AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

AGE OF MAJORITY ORDINANCE 1974
ORDINANCES REVISION (AGE OF MAJORITY) ORDINANCE 1974

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

No. 46 of 1974

	The purpose of these Ordinances is to lower the age for attaining legal responsibility in the Australian Capital Territory from twenty-one years to eighteen years.

2.	The Age of Majority Ordinance 1974 will operate generally so as to lower the age for attaining legal responsibility for most purposes of the law - see sections 5, 6(1) and 6(2).  There are some exceptions to the general provisions and these are set out in sections 6(3), 6(4), 7, 8 and 11.

3.	The Ordinance will not affect a reference in a law or instrument to “twenty-one years” or to any other age expressed in years.

4.	The Ordinances Revision (Age of Majority) Ordinance 1974 amends those laws of the Territory that contain references to an age expressed in years which it is appropriate to amend in accordance with the general policy of reducing the age of majority from twenty-one years to eighteen years.