New South Wales Consolidated Acts

INTERPRETATION ACT 1987 - SECT 16

16 British subjects and aliens

(1) In any Act or instrument--

(a) a reference to a British subject, or to a natural-born or naturalised subject of Her Majesty or to any other similar expression, is a reference to--

(i) an Australian citizen, or

(ii) any other person who would, had the relevant Commonwealth law continued in force, be a person who has the status of a British subject or the status of a British subject without citizenship, and

(b) a reference to an alien is a reference to a person who would, had the relevant Commonwealth law continued in force, be a person who is an alien within the meaning of that law.

(2) If a rule of law applies to or in relation to, or has effect with respect to, a British subject, the rule of law shall apply to or in relation to, or have effect with respect to--

(a) an Australian citizen, and

(b) any other person who would, had the relevant Commonwealth law continued in force, be a person who has the status of a British subject or the status of a British subject without citizenship,

as if the Australian citizen or other person were a British subject.

(3) If a rule of law applies to or in relation to, or has effect with respect to, an alien, the rule of law shall apply to or in relation to, or have effect with respect to, a person who would, had the relevant Commonwealth law continued in force, be a person who is an alien within the meaning of that law.

(4) In this section, a reference to the relevant Commonwealth law is a reference to--

(a) the Australian Citizenship Act 1948 of the Commonwealth, as in force immediately before the commencement of this subsection, and

(b) the regulations in force immediately before the commencement of this subsection under the Australian Citizenship Act 1948 of the Commonwealth, as so in force.