Australia Act 1986

E30285

The Australia Act 1986 is a landmark statute that severed the remaining constitutional links between Australia and the United Kingdom, granting Australia full legal independence in its domestic and external affairs.

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Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Act of Parliament
Australian constitutional law instrument
constitutional statute
affects Australian Constitution
surface form: Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900

constitutional relationship between Australia and the United Kingdom
appliesTo Australian states
Australian territories
Commonwealth of Australia
cameIntoForceOn 1986-03-03
category 1986 in Australian law
Acts of the Parliament of Australia
Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Australian constitutional history
clarifies that Australian law is not subject to UK law supremacy
commencementDate 1986-03-03
constitutionalSignificance confirmed that Australian governments are responsible only to Australian parliaments
ended the ability to appeal to the Privy Council from Australian courts in state matters
marked the final step in Australia’s legal independence from the United Kingdom
countryOfLegislation Australia
United Kingdom
enactedBy Parliament of Australia
British Parliament
surface form: Parliament of the United Kingdom
hasJurisdiction Australia
United Kingdom
implementedBy Australia Act 1986 self-linksurface differs
surface form: Australia Act 1986 (Cth)

Australia Act 1986 self-linksurface differs
surface form: Australia Act 1986 (UK)
language English
legalEffect made Australian law fully autonomous
removed remaining UK legislative and executive authority over Australian states
longTitle Australia Act 1986 self-linksurface differs
surface form: An Act to bring constitutional arrangements affecting the Commonwealth and the States into conformity with the status of the Commonwealth of Australia as a sovereign, independent and federal nation
partOf Australian constitutional framework
prohibits appeals from Australian courts to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in most matters
future UK legislation from extending to Australia
purpose to establish Australia’s full legal independence
to sever remaining constitutional links between Australia and the United Kingdom
receivedRoyalAssentFrom Elizabeth II
surface form: Queen Elizabeth II
relatedTo Statute of Westminster 1931
requires state constitutional changes to be made by state legislation only
requiresConsentOf Australian states
royalAssentDate 1986-02-07
shortTitle Australia Act 1986 self-link
signedBy Queen Elizabeth II in Canberra
signedIn Canberra
terminates power of the UK Parliament to legislate for Australia
residual role of the UK government in Australian state affairs
yearOfAct 1986

Referenced by (6)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

King of Australia constitutionalBasis Australia Act 1986
Australia Act 1986 implementedBy Australia Act 1986 self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: Australia Act 1986 (Cth)
Australia Act 1986 implementedBy Australia Act 1986 self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: Australia Act 1986 (UK)
Australia Act 1986 longTitle Australia Act 1986 self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: An Act to bring constitutional arrangements affecting the Commonwealth and the States into conformity with the status of the Commonwealth of Australia as a sovereign, independent and federal nation
Statute of Westminster 1931 relatedTo Australia Act 1986
Australia Act 1986 shortTitle Australia Act 1986 self-link