OFFICE OF THE LEGISLATIVE DRAFTER
Clear and concise translation of policies into laws
The Office of the Legislative Drafter derives its mandate from the Law Revision and Consolidation Act 2019.
We are primarily responsible for legislative drafting. Legislative drafting is a specialised area of law. Unlike other types of legal work, legislative drafting influences a diverse range of issues in the process of implementing policy decisions through law-making. Essentially, we draft Bills and subsidiary legislation for the Government of the Republic of Nauru.
We are also responsible for law revision. Law revision is the process of consolidating all written laws. We work closely with LexisNexis to ensure that all written laws are consolidated in both physical and electronic forms.
To promote greater access to justice, the Office of the Legislative Drafter also maintains a website for all the written laws of Nauru. RONLAW, as its name suggests, holds Acts of Parliament, Bills, Explanatory Memoranda, Second Reading Speeches for Bills, subsidiary legislation and other Gazette notices. RONLAW also holds consolidations of all laws.
WHAT WE DO
Legislative Drafting
The Office of the Legislative Drafter is responsible for performing the legislative drafting functions that are vested with the Department of Justice under Section 4 of the Law Revision and Consolidation Act 2019.
These functions include:
- Drafting Bills
- Drafting subsidiary legislation such as regulations, proclamations, orders, rules and notices
- Educating and disseminating information pertaining to Bills and written laws to the public
- Providing explanation or information to the Cabinet or members of the Parliament in relation to Bills and written laws
- Publishing Bills and written laws on the RONLAW website
- Ensuring the notification of subsidiary legislation in the Gazette
Drafting Process
We receive drafting instructions from government departments and draft laws based on those instructions. We work closely with government departments to better understand the policies behind the instructions and the objective that needs to be achieved through legislation.
When required to do so, we provide explanations on the draft laws to the relevant line Minister and Cabinet.
When a Bill is approved by Cabinet, it is tabled in Parliament by the responsible Minister. If it is passed by Parliament, the Speaker certifies that the Bill has been passed by Parliament. The Act is then uploaded on RONLAW.
When a subsidiary legislation is approved by Cabinet, we arrange with the Gazette Office for the subsidiary legislation to be published in the Gazette.
Law Revision
The Office of the Legislative Drafter is also responsible for consolidating and revising all written laws on an annual basis. Updated consolidated laws can be accessed on the RONLAW website and through the bound volumes.
Consolidation Process
When a Bill has been passed by Parliament or a subsidiary legislation has been approved by Cabinet, we send the electronic copies of such laws to LexisNexis for the laws to be consolidated.
This is a back and forth process that requires us to proof-read the consolidated laws before they are finalised for inclusion in the loose-leaf volumes and electronically uploaded on RONLAW.
Other Work
The Office of the Legislative Drafter also assists the Office of the Secretary for Justice and Border and Control and the Office of the Solicitor-General in providing legal advice, vetting agreements and other work that is assigned to us.
PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS
Legislative reforms resulted in the drafting of the following Bills:
- Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities Bill 2023
- Consumer Protection Bill 2023
- Motor Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2023
- Anti-Money Laundering and Targeted Financial Sanctions Bill 2023
- Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill 2023
- Agricultural Quarantine (Amendment) Bill 2023
- Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill 2023
- Human Rights Bill 2023
- Customs Tariff (Amendment) Bill 2023
- Customs (Amendment) Bill 2023
- Liquor Control (Amendment) Bill 2023
- Illicit Drugs Control (Amendment) Bill 2023
- Bail (Amendment) Bill 2023
Illicit Drugs Control (Drug Testing Kit) (Amendment) Regulations 2024
It has become apparent that the use of illicit drugs in Nauru is on the rise. The Police are taking every possible step possible to address this issue. These steps include prescribing another type of drug testing kit under the Illicit Drugs Control Act 2004, through the Illicit Drugs Control (Drug Testing Kit) Regulations 2024 called TruNarc Handheld Narcotics Analyzer (“TruNarc”). The TruNarc delivers fast and accurate narcotics analysis. With the TruNarc kit now prescribed in law, the Nauru Police Force has an added tool to combat illicit use of drugs.
OUR TEAM
Loretta Teueli
Director Legislative Drafting
Blossom Tsiode
Pleader
OUR LOCATION
Department of Justice and Border Control
Ground Floor
Government Buildings
Yaren District
Republic of Nauru