Page 1307 - Week 04 - Thursday, 21 April 1994

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WELL AS BY LAWYERS. THE A.C.T. GOVERNMENT HAS COMMITTED ITSELF TO IMPROVING COMPETITION BY REMOVING RESTRICTIVE PRACTICES, AND TO IMPLEMENT MICRO-ECONOMIC REFORM MEASURES. THE OPENING UP OF CONVEYANCING SERVICES IS A SIGNIFICANT EXAMPLE OF SUCH REFORM. WE HAVE ISSUED A DISCUSSION PAPER ON THE DEREGULATION OF CONVEYANCING OF PROPERTY AND THE LICENSING OF CONVEYANCERS IN THE A.C.T. AT PRESENT, PLANS ARE BEING DEVELOPED FOR A SCHEME TO ENSURE THAT NON-LAWYERS WHO PERFORM CONVEYANCING SERVICES ARE APPROPRIATELY QUALIFIED AND THAT CLIENTS INTERESTS ARE ADEQUATELY PROTECTED.

SECONDLY, THE A.C.T. GOVERNMENT DECLARED SOME TIME AGO A MORATORIUM ON MAKING ANY FURTHER APPOINTMENTS OF QUEENS COUNSEL. THAT DECISION FOLLOWED ONE RECOMMENDATION MADE AN ALL-PARTY COMMITTEE OF THE A.C.T LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY WHICH INQUIRED INTO ACCESS TO JUSTICE IN THE TERRITORY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TRADE PRACTICES COMMISSION RECOMMENDED THAT STATES AND TERRITORIES WITHDRAW FROM THE OFFICIAL SELECTION AND ENDORSEMENT OF QUEENS COUNSEL.

THIRDLY, A DISCUSSION PAPER ENTITLED THE REIMBURSEMENT OF

LITIGATION COSTS, WHICH DISCUSSES THE ISSUES INVOLVED IN

PROVIDING A STATUTE-BASED SCHEME FOR THE LIMITED

REIMBURSEMENT OF THE LEGAL COSTS OF CERTAIN LITIGANTS, HAS

BEEN PREPARED AND CIRCULATED FOR COMMUNITY COMMENT. ISSUES

FOR CONSIDERATION IN PROVIDING SUCH A SCHEME IDENTIFIED IN THE

DISCUSSION PAPER INCLUDE THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH

REIMBURSEMENT OF LITIGATION COSTS MIGHT BE MADE, THE

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