THE JUSTICE STATEMENT

Attorney General's Department

May 1995

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Introduction - ACCESS TO JUSTICE

• The Role of the Commonwealth
• Reform of the Justice System

Chapter 1 - FAMILIES

• Preventing Problems in Families
  • Support for Families
    • Marriage/Relationship Preparation
    • Access for People of Non-English-Speaking Backgrounds
    • Access for People in Rural and Regional Areas
    • Family Services Council
  • Families and Finance
    • Financial Counselling
    • Bankruptcy - One Stop Service
• Resolving Problems in Families
  • Family Law Act Reform
  • Violence Against Women
  • Family Court Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Liaison
• Children and Youth
  • Family Law
  • Family Services
• Reform of the Law Relating to De Facto Relationships

Chapter 2 - RESOLVING DISPUTES

• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Mediation Services
  • Mediation in Courts and Tribunals
    • The Courts
    • Tribunals
  • Mediation and Counselling in Family Law
    • Mediation and Counselling in the Family Court
    • Community-Based Mediation Services
    • Private Mediation Services
• Safeguards in Mediation
  • Mediation in Family Disputes
    • Standards of Mediation
    • Family Services Council
  • Advisory Council on Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Arbitration Initiatives
  • Arbitration in the Federal Court
  • Arbitration in the Family Court
• Administrative Review
  • Recent Initiatives
  • The Future
• Customer Dispute Schemes

Chapter 3 - LAWYERS

• Competition in the Legal Profession
• Reform of the Legal Profession
  • Structure of the Profession
    • A National Legal Services Market
    • The Divided Profession
  • Information for Lawyers' Clients
    • Advertising
    • Disclosure of Information by Lawyers
    • Access to Independent Information About Lawyers' Fees
    • Revision of Fee Scales
• Lawyers' Fees
  • Contingency Fees
• Lawyers' Business Structures
• Complaints about Lawyers
• Reservation of Legal Work to Lawyers

Chapter 4 - COURTS AND TRIBUNALS

• Charters
• Improving Efficiency
  • Case Management
  • Simplification of Rules and Procedures
  • Delays
  • Benchmarking
• The Role of Judges and Tribunal Members
  • Judicial Appointments
  • Professional Development Programs
• Accessibility of Court Facilities/a>
  • Late Opening of Family Court Counselling Facilities
  • Circuits
  • Regional Services
• Better Understanding of the Role of Courts
• Court Transcripts
• Equality of Access
  • Physical Access to Court and Tribunal Facilities
  • Court Reforms for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People
• Interpreters
  • Interpreter Projects for People of Non-English-Speaking Backgrounds
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Interpreters Project

Chapter 5 - NATIONAL WOMEN'S JUSTICE STRATEGY

• Women's Legal Centres
  • Specialist Services
    • Rural Women
    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women
    • Women of Non-English-Speaking Backgrounds
    • National Outreach and Development Fund
    • Telephone Access
  • Access and Equity in Mainstream Services
• Women and Legal Aid
• Violence Against Women
  • Violence in Families
    • Pilot Projects
    • Training Measures
    • Facilitated Handover and Visiting Centres
  • Family Law
    • Reforms to the Family Law Act
    • Violence Protection Orders
  • Criminal Law
    • Model Criminal Code
    • Firearms Control
    • Improving the Justice System Response to Violence Against Women
• Women and the Courts and Tribunals
  • Professional Development in Gender Issues
    • Education of Future Judges and Lawyers
  • Court Facilities
  • Public Interest Litigation
• Law Reform

Chapter 6 - LEGAL AID

• National Legal Aid Policy
• Commonwealth Priorities for Legal Aid
• Legal Advice
  • Legal Expenses Insurance
• National Disbursements Assistance Fund
• Cases of National Importance
• Community Legal Centres
  • Rural and Regional Community Legal Centres
  • New Metropolitan Community Legal Centres
    • Supporting and Evaluating New Services
  • Civil Litigation Advocates
  • A National Network of Environmental Lawyers
  • Women's Legal Centres
  • Services for Children and Youth
  • Human Rights and Discrimination Law
  • Community Legal Centres - Planning and Management
    • National Approach
    • Community Development Project
    • National Information Scheme

Chapter 7 - ACCESSING LAWS

• Legislation
  • Consultation in the Development of Laws
  • Consultation in the Making of Rules
  • Parliamentary Consultation Processes
• Simplification of Legislation
  • Drafting of Legislation
  • Simplification of the Corporations Law
  • Legislation Affecting Competition
  • Copyright Law
  • Human Services and Health Legislation
  • Processes for Reviewing Legislation
  • The Acts Interpretation Act
  • The Freedom of Information Act
  • Business Regulation
  • Delegated Legislation
• Harmonised Laws
  • The Model Criminal Code
  • National Strategy on Violence Against Women
  • Evidence Act
  • Consumer Credit Code
  • Defamation Laws
• Easy Access to Laws
  • The SCALE Database
  • Upgrading of SCALE
  • Delegated Legislation
  • Social Security Community Information Network
  • Veterans' Affairs Information
• Law Reform
• Community Legal Education
  • Existing Initiatives
  • Increased Funding to Community Legal Centres
  • Legal Education for School Students and Others
  • Education about Government Services
    • Reform of the Family Law Act
    • Services Provided by Legal Aid Commissions
    • Services Provided by the Australian Taxation Office

Chapter 8 - CONSUMER PROTECTION

• National Approach to Consumer Protection
• Trade Practices Protections
  • Reform of the Trade Practices Act
  • Protection for Consumers After Purchasing Goods
• Customer Dispute Schemes
  • Standards for Consumer Complaints Schemes
• Protection for Consumers in Dealing with Lawyers
• Corporate Law Remedies
  • Investigations
  • Education and Information

Chapter 9 - TACKLING CRIME - TOWARDS A SAFER AUSTRALIA

• Commonwealth Initiatives
  • Commonwealth Law Enforcement Review
  • Gun Control
  • Violence Against Women
  • Counter-Terrorism
  • National Missing Persons Bureau
  • Drugs and Police Powers
• National Criminal Laws
  • Model Criminal Code
  • Forensic Procedures Bill
• Safer Australia
  • How will Safer Australia Operate?
  • Crime Prevention and Community Safety
  • Community Safety Surveys
  • Media Representation of Crime

Chapter 10 - HUMAN RIGHTS

• Discrimination
  • Human Rights and Discrimination Law Centre
  • Disability Standards Under the Disability Discrimination Act
  • Review of the Racial Discrimination Act
• Children
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
  • Inquiry into the Removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner
  • National Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee
• Human Rights Consultation and Coordination
  • Australia's National Action Plan
  • Human Rights Forum for Non-Government Organisations
  • SCAG Working Group on Human Rights
• Family Financial Vulnerability
• Legal Issues Facing Older Australians

Chapter 11 - ACCESS ACROSS CULTURES

• Identifying the Issues and Responding to Them
  • Government Services
    • Community Education about Government Services
    • Responding to Calls for Further Improvement in the Delivery of Services
  • Government Funded Community Services
  • Law Reform
    • Racial Hatred Bill
    • Criminal Law
    • Family Law
• New Initiatives for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
• New Initiatives for People of Non-English-Speaking Backgrounds