What is legislation?
Legislation is the law that is produced by Parliament & forms the laws that govern society.
In order to become law, a draft of the law (the Bill) must be passed through both houses of parliament.
Jurisdiction is important in legal research.
In the legislative context, jurisdiction refers to the parliament or legislature which has created the legislation.
Note: The Parliament of Australia's publication The Australian System of Government provides an overview of the structure of government at a Commonwealth level. Most Australian jurisdictions follow a similar structure.
Why is legislation important?
It is central to legal problem-solving and one of the two main sources of law in Australia, case law being the second.
Legal research will often be based around a piece of legislation. It is essential to locate the relevant legislation, understand it and interpret it.