First Principles of Business Law

6.1. Who has law-making powers in Australia?

Law needs to be created or changed to take account of new circumstances, policies, or attitudes.  Which persons or institutions in Australia have the power to make or change the law?  Below are three statements.  One of them is not accurate. Click on the statement which does not properly state who has the power to make law in Australia.

(a) In Australia, there are elected legislative bodies that have a constitutional power to enact new law, known as ‘legislation’.

(b) In Australia, judges appointed to senior courts can create law when deciding cases, known as ‘case law’.

(c) In Australia the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth has the power to issue proclamations that have the force of law, known as ‘Commonwealth law’.