Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the role and functions of PCO?
- Can PCO give information about how an Act or Regulation operates?
- How do I find out which Minister is responsible for an Act or Regulation?
- How do I find out which Government Department or agency is responsible for an Act or Regulation?
- How do I find out if a Bill is being drafted?
- How do I find out if a Regulation is being drafted?
- How do I find out about jobs at PCO?
What are the role and functions of PCO?
The principal role of the PCO is to provide the Government with a comprehensive and integrated range of high quality services for:
- the drafting and development of legislation,
- the publication of legislation, and
- the giving of advice and information about legislation.
Drafting legislation includes the drafting of Bills and amendments to Bills, regulations, rules of court and other statutory instruments.
Publishing legislation includes the production of Bills, new legislation, updated reprints of legislation and information publications - in both electronic and printed forms.
Providing advice and information includes the provision of advice on legislative drafting and procedure, a Legislation Information Service to the Government and the public, and an extensive range of legislation information publications.
The PCO also provides and maintains the NSW legislation website which is the official NSW Government site for the online publication of legislation, established under Part 6A of the Interpretation Act 1987.
For more detailed information about the Office, see About PCO.
Can PCO give information about how an Act or Regulation operates?
PCO does not provide information or give legal advice about the operation of particular Acts or Regulations.
For any information about the legal effect of a particular Act or Regulation, you should contact the relevant Government Department of agency which is responsible for the Act or Regulation, or a qualified legal practitioner.
The New South Wales Government portal website provides links to relevant Government Agencies who may be contacted for information. The Legal Information Access Centre on (02) 9273 1558 also provides information about how to obtain legal advice and research study projects, and the Attorney General's Department LawAccess Online can help you find assistance with legal issues.
How do I find out which Minister is responsible for an Act or Regulation?
The Allocation of the Administration of Acts is approved by the Governor and published on the NSW legislation website. The Allocation sets out the Ministers who are responsible for particular Acts and for Regulations under those Acts.
The Allocation of the Administration of Acts is available free online from the NSW legislation website. In force Acts also show this information under the heading "Responsible Minister" on the Status information page.
You can also find out this information:
- by consulting the Legislation in Force guide, which is updated monthly online,
- by contacting our Legislation Information Service, Telephone 02 9321 3333 or Email hotline@pco.nsw.gov.au, or
- by searching the NSW Government Directory.
The Legislation in Force guide is published quarterly in hard copy format and can be purchased from the Department of Commerce. See Printed Legislation on the Guides page for details.
How do I find out which Government Department or agency is responsible for an Act or Regulation?
You can find out this information from the NSW Government portal website or by contacting our Legislation Information Service, Telephone 02 9321 3333 or Email hotline@pco.nsw.gov.au.
How do I find out if a Bill is being drafted?
For reasons of confidentiality, PCO is not able to advise you whether or not a particular Bill or a Bill on a particular subject is being drafted.
For information about a particular Bill, you should contact the relevant Government Department or agency that is responsible for the Bill. If you do not know the Agency responsible, the PCO's Legislation Information Service may be able to assist, Telephone 02 9321 3333 or Email hotline@pco.nsw.gov.au.
How do I find out if a Bill has been introduced into Parliament?
To find out whether a Bill has been introduced into Parliament, you can:
- check the Bills section on the Parliament House website,
- monitor the Bills section of the weekly notification of legislative activity, which is available free on subscription, or
- contact our Legislation Information Service, Telephone 02 9321 3333 or Email hotline@pco.nsw.gov.au.
How do I find out if a Regulation is being drafted?
For confidentiality reasons, PCO is not able to advise you whether or not a particular Regulation or a Regulation on a particular subject is being drafted.
For any information about a proposed Regulation, you should contact the relevant Government Department or agency that is responsible for the Act under which the Regulation would be made.
How do I find out about jobs at PCO?
Vacancies at PCO are advertised on our Employment page. Vacancies at PCO that are open to members of the public are advertised in the Saturday edition of the Sydney Morning Herald and online at www.seek.com.au, www.mycareer.com.au and www.careerone.com.au.