Constitution Amendment (Pledge of Loyalty) Act 2006

*Constitutional Amendment (Pledge of Loyalty) Act 2006*
Constitutional Amendment (Pledge of Loyalty) Act 2006
Parliament of New South Wales
	Long title An Act to amend the Constitution Act 1902 to require Members of Parliament and Ministers to take a pledge of loyalty to Australia and to the people of New South Wales instead of swearing allegiance to the Queen, and to revise the oaths taken by Executive Councillors. ;
Citation	Constitution Amendment (Pledge of Loyalty) Act 2006 (NSW)
Territorial extent	New South Wales
Passed by	Legislative Assembly
Passed	7 April 2005
Enacted	7 April 2005
Passed by	Legislative Council
Passed	7 March 2006
Enacted	7 March 2006
Assented to by	Governor Marie Bashir
Assented to	3 April 2006
Commenced	3 April 2006
Repealed	3 December 2006
Legislative history
First chamber: Legislative Assembly
Bill title	Constitution Amendment (Pledge of Loyalty) Bill 2004
Introduced by	Paul Lynch
Introduced	4 May 2004
First reading	6 May 2004
Second reading	7 April 2005
Third reading	7 April 2005
Second chamber: Legislative Council
Member(s) in charge	Peter Primrose
First reading	7 April 2005
Second reading	7 March 2006
Third reading	7 March 2006
	Status: Repealed

Last updated December 09, 2025

The Constitution Amendment (Pledge of Loyalty) Act 2006 No 6,^[1] was an Act that amended the Constitution Act 1902 to require members of the New South Wales Parliament and Ministers to take a pledge of loyalty to Australia and to the people of New South Wales instead of swearing allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs and successors, and to revise the oaths taken by Executive Councillors. The act was assented to by the Governor on 3 April 2006.

Purpose

In 2006 the NSW parliament, the oldest of the Australian States, passed an act to remove requirements for members of their Legislative Council, Legislative Assembly and Executive Council to pledge allegiance to the Queen, her heirs, and successors. The oath was replaced with an oath of loyalty to Australia and to the people of New South Wales.

Text of the legislation

Legislative Council or Legislative Assembly

(1) A Member of the Legislative Council or the Legislative Assembly is not permitted to sit or vote in the House to which the Member has been elected until the Member has taken the pledge of loyalty before the Governor or other person authorised by the Governor for that purpose.
(2) The pledge of loyalty is to be in the following form:
- Under God, I pledge my loyalty to Australia and to the people of New South Wales.
(3) A Member may omit the words "Under God" when taking the pledge of loyalty.
(4) A Member is not required, despite any other Act or law, to swear allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II or her heirs and successors before sitting or voting in the Legislative Council or the Legislative Assembly.
(5) This section applies only to Members elected after the commencement of the Constitution Amendment (Pledge of Loyalty) Act 2006.

Executive Council

(1) Before assuming office, a person appointed as a member of the Executive Council is to take:
- (a) the pledge of loyalty, and
- (b) the Executive Councillor's oath of office, before the Governor or other person authorised by the Governor for that purpose.
(2) The pledge of loyalty is to be in the following form:
- Under God, I pledge my loyalty to Australia and to the people of New South Wales.
(3) A member of the Executive Council may omit the words "Under God" when taking the pledge of loyalty.
(4) The Executive Councillor's oath of office is to be in the following form:
- I, being appointed as a member of the Executive Council of New South Wales, do swear that I will perform the functions and duties of an Executive Councillor faithfully and to the best of my ability and, when required to do so, freely give my counsel and advice to the Governor or officer administering the Government of New South Wales for the time being for the good management of the public affairs of New South Wales, and that I will not directly or indirectly reveal matters debated in the council and committed to my secrecy, but that I will in all things be a true and faithful councillor. So help me God.
(5) A member of the Executive Council may, instead of taking the Executive Councillor's oath, make an affirmation to the same effect.
(6) This section applies only to members of the Executive Council appointed after the commencement of the Constitution Amendment (Pledge of Loyalty) Act 2006.

Restoration of Oaths of Allegiance Act 2012

On 5 June 2012, the Constitution Amendment (Restoration of Oaths of Allegiance) Act 2012 No 33 was assented to and made a further amendment to the Constitution Act 1902, by restoring the option of taking the oath of allegiance to the Queen, her heirs and successors, in addition to the option of taking the pledge of loyalty.^[2] The change applies to members of Legislative Council, Legislative Assembly and Executive Council.

References

External links

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[1] Constitution Amendment (Pledge of Loyalty) Act 2006 (NSW)

[2] Constitution Amendment (Restoration of Oaths of Allegiance) Act 2012 (NSW)

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