Page 4853 - Week 15 - Thursday, 16 December 1993

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ON THE BASIS OF THAT UNDERTAKING. THE GOVERNMENT HAS AGREED THAT THE COMMONWEALTH EVIDENCE BILL 1993, WHICH IS THE CULMINATION OF THE JOINT

COMMONWEALTH - NEW SOUTH WALES DRAFTING PROJECT, SHOULD APPLY IN A.C.T. COURTS. THE

COMMONWEALTH MINISTER FOR JUSTICE INTRODUCED THE BILL INTO THE PARLIAMENT YESTERDAY.

THIS ARRANGEMENT HAS CONSIDERABLE ADVANTAGES FOR THE TERRITORY. THE COMMONWEALTH AND NEW SOUTH

WALES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DEVOTE A FAR GREATER LEVEL OF RESOURCES TO THE PROJECT THAN THE TERRITORY

WOULD BE ABLE TO. IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE FOR US TO

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT SITUATION AND "PIGGY-BACK" ON THE JOINT EXERCISE. ENACTMENT OF THE LEGISLATION WILL NOT BE THE END OF THE EXERCISE. WITH

LEGISLATION OF THIS COMPLEXITY, IT IS ONLY TO BE

EXPECTED THAT SOME AMENDMENTS MIGHT BE NEEDED TO RESOLVE MATTERS THAT COULD NOT BE ANTICIPATED AT THE DRAFTING STAGE. ANY SUCH AMENDMENTS WILL BE HANDLED BY THE COMMONWEALTH AND APPLY TO THE

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY.

THE GOVERNMENTS INTENTION IS THAT, ONCE THE

LEGISLATION HAS BEEN IN FORCE FOR SOME TIME AND ANY PROBLEMS IRONED OUT, THE GOVERNMENT WILL

INTRODUCE INTO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY AN A.C.T.

EVIDENCE BILL. THAT BILL WOULD MIRROR THE UNIFORM

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