Published Thursday, 18 September, 2008 at 08:55 AM
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister Assisting the Premier in Western Queensland
The Honourable Kerry Shine
GREATER CONSULTATION ON LEGAL HARMONISATION
Attorney-General Kerry Shine today commended the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General (SCAG) on their initiative in holding the harmonisation conference in Sydney, the first of its kind held in Australia.
The conference engages business, industry, academics and the legal profession in the process of legal harmonisation.
“To be truly competitive on the international stage, Australian Governments need to ensure we have national solutions for national issues.” Mr Shine said.
“It makes sense that we consult as broadly as possible in developing national solutions to issues that cut across State and Territory borders.”
The conference is being attended by 40 delegates from a range of fields including the legal profession, law reform bodies, industry, business and academia. It will consider issues currently before SCAG, and will also brainstorm what issues SCAG could focus on in the future.
Some of the matters placed on the agenda by participants include corporate manslaughter, harmonisation of court procedures, interstate recognition of guardianship orders and national model rules for admission of legal practitioners.
Queensland is represented at the Conference by the President of the Bar Association of Queensland, the President of the Queensland Law Society, Crown Law and the Queensland University of Technology.
“This level of direct involvement in the law reform process provides insight into practical realities, allowing us to better direct the process of legal harmonisation,” Mr Shine said.
The conference is modelled on international approaches to the harmonisation of laws, such as the Uniform Law Conference of Canada. The outcomes of the conference will be reported to SCAG Ministers at their next meeting in Brisbane in November.
Media Contact: Kate Lennox 3224 7481 or 0421 127 869
The conference engages business, industry, academics and the legal profession in the process of legal harmonisation.
“To be truly competitive on the international stage, Australian Governments need to ensure we have national solutions for national issues.” Mr Shine said.
“It makes sense that we consult as broadly as possible in developing national solutions to issues that cut across State and Territory borders.”
The conference is being attended by 40 delegates from a range of fields including the legal profession, law reform bodies, industry, business and academia. It will consider issues currently before SCAG, and will also brainstorm what issues SCAG could focus on in the future.
Some of the matters placed on the agenda by participants include corporate manslaughter, harmonisation of court procedures, interstate recognition of guardianship orders and national model rules for admission of legal practitioners.
Queensland is represented at the Conference by the President of the Bar Association of Queensland, the President of the Queensland Law Society, Crown Law and the Queensland University of Technology.
“This level of direct involvement in the law reform process provides insight into practical realities, allowing us to better direct the process of legal harmonisation,” Mr Shine said.
The conference is modelled on international approaches to the harmonisation of laws, such as the Uniform Law Conference of Canada. The outcomes of the conference will be reported to SCAG Ministers at their next meeting in Brisbane in November.
Media Contact: Kate Lennox 3224 7481 or 0421 127 869