Bill
Law and Justice Legislation Amendment (New South Wales Local Court) Bill 2026
passed, as at 2026-03-05. Attorney-General portfolio.
- Sponsor
- Not recorded
- Portfolio
- Attorney-General
Recorded stages
- introduced — 2026-02-04
- second reading — 2026-02-04
- other — 2026-02-10
- second reading — 2026-02-10
- second reading — 2026-02-10
- other — 2026-02-11
- third reading — 2026-02-11
- introduced — 2026-03-02
- second reading — 2026-03-02
- second reading — 2026-03-02
- second reading — 2026-03-02
- third reading — 2026-03-02
- passed — 2026-03-02
- royal assent — 2026-03-05
Divisions
No divisions recorded. Most questions are decided on the voices; this does not establish that a bill was unopposed.
Plain-language summary
Written by a model from the explanatory memorandum; not the record, as at 2026-02-04.
This bill updates Commonwealth laws so that judges of the new NSW Local Court can exercise the same powers as former NSW magistrates.
It would amend the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 to define 'magistrate' to include NSW Local Court judges and exclude them from the definition of 'judge', unless a law says otherwise.
The bill also includes transitional provisions that only take effect if the Governor-General and NSW Governor agree to them.
- Amends the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 to update definitions of 'magistrate' and 'judge' for NSW Local Court judges.
- Makes minor and technical amendments to other Commonwealth Acts that show a contrary intention to those definitions.
- Sets out transitional provisions to allow existing arrangements for NSW magistrates to continue and for NSW Local Court judges to take over their functions.
Judges of the NSW Local Court and the Commonwealth and NSW governments are affected.
Sources
em
billhome
frl act