Page 2866 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 22 November 1989
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
To date, to my knowledge, the ACT Law Office has given competent, prompt advice to the Government. Certainly there were one or two occasions prior to the formation of the Government when I sought advice from the head of the Government Law Office. My request was received promptly and I was given very effective advice.
The running costs in this item no doubt include the law libraries. It has been one of my pet issues for a long time that there are too many law libraries; they are all over the place. Their tentacles are spreading all over this country as we lawyerise ourselves gradually. I will bet there are 10 law libraries within 200 or 300 metres of this place if you draw a circle. There is the Supreme Court law library, there is the Ombudsman's law library, there is the law library of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal on the third or fourth floor of the AMP Building; there is a law library across the road in Electricity House; there are law libraries all around London Circuit. That sort of fantasy library trip that you can go on in the ACT means that there is great duplication.
There is probably necessary duplication. There is a very excellent law library over at the DPP's office that occasionally one can use on a collegiate basis. The best law library perhaps in the country with law archives is across the lake over at the Robert Garran offices. That is a marvellous library. But, as I have mentioned before, I really feel that the Government needs to look at some system of joint sharing of those law libraries. The subscriptions alone are horrendously expensive for some of the practice manuals and the loose-leaf services. It is only due to the sheer frustration of not being in government that we have not had this thing worked over by the Rally already. I do enjoin the Chief Minister to look at that item. That is money that could be used on preschools and other areas. The law libraries should be collected together and made accessible, and that should be done as a matter of priority.
I also believe that the Law Office of the ACT needs to be given some recognition in relation to the profound issues that this fledgling new Law Office faces in terms of self-government. I am aware that from time to time the Law Office seeks the advice of counsel, but nevertheless there will be profound legal issues arising. I endorse the continued support for the Law Office, but the drafting office may need to be watched very closely to determine whether there is overload at any time in terms of drafting requirements. In view of the Government's legislative program and the program that will be proposed on this side of the house, I foresee the prospect of acute strains developing there. It is the Rally's view that, if that is to be the case, then we need to look at the prospect of access to consultant draftspersons or the relevant proposals for establishment changes at an early date.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .