Page 2558 - Week 09 - Thursday, 8 August 1991
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Provisions in the Bill will further the process of the globalisation of legal services, a topic currently under consideration by the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General. The administrative admission procedure will streamline the enrolment in the Territory of legal practitioners from another Australian jurisdiction. The removal of admission as of right for a practitioner from the United Kingdom will assist in achieving a more uniform Australian approach to overseas admissions.
Currently there is no provision which gives the client of a solicitor the right to receive an itemised statement of costs and disbursements from the solicitor. The Bill will provide such a right. This will obviously benefit consumers of legal services in the ACT.
A practitioner appointed as queen's counsel for the ACT is presently required to pay a fee which is specified in the Act. The Bill will provide that such a fee may be set by determination. This will bring the Act into line with current Territory drafting practice. I present the explanatory memorandum for the Bill.
Motion (by Mr Stefaniak) proposed:
That the debate be now adjourned.
Mr Collaery: This is outrageous, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Collaery! I request withdrawal of that, Mr Collaery. Mr Stefaniak was on his feet.
Mr Collaery: I certainly withdraw it, Mr Speaker, and I will speak to you later. There are conventions that are observed in the other house.
Mr Moore: That is not a withdrawal.
Mr Collaery: Mr Speaker, I withdraw that, and add the comment that I would ask you to observe the conventions observed in the other house for Bills introduced by a previous government. Normally the call is given to the Minister who introduced the Bill previously.
MR SPEAKER: I take note of that position. I am not sure that that is the case.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
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