Terms and spelling
Australian spelling
We use Australian English. We follow the Macquarie Dictionary.
Do
realise – not realize
neighbour – not neighbor
centre – not center
driver licence – not driver license (note: licensed and licensing are correct)
Do not apply Australian spelling to proper names or official titles.
Do
Australian Labor Party
World Trade Organization
Abbreviations
Use abbreviations sparingly. They must be clear and familiar. Avoid abbreviations that reduce clarity or accessibility.
Do
Write abbreviations without full stops.
Do not
Avoid overusing abbreviations
Don’t use Latin abbreviations when plain language is clearer
Prefer
for example instead of eg
that is instead of ie
Acronyms and initialisms
An acronym is spoken as a word (for example, HECS).
An initialism uses letters spoken one by one (for example, CTP).
Do
Write the term in full on first mention. Add the shortened form in brackets, unless it is widely known
Use the shortened form for subsequent mentions
Do not
Spell out acronyms or initialisms that are universally understood (for example, NSW, EFTPOS)
Use full stops
Example
The NSW Government has reformed the compulsory third party (CTP) insurance scheme to reduce the costs of CTP green slips.
Articles
Use a or an based on pronunciation, not spelling.
Do
a HECS debt
a GST amount
an ABN
an HVIS
Addresses
Stack addresses. Do not use punctuation at the end of lines.
Do not
Abbreviate street types
Use Street, not St
Use Place, not Pl
Order
1. Building name (if applicable)
2. Level, lot or shop number
3. Street address
4. Suburb, state and postcode
Example
McKell Building
Ground Floor
2-24 Rawson Place
Sydney NSW 2000
If an address is on the corner of 2 streets, write both street names in full.
Example
Ivanhoe Police Station
Corner of Columbus Street and Cook Street
Mandatory language – need, must, legally required
Use consistent language for legal and administrative obligations.
Use need
When a step is required but has no legal penalty.
If the user does not complete it, they cannot continue.
Example
You’ll need to provide a copy of your birth certificate.
Use must
When describing a legal requirement.
Example
You must have a valid driver licence.
You must hold a current certificate of insurance before you start work.
Use legally required / entitled / responsible
When additional emphasis or legal clarity is needed.
Example
You are legally entitled to a refund.
You are legally responsible for keeping this information up to date.
A-Z of preferred spelling and terms
This section lists preferred spellings, capitalisation and hyphenation.
A
app – not application
Australian Government
Use for the national government of Australia in most user-facing content.
Use Commonwealth where legally or formally required.
Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)
C
compulsory third party (CTP) insurance
CTP Green Slip
D
demerit points
department
- lowercase when used generically
- capitalise when referring to a specific department (Department of Premier and Cabinet)
driver licence – not driver’s licence
NSW Driver Licence
Use capitals when referring to the product name.
drop-down
E
E-Toll, E-Toll Account, myE-Toll
EFTPOS
F
federal government
Avoid in favour of Australian Government unless comparison or context requires it.
G
government
Green Slip
H
homepage – not home page
I
internet – not the Internet
J
Justice of the Peace
L
licence (noun)
license (verb)
local council
local government
log in (verb)
Log in to your account.
login (noun or adjective)
Your login is your username and password.
You have used 3 of your 5 login attempts.
M
Member of Parliament (MP)
Spell out on first mention. Use MP after that.
N
number plates
NSW or New South Wales
O
online
on-site (adjective)
on site (adverb)
P
passport, passport-size photographs
photocard
Use NSW Photo Card for the product name.
pink slip
Police Event Number
post – not mail
postcode
practice (noun)
practise (verb)
program – not programme
R
registration, rego
roll-out (noun)
S
Seniors Card
service centre
Capitalise when part of a proper name – Blacktown Service Centre
Service NSW
statewide
statutory declaration
T
Terms and conditions
Avoid T&Cs in user-facing content.
trade plates
W
web page
website
Use portal only for authenticated, task-based services.
Wi-Fi
written-off vehicle