Public Access to Legislation Project

A Discussion Paper for Public Comment

Official versions of legislation (including Annual Acts and Statutory Regulations, and Reprints) are currently made available to the public only in a printed form. This discussion paper raises the following issues:

• What role should the State and the private sector play in providing access to legislation?
• What forms (printed, electronic, on-line) should an official version of legislation take?
• On what basis should the Government charge for access to legislation?
• In what forms (printed, electronic, on-line) should Bills be published?

The Government invites comments from users of legislation and the general public on these issues. While the Government has yet to determine its policy in relation to these issues, and no new funding has been committed to them, comments will be taken into account in formulating recommendations on these issues.

• The deadline for making comments on this discussion paper is 31 October 1998
• Extra copies of this discussion paper may be obtained from:

Parliamentary Counsel Office
P.O. Box 18 070
Wellington 1
Ph (04)472 9639
Fax (04) 499 1724