11	Implementing Commonwealth agreements (including treaties and conventions etc.)	3.1	21 November 2013	
3.12	Provisions that make the Commonwealth liable to make a payment	2.0	24 May 2016	
3.13	References to cases in notes	2.0	2 Oct 2012	
3.14	References to the Parliament	2.0	2 Oct 2012	
Procedural matters		
4.1	Dealings with instructors	3.1	29 February 2016	
4.1A	Complexity Flag System	3.0	13 May 2013	
4.2	Referral of drafts to agencies	8.7	August 2016	
4.3	Amendments requiring consultation with States and Territories under an intergovernmental agreement	3.1	15 February 2017	
4.4	Changes using FPC’s editorial powers and statute law revision amendments	2.0	29 February 2016	
4.5	Legal advice on issues arising during drafting	3.0	2 Feb 2015	
4.6	Legislation Approval Process	6.8	27 February 2017	
4.7	Clerk’s and Chairman’s amendments, and changes to Minister’s copy of Bill	3.2	12 Oct 2010	
4.8	Parliamentary amendments—various matters	2.1	1 May 2013	
4.9	Sections 53 and 56 of the Constitution—Bills and parliamentary amendments	1.1	1 May 2006	
4.10	Presentation of Bills for Royal Assent	2.1	October 2016