What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to explore how legislative drafting has become clearer and more accessible in three countries.

March 26, 2026Open Access

‘It’s Complicated’: the development of plain language legislative drafting in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand

Puntos clave

The aim is to explore how legislative drafting has become clearer and more accessible in three countries.
Reviewed drafting practices in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
Identified influences on legislative clarity: public interest, government support, and drafting office cultures.
Outlined three phases of legislative drafting evolution.
Clarified laws are now more user-friendly due to growing awareness of users' needs.
The evolution shifted from simply simplifying wording to providing guidance and context.
Influences from public interest and government support shaped these developments.

Resumen

Abstract This article describes how legislative drafters in three countries have tried to write clearer laws. It identifies three key influences on this development: public and political interest, government support, and drafting office cultures. This article also describes three phases in this trend: from simplifying wording to clarifying text and structure and now edifying readers by providing context and guidance. These emerging goals reflect growing awareness and understanding of statute users’ needs.

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