Corporations Act 2001

The company is the Act's primary focus, but other entities, such as partnerships and managed investment schemes, are also regulated.

In that case, the Commonwealth was found to have insufficient power to legislate in relation to the formation of companies.

This decision led to the creation of a co-operative scheme, involving a referral of power from the Australian states.

The co-operative scheme has come under pressure in recent times as the Commonwealth Government has sought to rely on the corporations power to legislate for its industrial relations reform agenda.

The Act is published in five volumes covering a total of ten chapters.