Australian resources

This guide is the foundation for researching Australian law. It explains how to find, navigate and interpret primary legal materials: acts of parliament (legislation) and court judgments (case law). You will learn how to use major legal databases like AustLII, Westlaw and LexisNexis to locate current bills, statutes and authorised law reports.

The guide also covers the essential process of "noting up" cases to see if they are still good law and tracking the history of legislation. Mastering these research skills is essential for every law student to construct accurate legal arguments and succeed in their degree.