Download Word

House of Representatives                                Ch 10                                                 p 336

Long title

Every bill begins with a long title which sets out in brief terms the purposes of the bill or may provide a short description of the scope of a bill. The words commencing the long title are usually either ‘A Bill for an Act to . . .’ or ‘A Bill for an Act relating to . . .’. The term ‘long title’ is used in distinction from the term ‘short title’ ( see p. 338). A procedural reference to the ‘title’ of a bill, without being qualified, may be taken to mean the long title. The long title is part of a bill and as such is capable of amendment ¹ and must finally be agreed to by each House. The long title of a bill is procedurally significant. Standing orders require that the title of a bill must agree with its notice of presentation, and every clause must come within the title. ² In 1985 and 2002 bills were withdrawn when it was discovered that the long title on the introduced copy was different from the notice—immediately afterwards replacement bills with the correct long title were presented by leave. ³ In 1984 a bill was withdrawn as not all the clauses fell within the scope of the bill as defined in the long title. ⁴ Difficult questions can arise in this area. ⁵ A long title which is specific and limited in scope is known as ‘restricted’, and one which is wide in scope as ‘unrestricted’. This distinction has significance in relation to relevance in debate on the bill ( see p. 355) and to the nature of amendments which can be moved to the bill ( see p. 367).

E.g. VP 1993-95/1936;VP 1996-98/258, 2062.

S.O.140(b). In the case of an appropriation bill, the long title must also agree with the title cited in the Governor-General’s message recommending appropriation, see Ch. on ‘Financial legislation’.

VP 1985-87/520; VP 2002-4/100.

VP 1983-84/903-4.

H.R. Deb. (18.5.88) 2515-22.