Legislative lexicon

Legislation provides Parliament (and the executive, for subordinate legislation) with a means of establishing and enforcing policy decisions. Statutory interpretation is the task of discerning the underlying policy so that it can be given effect.

Interpretation is not a technical exercise, and words do not have a fixed meaning. Words, however, are the building blocks of legislation. Our legislative lexicon page provides some insight into the meaning of words used in legislation - as interpreted by the courts.