Interpretation Act 1984 (WA)

Western Australia

Western Australia

Interpretation Act 1984

An Act to amend and consolidate the law relating to the construction, application, interpretation, and operation of written law; to provide for the exercise of statutory powers and duties; and to provide for connected or incidental purposes.

This Act may be cited as the Interpretation Act 1984.

This Act shall come into operation on 1 July 1984.

• (1)

  The provisions of this Act apply to every written law, whether the law was enacted, passed, made, or issued before or after the commencement of this Act, unless in relation to a particular written law — 

  • (a)

    express provision is made to the contrary; or

  • (b)

    in the case of an Act, the intent and object of the Act or something in the subject or context of the Act is inconsistent with such application; or

  • (c)

    in the case of subsidiary legislation, the intent and object of the Act under which that subsidiary legislation is made is inconsistent with such application.

• (2)

  The provisions of this Act apply to this Act as they apply to an Act passed after this Act commences.

• (3)

  A reference in section 17, 25, 43(6), 50 or 64 to an Act, written law, enactment, or subsidiary legislation passed or made after the commencement of this Act shall be construed so as not to include any enactment which continues or directly amends, but does not repeal entirely, the text of an existing written law 1.

[Section 3 amended: No. 34 of 2020 s. 93.]

This Act binds the Crown.

In this Act and every other written law — 

act used with reference to an offence or civil wrong includes an omission and extends to a series of acts or omissions or a series of acts and omissions;

Act means any Act or Ordinance passed by the Parliament of Western Australia, or by any Council previously having authority or power to pass laws in Western Australia, such Act or Ordinance having been assented to by or on behalf of Her Majesty;

affidavit means an affidavit made in accordance with the Oaths, Affidavits and Statutory Declarations Act 2005 or made before the commencement of that Act in accordance with law;

alternative offence, when used in relation to an offence, has the meaning given by section 10B of The Criminal Code;

amend means replace, substitute, in whole or in part, add to or vary, and the doing of any 2 or more of such things simultaneously or by the same written law;

ASIC Law and ASIC Regulations have the meaning provided for by Part 11 of the Corporations (Western Australia) Act 1990;

Auditor General means the person holding the office of Auditor General for Western Australia continued by section 6…