Business Law Library & Tracker
Main Australian Business Laws
Start with the main Acts, codes and regulations that shape everyday business decisions. Amendment Acts, specialist instruments and narrow source records are handled as updates or supporting material instead of cluttering this view.
Sources last reviewed 8 June 2026
Main law guides
297
Acts, regulations and codes worth reading first
Topics
22
Plain-English clusters
Published case explainers
496
Selected cases with a business lesson
Tracked updates
110
New, amended & reviewed
Plain-English explainers, not legal advice. Use the linked official source for section-level detail, and get advice for your situation.
Get legal helpMain lawCommonwealth
Designs Act 2003 (Cth)
Designs Act 2003 (Cth)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
IP & Brand ProtectionFood & Product Compliance
Main lawNew South Wales
Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW)
Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Planning, Building & Local ApprovalsCommercial Leases & PropertyConstruction & TradesEnvironment, Waste & Pollution
Main lawTasmania
Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 (Tas)
Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 (Tas)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Planning, Building & Local ApprovalsCommercial Leases & PropertyConstruction & TradesEnvironment, Waste & Pollution
Main lawNorthern Territory
Planning Act 1999 (NT)
Planning Act 1999 (NT)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Planning, Building & Local ApprovalsCommercial Leases & PropertyConstruction & TradesEnvironment, Waste & Pollution
Main lawQueensland
Planning Act 2016 (Qld)
Planning Act 2016 (Qld)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Planning, Building & Local ApprovalsCommercial Leases & PropertyConstruction & TradesEnvironment, Waste & Pollution
Main lawACT
Planning Act 2023 (ACT)
Planning Act 2023 (ACT)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Planning, Building & Local ApprovalsCommercial Leases & PropertyConstruction & TradesEnvironment, Waste & Pollution
Main lawWestern Australia
Planning and Development Act 2005 (WA)
Planning and Development Act 2005 (WA)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Planning, Building & Local ApprovalsCommercial Leases & PropertyConstruction & TradesEnvironment, Waste & Pollution
Main lawVictoria
Planning and Environment Act 1987 (Vic)
Planning and Environment Act 1987 (Vic)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Planning, Building & Local ApprovalsCommercial Leases & PropertyConstruction & TradesEnvironment, Waste & Pollution
Main lawSouth Australia
Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 (SA)
Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 (SA)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Planning, Building & Local ApprovalsCommercial Leases & PropertyConstruction & TradesEnvironment, Waste & Pollution
Main lawNew South Wales
Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW)
Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Discrimination & AccessibilityEmployment & WorkplaceConsumer Law & Trading
Main lawQueensland
Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld)
Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Discrimination & AccessibilityEmployment & WorkplaceConsumer Law & Trading
Main lawNorthern Territory
Anti-Discrimination Act 1992 (NT)
Anti-Discrimination Act 1992 (NT)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Discrimination & AccessibilityEmployment & WorkplaceConsumer Law & Trading
Main lawTasmania
Anti-Discrimination Act 1998 (Tas)
Anti-Discrimination Act 1998 (Tas)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Discrimination & AccessibilityEmployment & WorkplaceConsumer Law & Trading
Main lawACT
Discrimination Act 1991 (ACT)
Discrimination Act 1991 (ACT)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Discrimination & AccessibilityEmployment & WorkplaceConsumer Law & Trading
Main lawSouth Australia
Environment Protection Act 1993 (SA)
Environment Protection Act 1993 (SA)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Environment, Waste & PollutionCommercial Leases & PropertyConstruction & TradesBusiness Registration & Operations
Main lawACT
Environment Protection Act 1997 (ACT)
Environment Protection Act 1997 (ACT)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Environment, Waste & PollutionCommercial Leases & PropertyConstruction & TradesBusiness Registration & Operations
Main lawVictoria
Environment Protection Act 2017 (Vic)
Environment Protection Act 2017 (Vic)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Environment, Waste & PollutionCommercial Leases & PropertyConstruction & TradesBusiness Registration & Operations
Main lawTasmania
Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 (Tas)
Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 (Tas)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Environment, Waste & PollutionCommercial Leases & PropertyConstruction & TradesBusiness Registration & Operations
Main lawWestern Australia
Environmental Protection Act 1986 (WA)
Environmental Protection Act 1986 (WA)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Environment, Waste & PollutionCommercial Leases & PropertyConstruction & TradesBusiness Registration & Operations
Main lawQueensland
Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld)
Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Environment, Waste & PollutionCommercial Leases & PropertyConstruction & TradesBusiness Registration & Operations
Main lawSouth Australia
Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (SA)
Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (SA)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Discrimination & AccessibilityEmployment & WorkplaceConsumer Law & Trading
Main lawWestern Australia
Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (WA)
Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (WA)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Discrimination & AccessibilityEmployment & WorkplaceConsumer Law & Trading
Main lawVictoria
Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic)
Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Discrimination & AccessibilityEmployment & WorkplaceConsumer Law & Trading
Main lawNew South Wales
Limitation Act 1969 (NSW)
Limitation Act 1969 (NSW)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Debt Recovery & Limitation PeriodsContracts & CommercialFinance, Payments & Security
Main lawTasmania
Limitation Act 1974 (Tas)
Limitation Act 1974 (Tas)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Debt Recovery & Limitation PeriodsContracts & CommercialFinance, Payments & Security
Main lawNorthern Territory
Limitation Act 1981 (NT)
Limitation Act 1981 (NT)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Debt Recovery & Limitation PeriodsContracts & CommercialFinance, Payments & Security
Main lawACT
Limitation Act 1985 (ACT)
Limitation Act 1985 (ACT)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Debt Recovery & Limitation PeriodsContracts & CommercialFinance, Payments & Security
Main lawWestern Australia
Limitation Act 2005 (WA)
Limitation Act 2005 (WA)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Debt Recovery & Limitation PeriodsContracts & CommercialFinance, Payments & Security
Main lawSouth Australia
Limitation of Actions Act 1936 (SA)
Limitation of Actions Act 1936 (SA)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Debt Recovery & Limitation PeriodsContracts & CommercialFinance, Payments & Security
Main lawVictoria
Limitation of Actions Act 1958 (Vic)
Limitation of Actions Act 1958 (Vic)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Debt Recovery & Limitation PeriodsContracts & CommercialFinance, Payments & Security
Main lawQueensland
Limitation of Actions Act 1974 (Qld)
Limitation of Actions Act 1974 (Qld)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Debt Recovery & Limitation PeriodsContracts & CommercialFinance, Payments & Security
Main lawCommonwealth
Online Safety Act 2021 (Cth)
Online Safety Act 2021 (Cth)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Privacy & DataConsumer Law & Trading
Main lawCommonwealth
Patents Act 1990 (Cth)
Patents Act 1990 (Cth)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
IP & Brand ProtectionBusiness Registration & Operations
Main lawNew South Wales
Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW)
Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Environment, Waste & PollutionCommercial Leases & PropertyConstruction & TradesBusiness Registration & Operations
Main lawNorthern Territory
Waste Management and Pollution Control Act 1998 (NT)
Waste Management and Pollution Control Act 1998 (NT)
PriorityIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Environment, Waste & PollutionCommercial Leases & PropertyConstruction & TradesBusiness Registration & Operations
Main lawCommonwealth
Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth)
Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth)
WatchlistIn force5 practical checks · checked 7 June 2026
Work Health & SafetyEmployment & Workplace
Main lawVictoria
Goods Act 1958 (Vic)
Goods Act 1958 (Vic)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Consumer Law & TradingContracts & Commercial
Main lawCommonwealth
National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (Cth)
National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (Cth)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Finance, Payments & SecurityConsumer Law & Trading
Main lawSouth Australia
Sale of Goods Act 1895 (SA)
Sale of Goods Act 1895 (SA)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Consumer Law & TradingContracts & Commercial
Main lawWestern Australia
Sale of Goods Act 1895 (WA)
Sale of Goods Act 1895 (WA)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Consumer Law & TradingContracts & Commercial
Main lawQueensland
Sale of Goods Act 1896 (Qld)
Sale of Goods Act 1896 (Qld)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Consumer Law & TradingContracts & Commercial
Main lawTasmania
Sale of Goods Act 1896 (Tas)
Sale of Goods Act 1896 (Tas)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Consumer Law & TradingContracts & Commercial
Main lawNew South Wales
Sale of Goods Act 1923 (NSW)
Sale of Goods Act 1923 (NSW)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Consumer Law & TradingContracts & Commercial
Main lawACT
Sale of Goods Act 1954 (ACT)
Sale of Goods Act 1954 (ACT)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Consumer Law & TradingContracts & Commercial
Main lawNorthern Territory
Sale of Goods Act 1972 (NT)
Sale of Goods Act 1972 (NT)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Consumer Law & TradingContracts & Commercial
Main lawCommonwealth
Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth)
Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 1 June 2026
Insolvency & RestructuringFinance, Payments & Security
Main lawCommonwealth
Copyright Regulations 2017
Copyright Regulations 2017 (Cth)
WatchlistIn force4 practical checks · checked 7 June 2026
IP & Brand ProtectionDigital & Ecommerce
Main lawCommonwealth
Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth)
Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth)
WatchlistIn force5 practical checks · checked 7 June 2026
Not-for-Profits & CharitiesCompanies & StartupsBusiness Registration & Operations