“Grey-letter law” (cf. black-letter law) or quasi-regulation is a term used to describe a range of codes, guidelines and practice notes used by government departments and statutory authorities to attempt to regulate conduct or influence behavior.

the term “quasi-regulation” refers to the range of rules, instruments and standards where government influences businesses to comply, but which does not form part of explicit government regulations. Quasi-regulation can take many forms such as codes of practice, advisory notes, guidelines, and rules of conduct, issued by either non-government or government bodies. In the context of a regulatory spectrum, quasiregulation might be considered as “grey-letter law”

There are many examples of grey-letter law in an environmental context. For example:

• The Vegetation Quality Assessment Manual published by the Department of Sustainability and Environment which describes how native vegetation should be assessed under Victoria's native vegetation retention controls.

• EPA Publication 1254 – Noise Control Guidelines and other EPA publications about noise EPA publications about noise.

• Victorian Government - Freedom of Information Act Guidelines

• Victorian Government - Improved Accountability Guidelines for Freedom of Information

• Australian Government - Freedom of Information Guidelines

• Victorian Government - Victorian Planning Provisions

• Victorian Government - Melbourne Transport Strategy

• Victorian Government - Alpine Resorts 2020 Strategy (2004)

• Victorian Government - Catchment Management Authority Catchment and Land Protection Act Statements of Obligations and other documents

• Victorian Government - DSE indicators of (high levels of) salinity

• Australian Government - National Weeds Strategy

• Victorian Government - Victoria’s Native Vegetation Management: A Framework for Action

• Australian Government - Intergovernmental Agreement on the Environment (IGAE) (1992)

• Australian Government - The National Objectives and Targets for Biodiversity Conservation 2001-2005

• Australian Government - Threat Abatement Plans (various from 1996)

• Australian Government - National Framework for Natural Resource Management (NRM) Standards and Targets

• Australian Government - National Framework for the Management and Monitoring of Australia’s Native Vegetation (2001)

• Australian Government - National Principles and Guidelines for Rangeland Management

• Australian Government - Asia-Pacific Migratory Waterbird Conservation Strategy and Shorebird Action Plan 2000-2005

• Australian Government - National Framework for Natural Resource Management Standards and Targets

• Australian Government - National Framework for the Management and Monitoring of Australia’s Native Vegetation

• Australian Government - Threatened Species Threat Abatement Plans

• Victorian Government - EPA - Waste Management Policies

• Australian Government - National Environment Protection (Diesel Vehicle Emissions) Measure

• COAG National Strategy of Energy Efficiency Memorandum of Understanding

• COAG National Strategy of Energy Efficiency

• Victorian Government - Memoranda of Understanding between Department of Primary Industries and various mining bodies

• Victorian Government - Department of Primary Industries - Work Plan for a Mining Licence Exceeding 5 Hectares

• Victorian Government - Department of Primary Industries - Minerals and Petroleum Environmental Guidelines

• Victorian Government - Groundwater Management Plans

• Melbourne Water - Streamflow Management Plans

• Murray Darling Basin Plan

• Australian Government - National Water Commission

• Victorian Government - State Environment Protection Policies and other water policies

• Victorian Government - EPA - State Environment Protection Policy (Groundwaters of Victoria)

• Victorian Government - EPA - State Environment Protection Policy (Waters of Victoria)

Note: State Environment Protection Policies have a special status under the Environment Protection Act 1970 and therefore are not true “grey-letter law”. They are included here for completeness. For more information see: Pollution control in Victoria

• Victorian Government - Code of Forest Practices for Timber Production

• Victorian Government - Forest Management Plans

• Australian Government - National Forest Policy Statement (1992)

• Australian Government - National Principles Related to Wood Production in Plantations

• Australian Government - Regional Forest Agreements

• Victorian Government - Fisheries Management Plans

• Victorian Government - Guidelines for Assessing Translocations of Live Aquatic Organisms in Victoria

• Australian Government - Australian Fisheries Management Authority - Policy and Planning

• Victorian Government - Ministerial Guidelines for the Assessment of Environmental Effects

• Australian Government - Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 Guidelines

• Victorian Government - Protocol for Environment Management, Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Energy Efficiency In Industry

• Australian Government - National Environment Protection Measures - Air Quality Standards

• Australian Government - National Greenhouse Accounts Factors

• Victorian Government - Waste Management Policies, Ships Ballast Water

• Victorian Government - EPA - State Environment Protection Policy (Waters of Victoria)

• National Health Medical Research Council - Guidelines for Managing Risks in Recreational Waters

• Commonwealth Interdepartmental Committee on Quasi-regulation, "Grey-letter law", 1997