Page 56 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 13 February 1990
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MR COLLAERY: Before I was interrupted by the unexpected disappearance of Ms Follett from the agenda, I was saying that in addressing the Government's fundamental social objectives, the opportunity has been created to consider issues of acute community concern such as the well-being of socially disadvantaged groups across the full spectrum of available Government initiatives, which can range from support services and community funding at one end of the spectrum, to remedial law and order measures at the other end. I welcome this challenge.
Mr Speaker, in his address to the Assembly the Chief Minister referred to the chance the ACT now has to create a model justice system. When the transfer of legal functions from the Commonwealth is complete we will have a unique opportunity to design, with full community participation, the system that best suits our needs as the residents of Canberra.
Members will be aware that the self-government arrangements involved a phased transfer of legal functions from Commonwealth to Territory responsibility. Self-government, itself, in May last year saw important structural and functional changes. A Government Law Office was created to discharge a full range of State-type legal policy and administrative functions. A Government Solicitor's office was created to undertake professional legal work for Government agencies and enhance an expanded legislative drafting office which was established to undertake the drafting of legislation for consideration by this new Assembly.
Further functional transfers are in prospect. The ACT will assume responsibility for the Magistrates Court on 1 July this year. Similarly responsibility for the Supreme Court will be assumed by no later than 1 July 1992. Responsibilities expected to be assumed on 1 July next are criminal prosecutions, the current body of criminal law, and regulation of the legal profession. Negotiations are proceeding with a view to establishing by 1 July next, appropriate ACT responsibilities for the policing of the ACT by the Australian Federal Police. Great challenges lie ahead for us.
In particular we must design a court system that is responsive to the needs of the Canberra community. We are not interested in change for change's sake, nor must we necessarily maintain forever the court system that a national government thought was appropriate for the Territory within its own national court structure. Interested community groups and the legal profession will be fully consulted and involved in the development of these proposals. I do not want to pre-empt that process, but one possibility we might be examining is the creation of a Canberra court which might draw together functions presently vested in the Magistrates Court and administrative tribunals.
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