Section 44 — Racial Discrimination Act 1975: Jurisdiction

(1) The several courts of the States are invested with federal jurisdiction, and jurisdiction is conferred on the several courts of the Territories, within the limits of their several jurisdictions, whether those limits are as to locality, subject-matter or otherwise, to hear and determine civil and criminal proceedings instituted in those courts under this Act. (2) No proceedings under this Act shall be instituted in a court of a State or Territory before a day to be fixed by Proclamation as the day on which: (a) that court shall commence to exercise its jurisdiction under subsection (1); or (b) a class of courts of that State or Territory in which that court is included shall commence to exercise their jurisdiction under that subsection; but nothing in this subsection prevents a court from exercising jurisdiction in a matter arising under this Act in a proceeding instituted in that court otherwise than under this Act.