Our work is at the centre of Australia’s democracy.
We are a team of dedicated specialists, with deep expertise in drafting and publishing legislation. We focus on the entire life cycle of laws. Our drafters support the government to implement its legislative program by drafting Bills and some legislative instruments. Our publications team manage the Federal Register of Legislation to ensure that all Commonwealth laws are freely available to the Australian public. Our corporate services team support our people to do their essential work.
With our focus on the statute book as a whole, we have the opportunity to work across all subject matters for which the Commonwealth has legislative power under the Constitution. It is a privilege to work with many Commonwealth agencies, as we do, working in partnership to deliver on government objectives. Our drafters help agencies to develop their policy, simplify their policy, and ensure that legislation is legally effective. Through this process, our drafters aim to draft legislation in a way that is as clear and easy to understand as possible.
As a drafter, you might watch your work be debated by the parliament, drafting parliamentary amendments to support the Bill’s passage through parliament. Alternatively, you might be drafting subordinate legislation, filling out a scheme in an Act passed by the Parliament.
Our publications officers play many integral roles in supporting the life cycle of legislation. You may be involved in preparing Bills ready for tabling in parliament, obtaining the Governor-General’s assent to a new Act, or registering and tabling a legislative instrument. You might also ensure that a complete version of the current law is accessible for all Australians by preparing compilations of amendments to Acts or instruments. Alternatively, you might be working behind the scenes on the Federal Register of Legislation, which holds over 30,000 items currently in force, and has 13.3 million visitors each year.
It will not be uncommon to see what you have been working on featured in the media. Examples of our work range from drafting proposed changes to the Constitution for referendums, drafting instruments to support Australia navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, and establishing important statutory bodies such as the National Anti-Corruption Commission or the Administrative Review Tribunal.
If you are working in Corporate Services team, you will have a unique opportunity to genuinely influence the way work is done at OPC, as we are small and work collaboratively. You will be able to use your expertise to make a difference for Australia.