How are conflicting definitions between different federal legislation treated or resolved?

The definitions provided as part of a bill – proposed law – only apply to that particular bill. They do not define a word or term for all laws passed by the Australian Parliament. This means that if another law provides a different definition, there is no conflict as it only applies within the context of that law.

However, if two pieces of legislation on the same topic have conflicting meanings for a word or term, a court may be asked to decide upon the meaning. The court can refer to a variety of sources, including the common meaning and parliamentary debates, to ensure their interpretation is consistent with the intention of the law.