In October 1993, the Attorney-General, Michael Lavarch MP, and the Minister for Justice, Duncan Kerr MP, commissioned a major review of Australia's justice system. That review was established because of the Government's concern that many Australians were losing confidence in our legal system.
In May 1994, the Access to Justice Advisory Committee produced a detailed action plan for improving access to justice for all Australians. That action plan was used as the basis for extensive community consultations.
The Government now responds to the challenge for change in our legal system with this Statement.
The Justice Statement is a wide-ranging national strategy to create a simpler, cheaper and more accessible justice system. It responds to the Advisory Committee's recommendations and those made in a number of other recent reports that have proposed improvements to the legal system.
The Government's justice strategy is geared towards resolving conflicts before they become legal problems, reforming key legal institutions and strengthening access and equity across the legal system.
The reforms and policy initiatives outlined in the Justice Statement are designed to make access to justice a reality for all Australians. The Justice Statement is an integral part of the Government's broad reform agenda to build a stronger and fairer nation and to ensure that all Australians can share equally in the benefits of Australian society.
P J KEATING