Answered By: The Library
Last Updated: Sep 26, 2022     Views: 50357

The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association: the official guide to APA style (7th ed) does not contain examples for non US legislation and suggests referring to other specialized law referencing styles. We have referred to the Bluebook (Tables:T2.2 Australia) as a guide to create the following examples. 

You will need: 

  • Short title of the act in italics.
  • Year of passage in italics. Add the year of passage if it is not included in the short title of the act. (Reference to the year should be to the year the act was originally passed, not the year of amendment or compilation. Acts cited are presumed to be as amended. Amending acts do not need to be cited unless the amending act is being directly cited).
  • Jurisdiction abbreviated e.g. Commonwealth or state legislation.
  • Subdivision if relevant. If you are referring to multiple sections of the act, cite the act in full in your reference list entry and refer to the sections in text. 
  • URL to the authorised government web page. e.g. https://www.legislation.gov.au....

Reference list entry.

Short Title of Act year of passage in italics (Jurisdiction abbreviated) subdivision if relevant. URL

 

Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) pt III div 3. https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2018C00292

 

If you are referring to multiple sections of the act, cite the act in full in your reference list entry and refer to the sections in text.

Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2018C00292

 

In text citation.

"A breach of a registered APP code is an interference with the privacy of an individual" (Privacy Act 1988 pt III div 3)

 

When considering personal information the Privacy Act 1988...

 

Abbreviations for subdivisions.

chapter(s)          ch, chs
section(s)           s, ss
schedule(s)        sch, schs
part(s)                 pt, pts
division(s)          div, divs
subdivision(s)    sub-div, sub-divs
paragraph(s)      para, paras

Where multiple abbreviations and numbers are needed, no comma should be used between them, e.g., pt III div 3

Short abbreviations for jurisdictions.

Commonwealth (Cth)
New South Wales (NSW)
Victoria (Vic)
South Australia (SA)
Western Australia(WA)
Tasmania (Tas)
Queensland (Qld)
Northern Territory (NT)
Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

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