Overarching responsibilities and principal legislation
The Governor-General gives each Commonwealth minister executive responsibility. The Administrative Arrangements Order (AAO) details these responsibilities and sets out the matters and legislation each department or portfolio administers.
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet administers the AAO. Visit the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet website for the Administrative Arrangements Order(Opens external website).
The legislation we administer includes:
- A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999(Opens external website)
- A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999(Opens external website)
- Budget Savings (Omnibus) Act 2016(Opens external website)
- Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme Act 2015(Opens external website)
- Business Services Wage Assessment Tool Payment Scheme Amendment Act 2016(Opens external website)
- Charities Act 2013(Opens external website)
- Child Support and Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Budget and Other Measures) Act 2010(Opens external website)
- Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989(Opens external website)
- Child Support Legislation Amendment (Reform of the Child Support Scheme–New Formula and Other Measures) Act 2006(Opens external website)
- Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988(Opens external website)
- Clean Energy (Household Assistance Amendments) Act 2011(Opens external website)
- Data-matching Program (Assistance and Tax) Act 1990(Opens external website)
- Disability Services Act 1986(Opens external website)
- Disability Services and Inclusion Act 2023(Opens external website)
- Disability Services and Inclusion (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2023(Opens external website)
- Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee Act 2023(Opens external website)
- Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation (2006 Budget and Other Measures) Act 2006(Opens external website)
- Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Further 2008 Budget and Other Measures) Act 2008(Opens external website)
- Family Law Act 1975(Opens external website)
- Gambling Measures Act 2012(Opens external website)
- Household Stimulus Package Act (No. 2) 2009(Opens external website)
- Marriage Act 1961(Opens external website)
- National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Act 2018(Opens external website)
- Not-for-profit Sector Freedom to Advocate Act 2013(Opens external website)
- Paid Parental Leave Act 2010(Opens external website)
- Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Adding Superannuation for a More Secure Retirement) Act 2024(Opens external website)
- Social Security Act 1991(Opens external website)
- Social Security (Administration) Act 1999(Opens external website)
- Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Economic Security Strategy) Act 2008(Opens external website)
- Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Seniors Supplement Cessation) Act 2015(Opens external website)
- Social Security (International Agreements) Act 1999(Opens external website)
- Social Services Legislation Amendment (No. 2) Act 2015(Opens external website)
- Student Assistance Act 1973(Opens external website)
- Tax Laws Amendment (Simplified Superannuation) Act 2007(Opens external website)
Federal Register of Legislation
The Federal Register of Legislation(Opens external website) (FRL) is the authorised whole-of-government website for Commonwealth legislation and related documents. It contains the full legislation text. It also details the lifecycle of individual laws and the relationships between them.
The Office of Parliamentary Counsel manages the Legislation Register.
All legislation and related documents we administer appear on the FRL website.
Guides to Social Policy Law
The Guides to Social Policy Law publications help decision makers administering social policy law.
The Guides to Social Policy Law includes the following:
- Social Security Guide(Opens external website)
- Family Assistance Guide(Opens external website)
- Paid Parental Leave Guide(Opens external website)
- Child Support Guide(Opens external website)
- ABSTUDY Policy Manual(Opens external website)
- Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme Guidelines(Opens external website)
- National Redress Guide(Opens external website).
Status of legislation
Visit the Parliament of Australia for information on the status of bills and legislation(Opens external website).