[This is the "Example" referred to in the comments on many sections, and the "more detailed explanation" referred to in the introduction to the Commonwealth Constitution - the Working parts.]
There are twenty sections of the Constitution which make some provision "until the Parliament otherwise provides". You might think that it is obvious that each section implies that the Parliament must have power to make laws about the topic, but just in case some nark of a judge thought it wasn't, the drafters included paragraph 51(xxxvi):
Legislative powers of the Parliament.
51. The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws for the peace, order, and good government of the Commonwealth with respect to:-- ...(xxxvi.) Matters in respect of which this Constitution makes provision until the Parliament otherwise provides:
Now consider section 31, with the few words which define the actual "matter" that it relates to highlighted:
Application of State laws
31. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, but subject to this Constitution, the laws in force in each State for the time being relating to elections for the more numerous House of the Parliament of the State shall, as nearly as practicable, apply to elections in the State of members of the House of Representatives.
Section 31 can therefore be divided into permanent and temporary parts:
Permanent part: The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Commonwealth with respect to elections of members of the House of Representatives. [But see "Short Form" below.]
Temporary part: Until then, the laws in force in each State relating to elections for the more numerous House of the Parliament of the State [that is, the "lower" House] shall, as nearly as practicable and subject to conflicting provisions in the Constitution, apply to elections of MHRs for the State.
Short form: It would be tedious to repeat "The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Commonwealth with respect to..." each time a mixed section is edited. I have usually shortened this to a form such as "The Parliament may make laws relating to..." or "...prescribing..." as the context demands. This is not intended to disguise the fact that these laws must be made subject to any overriding requirements in the Constitution; I take that for granted.
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